The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-09-20
A WAR STORY.


room was filled with smoke and that
genial afterglow of pleasant, reminis-
cent talk that always follows a good
dinner, and especially a dinner where
old friends have met. old friendships
been revived and old stories told.
These men had been comrades in war
and served under the same flag, held
the same political opinions, and
suffered the same losses. All but one
had told his story, when our host
turned toward him and said:
'Well, Harrison, we are waiting for
your story"
Harrison smiled deprecatingly,
gazed into the fire, and then began
the following in his soft, Southern
drawl:
well, my story happened when we
were in Georgia, just outside of
Marietta, and our mess consisted of six
men-two Georgians, one Alabamaian,
Virginian, myself, and Creole with
beautiful face and tenor voice that
would charm the birds from the trees,
named, singularly enough, Orphee.
We became very tuneful set under
his inspiration, and exchanged musical
information with much curiosity. Our
favorite air was that famous camp
song, "Tenting on the Old Camp
Ground You should have heard us
sing it. Orphee's tenor, my baritone,
and the three other fellows Ginning in
softly, until the very pine trees stopped
whispering to listen, and the fire
burned softly in admiration, and war,
somehow did not seem so hard and
cruel. Well, one dark night we were
sitting around the fire, discussing with
unwearied enthusiasm the prospects of
the cause, when we heard irregular
footsteps outside. and paused in our
talk to listen.
"You can turn in here until further
orders,' said our Lieutenant's CHEEKY
voice, and a minute afterward a short
thickset man entered. He made an
apologize little bow, shook himself
like dog, and, taking off his large
wide-awake, disclosed a dark, square
face, with shy, dark eyes, blue-black
hair, and a wide, firm mouth He
smiled tenderly, giving an air of great
sweetness to an otherwise sombre
face. He sat down on a blanket,
Turkish fashion, quietly hoped he was
not disturbing US, and then dropped
his eyes meditatively on the ground.
Silence reigned. We were too dis
consulate to be polite, and 80 listened
uneasily to the slow, indefinite stirrings
of the wind through the trees, when
suddenly new sound arose, as of
stealthy, uncertain footsteps COMM g
nearer. The new conner pricked up
his ears, and his face wore an express
sion almost approaching guilt. "a
spy" was my first illogical conclusion,
as l rose to my feet and waited ex-
pectantly.
The flap of the tent stirred slightly,
cautiously the wind rose and swept
the darkoned landscape, the rain
poured down with rush, as if
to give a tragic significance to what
was about 10 happen, for something
did happen-the flap was suddenly
pushed aside and goat walked in and
went straight to the stranger, who re-
ceived her with an indescribably ten
derness of look and gesture.
"A rum CO." said the Nirginian,
under his breath.
We all agreed, but contented our
spectacle of a man and a goat fond
ling each other with uncouth marks of
affection. After awhile we resumed
our old lazy positions and silently
awaited further developments. The
little man signed the goat to remote
spot. where she lay down and then,
turning toward us, said, as if taking
up an unrepressod thought: You see,
boys, could not help it if Nanny
would follow me. / have been good
TO her, and she remembers it. | had
TO leave home secretly to escape her,
and all through the journey | felt
like scoundrel, and now-well, here
she is
He stopped abruptly, without wait
ing for comment, and lay down with a
short good night. | law awake several
hours after the others, wondering idly
as to the probable tie which bound the
newcomer to the goat, but arrived at
no solution, From that night Parsons
and his goat became a subject ofnever
ending speculation To the mess. He
was very quiet aud unobtrusiye, never
resenting, although contriving to evade
impertinent questions, and bearing
everything with good nature amount
ing to stupidity. As for the goat. she
became the hapless butt of the whole
division. We called her. derisively,
Miss Anna" treating her with an
amount of mock consideration that
made Parsons eyes fairly glisten with
appreciation. The second night after
their arrival we began to sing, as usual,
when the Nirginian rose, and in a
speech, the delicate humor of which
shall not attempt to reproduce, begged
that Miss Annals rest should not be
broken by our rude chanting.
| shall never forget the broken, ten
der, depreciating little reply that came
from Parsons, and how he had
consented at last to sing. His face
was so rapt as he sat beating time with
his forefinger and occasionally quaver-
ing out an effective Dying Tonight.
DYING Tonight" we sang as if our very
life blood was ebbing away, that be-
gan to realize the absolute cowardice
Of ridiculing perfectly innocent, un-
conscious man. | began to try and
shield him from the funmakers. and
was finally joined by orphee, who be-
came an eloquent partisan. As for
Parsons he grew almost to worship
the handsome, sweet-yoiced lad.