The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-22
Pr.n.s y spssal cepyr.gA.sa. lsss.
His VIRTUES FED luIQUITY
A Story in Two Parts,
BIZ HENRY LOOMS NELSON,
Aashor Of ssToha RansoaI.''
PART I.

december
day in 1864. One was brigadier-eeneral. an
other was division surgeon, the third was an
aid on the brieadiers staff. and the fourth was
an animated young colonel, who was addressing
the general with good deal of vehemenee and
in tones that were bortatory and again
persuasive The sun was now two hours high.
The western sky beginning to redden
slightly, and this sign of the approaching end
| OF day seemed to spur the young colonel to re-
| newed effort He was a wonderfully handsome
ofhcer-hardly more than boy-and as he
| pointed st the setting and through the
| trees in the direction OF the confederate works,
his fine gray eyes dilated with enthusiasts, he
looked like the gallant soldier he was.
1 While the young colonel spoke, the generals
face and gestures betrayed dissent and some an
| noyance But the colonel did not observe the
i manner of any of the about him. He was
not on the staff of the brieadier-general, but on
that Of the great soldier who was at the head Of
| the army.
/ He had come with orders for an immediate
/ assault on confederate earthwork that stood
in the path of the Union army. The direction
was that the division commanded by Brigadier-
general Solomon should take the fort if possible,
/ before shutdown.
| Il cant do it," This the response that
had been made more than once TO Guests APP
peas and arguments. Sometimes it was accom-
| panied by nervous little laugh. 80 nervous and
insincere that it harmonized perfectly with the
/ rather ugly look in the small and restless black
| eyes 1t was evident that Brigadier- general
solomon did rot intend to make an assault and
desired not to hear any more of the subject, for
| he finally cried out petulantly:
Now don't let's hear any more Of this. The
| men are tired and hungry. They've been march
nj nn1n IN nnfw FwnC
| and lots of them TO capture that fort I don't
see what the generals thinking of. Isn't there
an abatls that will take hours to break down,
and ditch swept by four twelve FOUNDERS, and
between the ahatis and ditch ravine aud q
stretch OF ground planted with torpedoesq You're
crazy, Guest-absolutsly crazy to think of such
a thing. We've been talking about this big fort
all the campaign. and wondering how long the
seige would take. and now the general wants TO
capture the place in an hour, and with of the
smallest divisions of his army; it's madness. 1t
won't do-wont do; won't do"
Then the speakers manner suddenly changed,
and be went on, coaxingly: Come come, Guest.
be sensible and let's do this job tomorrow, If
it's 10 be done in such foolhardy way"
The gonne colonel was thoroughly angry now.
"The job ought TO be finished tonight.
The general is looking at this clump Of trees
through his glass now, and expecting every min
ute to see your line march ous. know what
be done. Your division can go into that
place in ten minutes and can take it without fir
ing gun. When made my report two division
commanders were at headquarters and begged
for the chance. but asked it for you because
you'd had nothing during the campaign. l
thought you'd recognize your opportunity to get
your promotion. but you don't seem tor
The nervous laugh Jared STRANGELY after this
the cooperating indsffsrenos Of the man UPON
whom tie demand had been made.
''Ha! He! Hal very good; very heroic. very
pretty" the general replied. but If didn's
know that you're my friend. I'd think you my
enemy for insisting that should disgrace my
self and spell my record by undertaking an i'm
r%fh Ala faa% % rat Tire ira
young and your pluck gets the better of your
JUDGMENT Come. come; be good fellow ana
let's have drink"
mo, sir; I'll not drink nor eat until the fort
is taken. By heaven. I'll show you what can be
done"
And with this be drove his spurs into his
horse. There was q snort. . plunge, aud the
colonel was dashing THROUGH the trees, the men
who were preparing their supper scattering be-
fore him. Now and then cheer would greet
the reckless rider for he was very popular in his
old brigade The sun was only an hour high
when Guest disappeared from sight and the
twigs and branches of the oaks made gigantic
black patterns on the red sky
by Cad: he's war incarnate, said Surgeon
Gillespie ~ wonder what he's nm TOP muttered
the general Juggling at his moustache
He did not have long 10 wait for response.
It came in the long clear notes Of the bugle from
O mile away. The assembly was sounding
This is characterization, spiuttered the gen.
eral in his piping voice Captain Stone, go
directly and order those buglers in arrest and
order any one you find responsible for this TO
report at once to me-"
But just as Captain Stone was riding off.
Solomon thought better of it. mo, you needn't
GO he said, sles the fellow take the consequent
oes
.sHe knows that the consequences win be .
major generals commission" sneered Gillespie.
.'And he'll be mean enough to let Guest win the
two stars for him. just as he won the single.
wonder when Guest will find out what fraud
he works forfe
While the bugles are sounding and the men
getting in to line for the famous assault,
shall tell why Colonel Guest served General Sol
TAR hat %fnw
der and admiration of the army.
When Edward Guest nineteen years old |
he was the promising boy Of his native village of
Thessalia In Michigan. and his father was the
richest man of the ceunty-storekeeper. |
farmer and banker. The war broke out. and. |
while the feverish activity stirred the boys |
blood and made him eager to tread the paths OF |
glory. he had no intention Of joining the army, |
for he was just prepared to enter college, and |
the dearest wish of the father was that the son |
should be an educated man. But the great war |
destroyed many plan. A regiment was raised |
in the county. and Thsssaia was the headquar- |
ters The recruiting officer and colonel was |
young Lieutenant of the regular army who had |
gone to West Point from the neighborhood.
Edward Guest was in love. and Elizabeth /
dreams. One day. when the fife and drum were T
sounding in the village streets the two were I
wandering through tn oak opening on the out |
skirts of the clearing, happy as the robins who /
were calling 10 one another in the fields hard by
How beautiful she was no one knew we'll
the handsome golden haired boy who walked by. I
claiue ed her perfect health. When her sensi- /
tive lips parted their ripe red made beautiful
contrast with the dazzling white of her /
singularly even teeth. spirit of mischief I
shons from her gladstone eyes, in which |
there was much of coyness and coquetry
and, If the truth be told, somewhat of fickleness
rs well. It was more than a pretty face which
was shaded by fhe large white hat, for there
in it . promise that beauty would with I
fully-developed womanhood. The two went
as they had been going ever since they began to
know the mutual pleasures of the comradeship
of the sexes Two natural beings,
nral boy and a girl whose only wes were thus
far. the common possession OF her kind.
Through all the boys nature the beautiful sun-
shine poured, and it filed him with the ecstacy
OF mare existence. And yet, il the sun
shine or was it the tantazine smile of the hazel
eyesI The earth generously soft under his