Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-05-30

must be great army.
About the middle of the. afternoon they
reached Sagget, a small place of half a
dozen houses, one store, a blacksmith shop
and post-ofhce TO give it the appearance of
village The houses were scattered over
the crest of a hill In a woods pasture
north Of them, to the left of the road, Cap
tain Smart said they would encamp to
await the ARRIVAL of other companies of re-
crults.
About fifty men who had come the night
before were already encamped among the
trees which covered the hillside, and dur
ing the day hundred more came in. The
superabundaEce of commissioned officers, or
men who would be commissioned officers if
the Governor would sign their commits.
sions, gave no. little trouble about who
should rank the others. But after much
parleying, the honor Of command was con-
ferred on Captain Smart
The men were under very slight restraint,
and the enforcement of military discipline
was almost impossible.
Luke's acquaintance, Arkansaw Tom,
seemed to take considerable interest in the
| new recruit
"Don't spect sojer life IL agree with ye at
| fust,' Tom said.
''No, I don't think it will, but hope to
get accustomed to it." Luke answered
"Oh, yas; feller kin git use ter most
any thing guess. But We'll meet some %
| them Johnny Rebs afo' we go catertopin'
| very long bout heah."
siThe country must be full Of them?' said
Luke.
Thicker n hops" answered the old man,
| SAN all calogin' ter Lexin' ton. where we're
| gwine. 1t will be red hot when we get
| thar"
Luke rade no answer; he sighed, cast
| his eyes upon the ground and mentally
asked himself how long it would be ere it
was dyed with human blood. Would he ever
see again that bright-eyed, rosy-cheeked
| girl, whose kiss seemed still warm on his
| lips. Was life's bright young dream to end
| in fire, smoke and carnage?
"Come on, Luke Mason, and give hand
| herel" cried one Of his new comrades.
They were trying to raise rude tent
which they had constructed from some
| wagon sheets. Luke's experience with
tents for fishing and hunting parties stood
him in excellent need on the present occa-
sion. He showed them how to arrange the
center-pole, braces, wings, flies and stays,
| and in few moments they had lutte re-
| spectacle tent.
| "Thort ye'd never peen in tin sarvice,''
said one.
"I never was" he answered.
| "Oh shucks, ye needn't tell that, we
know better" said member of his mess
called Ned Cotton. ''No 'un who hain't seen
sarvice could yank q tent about that way"
Ned Cotton, Bill Snow, Arkansaw Tom,
Luke and two more occupied the new tent,
and spent most of the afternoon lying en-
the fresh, clean straw with which they had
carpeted the earth.
The day wore slowly by; the routine of
camp life had not yet become sufficiently
old to be monotonous. Men were drilling
by companies, platoons, squads, or even
| singly.
"Yer on fur picket t'-night." said q
corporal, coming to the door of the tent and
laying his hand on Luke's shoulder. SEQ
on t seven"
Chow long do stay on guard?' asked
Luke. 81 had but little sleep last night"
"Only two hours, then comes first relief" f"
said Corporal Max, who had in the last few
days imbibed a world of military knowl-
edge. Corporal Max was a chrome grum-
bier, but very rigid disclplinarian so far
as he knew.
At the appointed hour Luke and three
others, under Corporal Max, shouldered
| IU6lT SuuS iuu hSHI SOuC GuICO VI 4OOl
miles from the camp, where the road
parted, and there sat down under large
tree This was the extreme picket post,
and but slender guard was left about the
camp.
The picket amused themselves telling
stories and commenting on the situation,
while Luke sat little apart from the
others, his mind filled with that dark,
strange mystery of his life. What hand
had launched that cradle upon the bosom OF
the food which bore his infant form, and
what was the purpose? Was his destruc
ton sought because he was living testi
mony of sin. Then, again, who had stolen
the large yellow handkerchief and for what
purpose. But as these reflections were
painful, he tried to cast them aside and
listen to the chatter of his companions.
81 don't think they'll done come T. fight
u.s." one of the guards, who was lying on the
grass gazing up at the stars, boastfully re-
marked. ''We'd lick 'em too quick"
They're concentratin at Lexington, y
said Corporal Max. II don't see what sense
thar is in hangin' around here. Why not &c
thar an clean 'em up? Thar's no danger
t. night 'nless straggiin' gang runs in on
u.s."
''They'n be sorry if they do," the boaster
asserted.
The relief came, and Luke, wearied in
body and mind, was glad to return to lie
| down in his tent, for long rides and sleep
less nights were beginning TO tell upon him.
While dragging his weary feet along the
road to camp it seemed as if every step must
be the last. Reaching his tent worn out
with anxiety and fatigue, he threw himself
on a pile of straw and was soon in the land
| of dreams.
In the slumbers of midnight his mind
gradually drifted back to the pleasant days
he had spent at the old farmhouse in COM
pany with Lille. That angry cloud which
for moment had flashed from Albert Neff s
brow seemed blur upon their happiness,
which was rapidly growing into terrible
storm-cloud, obstructing the light and glad
ness of the sun.
Lightning flashed from the dark cloud and
peals of thunder, sharp and incessant, like
musket shots, rang out. He saw Lille at
his feet struggling in death.
He had stopped over her, when he felt
himself being dragged somewhere by the
| heels.
MY Godl What's the matterl" he cried,
wide awake.
'.GIt up they're fightin'l" roared Ar
Iansaw Tom in his ear.
Distant firing affirmed the assertion.
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