The Democratic advocate., 1889-01-26

in the case OF our pOyerty-strlcEen Confed
crate friends, or the deed could answer tt
the will in default of tagging commissary
train.
1t was noticeable that on neither side
was there any Dragging of prowess. The
vainglory of victory over each other when
they had just warmed palms like reunited
wanderers from the same house-brood,
seemed despicabe thing. Yet each man
knew that twenty-four hours hence he
would be as keen to fly at this brother
throat as ever, and feel the same old thrill
of triumph at captured standards and a
flying foe. Perhaps the dumb presence of
this certainty overshadowing the touching
comedy gave more lively zest to the emo
tions that acted their part so well for the
occasion, as the movement of Greek play
was charged with deeper meaning by the
idea of fate against which gods and men
were powerless, standing behind it all.
Only once was a delicate reserve ruffied.
4 gaunt Carol;nian snickered, siWaal, I've
seen you Yanks when 70 looked sight
less clipper, with we-uns a-peggin the lead
inter yer backs 'Shut yer teeth, roared
a six-footer from Lynehburg; they've seen
our backs as often as we've seen theirn.'
The yellow, badly printed Richmond
newspapers of a late date, loaded to the
muzzle with stuff to fire the Southern
heart, were greedily exchanged for North
ern journals. But there was another kind
of barter that wakened far more interest.
Though our men had gone breakfastless,
their haversacks were not altogether lean.
I Out came the coffee to exchange for tobae-
CO. or, if need be, give away. The hungry
nostrils quivered with delight at the odor,
more fragrant than the bouquet of nectar
( ripened in the sunshine Of Burgundy to
[ these straitened men, who had almost con-
gineed themselves that there was no such
/ thing as coffee left in the world | almost
expected to see fires lighted without more
ado. and both sides make cheer over COM
mon breakfast This, however, was just
the one hole too loose in the general un-
buekling Of belts Many vivid little epi-
sodes stamped themselves on remembrance
as parts Of this extraordinary scene. Ii is
I impossible now TO review all these incl
dents, which show how easily the streams
Of human kindness flow to the milking.
I One thing, however, stands out among
others. A grizzled Confederate, though
aged more by hardship and trouble than by
time, was absorbed in talk with sergeant
in blue as they lay on the grass. They took
out childrens photographs and showed
each other, and their eyes shone and their
faces puckered over the sight, as their long
boards wagged rapidly in their fear lest
they should be parted before they could
unpack all their hearts to each other. 1t
was thing to make one choke with
swelling lump in the throat.
4 tall, noble-looking Confederate major,
who commanded the detachment immedi-
ately in our front. stood hundred yards
away in the open, looking with paternal
smile on the strange spectacle, yet evidently
eogitating the immediate, the pressing need
Of getting his own line to position again.
( There we're ominous sounds on our extreme
7 left, showing the cloud of battle would
soon shut out our brief spell of sunshine.
( Destiny settled the question through piece
I Of the foulcst treaehery, the act Of blood
+ thirsty savage, though every Federal soldier
felt himself smirehed and branded by It,
Z 4 rife cracked amidst the music of laugh
and talk that seemed to preclude a final
reconciliation, and the rebel major threw
I his arms wildly in the air, shot through the
heart by a Yankee bullet.
For moment there was no sound, but
calm ike that of death. Every tongue
was struck dumb, every thought stunned,
every limb paralyzed. by the aecursed act.
Then there arose a wild tumult Of rage, a
clamor Of curses that battles description.
Bloody Yankee sneaksm "Cowardly trai-
tors white livered dogsl' and hun
dred other fierce epithcts pelted US as the
/ Confederates dashed like madmen for cover
aud their rifles. Back we too scurried to
shelter, aud the old game began again
in deadly earnest. IL was not long before
some Of US solved the mystery of that felon
shot A tall tree stood somewhat back
from the picket line, from the upper
branshes of whose leafy covert we noticed
rapid firing From time to time glimpses
of body could be seen, and BY pieeing
facts together it become plain that the tree
must have been in the line of the bullet
which slew that stately Confederate major
Among those who observed the most
quickly was a Ettle red headed Irish cOrpo-
raj. No shot from his rifle had been fired
after our hurried return, and the frown on
his freckled phiz, generally so full of
'divil- l-me-care' fun showed that Paddy
Fitz was doing something very unusual
/ for him-thinking
Lieutenant, ayiek, he finally said to an
officer near him, .'twas that bloody spal-
peen up there that shot the rebel major.
BE the howly Mother must have crack
at the basic or me heart viii break. Ye
may shoot or hang poor Pat for it, but the
bullet in me gun is itchin' to be inside that
divils hide. The officer frowned slightly,
shook his head without word, and turned
away his face Shortly afterward, amidst
the general firing, there was loud crash
amidst the branches of the big tree, and a
heavy body fell from the top to the ground,
I CARRIED in the uniform of celebrated sharp
/ shooter corps. Some of the men recogniz-
I ed it even in the distance 1t was a half
breed Chippewa Indian, marksman noted
among marksmen, He had paid the pen
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