Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-04-15
Luke Mason

 a nple of & Yankee who dared to come to their neighborhood. Ther spies had evidently noted his arrival, and were quick to discern his sentiment.
 It was a long, dark ride. Part of the time they had road and part of the time none, plunging through thickets, and cross ing creeks and ravines, all the time sur rounded by dense forest. Day had begun 10 dawn when they came in sight of camp on hillside, ill a woods pasture. The stars and stripes were floating from polo stuck up near q wagon.
 Blackhawk refused t) go any further, and Luke, dismountng, walked into camp. A guard halted him and demanded to know what he wanted. Luke informed him that he wanted to see the Captain, and was con- ductcd to Q wagon, which was the chief off cer's headquarters. There were almost a hundred men in the camp, and very little discipline was shown. Tho arms were chiefly the ordinary fire-locks, shot-guns and rifles, and they were wholly without uniforms.
 When Luke had told his story to Captain Smart the latter said:
 eff it's yer intention to fight fur the Union, ye needn't go any further, fur I want three more men here now, and I'll en- roll he and sw'ar ye right in."
 
 changes were common, and in few min- uteS Luke Mason was enlisted as C recruit. An old white -haired man, dressed half in bucl1skn and half jeans, came to him and invited him to his mess, as they just lacked one moro. The old fellow was known as Arkansaw Tom, was brave as lion, with a heart tender as q woman's.
 Luke found this beginning of soldier life far from agreeable. The coffee was black, the meat burnt and the bread hard and dry. The newly-made soldiers were lying about upon the grass, some already complaining of the hardships and others narrating re- markable adventures, of which the narrator was always the hero.
 Captain Smart was a man of pluck and common sense, which in a measure made amends for his lack of military skill. He had United States drill book and Hardec's tactics, over which he had been pouring every idle moment for three days. Immedi- ately after breakfast he brought his con- pany upon a green spot, devoid of trees, to instruct them In the manual of arms.
 After an hour spent in these exercises they gathered up all camp equipage and took up their line of march, intending to go to Lexington.
 People came to their doors to sec them, and 'as they went by they thought they
 
 About the middle of the afternoon they reached Sagget, small place of half dozen houses, one store, a blacksm smth shop and post-of1ce to give it the appearance of village. The houses were scatteredover the crest of a hill. In 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 como the night before were already encamped among the trees which covsred the hillside, and dur ing the day hundred more came in. The superabundance of commissioned officers, or men who would be commissioned officers if tho Governor would sign their commis. 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 tho new recruit.
 "Don't spect sojer life I'll agree with ye at fust," Tom said.
 "No, I don't think it will, but hopo to get accustomed to it," Luke answered
 J any thing guess. But we'll meet some 70 them Johnny Rebs afo' we go catertopin' very long 'bout heah."
 "The country must be full of thema" said Luke.
 Thicker I'll hops," answered the old man, ''an' all calogin' ter Lexin'ton, where we're a gwine. It will be red hot when we get thar"
 Luke made 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-eyod, rosy y,cheelzed girl, whose kiss seemed still warm on his lips. Was life's bright young dream to end in fire, smoke and carnage!
 "Come OH, Luke Mason, and give q hand herc!' cried one of his new comrades.
 They were trying ito ralse 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 .uite 0 re- spectacle tent.
 "Thort ye'd never been in tn sarvicer said one.
 II never was," he answered.
 ''On SnuCkS, ye needn'C tell that, VIC know better" said a member of his mess called Ned Cotton. ''No 'un who hain't seen sarvice could yank a tent about that way"
 Ned Cotton, Bill Snow, Arkansaw Tom, Luke and two moro occupied the new tent, and spent most of the afternoon lying on 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 corporal, coming to the door of the tent and laying his hand on Luke's shoulder. ''Go on t seven."
 "How long do I stay on guarda" asked Luke. 'I had but little sleep last night.''
 "Only two hours, then comes first rehef," said Corporal Max, who had in the last few days imbibed a world of military knowl- edge. Corporal Max was chronic grum- bier, but very rigid disciplinarian so far as he knew.
 At the appointed hour Luke and three others, under Corporal Max, shouldered their guns and went some three or four miles from the camp, where the road parted. and there sat down under a large tree. This was the extreme picket post,