Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-06-20

an. eolly, I'll Jest take 70 thar in NO time
TO- mawnin'P'
There was no time to parley, for the mol
Of Southerners were determined to make
an example OF q Yankee who dared T.
come to their neighborhood. Their spies
had evidently noted his arrival, and were
quick to discern his sentiment.
| 1t was . long, dark ride. Part Of the
time they had road and part of the time
none, plunging through Tickets, and cross
ing creeks and ravines, all the time sur
rounded BY dense forest. Day had begun
| to dawn when they came in sight Of camu
| on hillside, in . woods pasture. The stars
and stripes were floating from . pole stuck
up near . wagon.
Blackhawk refused to go any further, and
Luke, dismountlng, 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-
Quoted to q wagon, which was the chief OH
GERS headquarters. There were almost q
hundred men in the camp, and very little
discipline was shown. The 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:
"H it's yer intention to fight fur the
Onion, ye needn't 20 any further, fur
want three more men here now, and I'll en-
roll he and sw'ar We right an"
It was q sudden change, but sudden
changes were common, and in few min
utes Luke Mason was enlisted as recruit
An old white-haired man, dressed half in
buckskin and half jeans, came to him and
invited him to his mess, as they just lacked
one more. The old fellow was known as
Arkansaw Tom, was brave as q lion, with q
heart tender as 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 q measure made
amends for his lack of military skill. He
had a United States drill book and Hardee's
tactics, over which he had been pouring
every idle moment for three days. Immedi-
ately after breakfast he brought his COM
pany upon q 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 60
to Lexington.
People came to their doors to see them,
and as they went by they thought they
must be great army.
About the middle of the afternoon they
reached Sagget, small place of half a
dozen houses, one store, blacksmith shop
and post-oflce to give it the appearance Of
Q village. The houses were scattered over
the crest of q hill. In q 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
superabundarce 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 III agree with 70 at
fust," Tom said
''No, 1 don't think it will, but hope to
get accustomed to it" Luke answered
''Oh, vas; . teller kin git use ter most
any thing guess. But Wen meet some %
them Johnny Rebs afo' we 20 catertopin'
very long bout heah."
''The country must be full Of them!" said
Luke.
Thicker N hops" answered the old man,
sam all a calogin' ter Lexin' ton, where we're
q 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-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
here I" Dried one of his new comrades.
They were trying to RAISE q 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 |
braces, wings, flies and stays, |
and in q few moments they had lutte a re-
spectacle tent
"Thort ye'd never been in tn sarvice."
said one.
AZ never was" he answered.
"Oh shucks, ye needn't tell that, we
know better" said q member Of his mess |
called Ned Cotton. mo 'un who hain't seen |
sarvice could yank . 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.
aver on fur picket t'-night." said .
cOrpOral coming To the door of the tent and /