Wichita eagle., 1889-06-20
THE LITTLE COURIER.


apple.
"Where do you liver asked the officer, ,
lieutenant after surveying the little figure
contempladvely. The boy turned around
and pointed TO house on an eminence in tn,
direction from which he had come
Got @ father?"
"Yes, sir"
Union or ConfederateY'
Union
The officer scowled. During the civil wal
the southern troops were far more bitter
against the Union men Of the south than TO
ward northern soldiers.
Il amt no Union man, though" added the
boy, thrusting his hands into his pockets
planting his legs firmly at an angle, and look
ing up at the soldiers resolutely.
"Youl What are your asked the officer
astonished.
I'm a rebel"
There was a burst of laughter from the
troop at his implied defiance.
WHATS your fathers nameI"
TON Lane"
sand yoursT'
"Minel Mines Tom Lane, too"
The officer turned his head and glanced
.meaningly at a sergeant who was close be
hind him.
How does it happen, my lad, that your
father is Union and you are Confederatef'
NAV, she's southern. Pop he blongs IN
East Tennessee
''Is your father at homer"
''No, sir"
"When Wi he be at homer
81 dunno" The boy knit bis brows Then,
with quick change of interest and expires
sion, he asked, ''Whar you uns goen'r
The officer smiled. "Where are you going,
my ladP
''Over thar" He pointed with his finger.
''Oh, yes, forgot. And what are you go
ing TO do over there's"
Tom colored. "Oh, 1 amt goen' to do
nothin' but leave sump'n' in the postoffice on
the fence.n
The "postoffice" was a box with q slit in
the top which had been put up for the pur-
pose Of children's correspondence. The Off
Ger noticed that the chubby hand grasped a
bit of folisd paper.
won't you let me see it'll" he asked.
NAV" The boy turned away with an
abashed look.
Sergeant" said the officer, speaking low,
''Tom Lanes the man we are after. This is
his boy. We must try to find out If Lane is
at home, or where he is I've orders to take
him, dead or alive"
My little man, he continued to the boy,
will you answer some questions for the good
of your countrTp
81 reckon So"
Then tell me where your father is.n
''He amt none o. us; he's Union"
YES, but where Is he's"
my pop amt got nothin' to do with you
uns. Asst me some other things, n I'll tell
EN-"
The officer was bafiled. Indeed, he was
ashamed Of his work in trying TO induce a
boy to betray his father. The lad started on.
The sergeant was about to ride forward to
stop him, but tho officer ordered him back
The troop rode on to a cross road which led
TO a wood to the right; then turned down
this road and entered the wood. Finding a
spring of good water, they went into bivouac
A man was ordered TO ride after the boy, and
secure the missive he intended to drop int
the letter box.
The soldiers picketed the ir horses and cocr
ed their supper. While they were eating.
the man who had been sent for the letter
came IN. The officer unfolded the little scrap
of paper, and read this scrawl in childs
hand:
MARCH TuuRD.
DEaE MACY. I want you fur to be nj sweetheart.
Wen git man agoen fur TO be sojer Ny pop
Is agoen to bring gun. He's comen hoam to-
nnorrrar. Nav she sais In to little fur gun but
reckon III sit it anyway. Yours trewly,
TON LANE JU9YER.
The officer spelled out this communication
with some difficulty, and put 1t in his pocket
1t contained all the information he wanted
He had now nothing TO do but to wait in
order 10 capture Tom Lane, guerrilla.
The next morning the boy was playing in
the road in front of his fathers house. a Con-
feierate officer with stars on his collar rode
by attended by his staff. He stopped and
questioned the boy.
''How far is II 70 the river, my ladr'
THE riverf'
YES"
Ten miles"
SIS the bridge down?"
'Tw'arn't down last Thursday7'
"How do you knowp
"Hear'n' pop say So"
And that roadn-pointing-" does
1t lead tor
Where tot"
yes WhereT"
TIL mount'ns"
You're pretty prompt with your answers.
You seem 10 know the country hereabout."
The general changed his position in the
saddle 10 rest. He looked into the childs
face thoughtfully His own wore a troubled
expression.
do you know the road 10 J-r
"Yes, sir"
"Can you rider
ride! Reckon I can ridei Amt done
nothin' else sence | was little"
How would you like to carry dispatch
for mei'
What's thatn
"A letter"
"Y' amt no Yank, are y'F-
"I'm a Confederate officer"
I'm do anythin' for our sojers," said Tom, |
with fash In his eve.
.'Then come with me-"
And without ceremony the child was put |
on the back of "a led horse beside a cavalry /
man, and rode with the general and his staff /
to headquarters. When they arrived at I
camp the general turned the child over 10 an /
aid, but In half an hour ordered him 10 be /
brought to his tent
Now, nv boy" said the officer, looking I
intently into the child's honest brown eyes, /
Il am going 10 send you on an important er-
rand Though you are boy you must nave |
the courage Of n man."
The boy made no reply. he was looking
straight st the general
'iwant You 70 take this'-he held up some
hing that hooked Ike pill Its roll OF
tissue paper in TN Toll, end there's message
---'---N - - To-, i =, Gen - com
handing the Confederate force ct j.
there's but one road-you know the road;
80 down the pike III you come 10 the picket
near the fork by ScagC's tavern. Take the