Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-04-25
LUKE MASON.
A Thrilling and Romantic Story
OF the Late OWL War.
BY JOHN X. MCsICK,
AUTHOR or BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER, .
"HELEN LAgEEAN," Z" WALTEE BROWN
FIELD, BANKER Oh BEDFORD"
AND OTHER STORIES.
lcoPyrigMed. sss.l


After an hour spent in these exercises
they gathered up ali camp equipage and
took up their line of march, intending to go
TO Lexington.
People came TO their doors TO see them,
and a. they went by they thought they
must be a great army.
About the middle OF the afternoon they
reached Sagget small place Of half
dozen houses, one store, blacksmith shop
and post-office to give it the appearance OF
village. The houses We're scattered over
the crest Of q 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-
cruits
About fifty men who had come the night
before were already enoamped among the
trees which covered the hillside, and dur
ing the day q hundred more came in. The
superabundsIce Of commissioned officers, or
men who would be commissioned officers il
the Governor would sign their commits.
sions, gave no little trouble about who
should rank the others. But after much
parleying, the honor vi command was con-
ferred on Captain Smart
The men were under very slight restraint,
and the enforcement OF military discipline
was almost impossible.
Lukes acquaintance, Arkansaw Tom,
seemed to take considerable interest in the
new recruit
Don't speet sojer life II agree with We at
fust, Tom said
"No, don't think it will, but hope 10
get accustomed to it, Luke answered
"Oh, yas; a Teller kin git use ter most
any thing guess. But Wen meet some %
them Johnny Rebs afo' we go catertopiR'
very long bout heaa.'
THE country must be full of them." said
Luke
Thicker N hops answered the Old man,
.'an' all calogin' ter Lex.n'ton, where we're
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-cyed, rosy-cheeked
girl. whose kiss seemed still warm on his
lips. Was Iifes bright Young dream 20 end
/ in fire, smoke and carnaget
t.Come Oh, Luke Mason, and give hand
here!" cried one OF his new comrades.
/ They were trying to raise rude tent
/ which they had constructed from some
I wagon sheets. Lake's experience with
tents for fishing and hunting parties stood
| him in excellent need on the present occa-
I sion. He showed them how TO arrange the
i center pole, braces, wings, flies aud stays,
/ and in few moments they had quite re-
I spectacle tent.
"Thort we'd never been in tn sarvice.'
said one.
~ never was he answered.
sOh shucks, We needn't tell that, we
| know better'i said sember OF his mesa
| called Ned Cotton. mo 'un who hain't seen
sarvice could yauk a 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 on
| the fresh. clean straw with which they had
carpeted the earth.
Ths day wore slowly by; the routine of
camp life had not yet become sufficiently
old 10 be monotonous Men were drilling
by companies. patoons. squads, or even
singly.
Yer on fur picket q night said q
corporal, coming TO the door Of the tent and
laying his hand on Luke's shoulder. 800
on y seven
How long do | stay on guardip asked
Luke ~ had but little sleep last night"
"Only two hours, then comes first relief
1
days imbbed a world of military knowl-
edge Corporal Max was a chronic grum.
bier, bur a very rigid discIplinarian so far
as he knew
At the appointed hour Luse aud three
others, under Corporal Max, shouldered
their guns aud went some three or four
miles from the camp, where the road
parted, and there sal 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 a little apart from the
others, his mind filed with that dark
strange mystery Of his life. What hand
had launched that cradle upon The bosom oil
the Hood which bore his infant form, and
what was the purp0sei Was his destruc
ton sought because he was a living testi
monY Of sin. Then, again, vino had stolen
the large yellow handkerchief and for what
purpose But a. these reflections were
painful. he tried TO cast them aside and
listen TO t1e chatter OF his companions.
II don't think they'i doue come & fighi
ns.n cue OF the guards, who was lying on ths
grass gazing up at the stars, boastfuliy re
marked WED lick ieu too quick"
They're ooncentrstin' ut Lexington,
said Corporal Max II don't see what sense
thar is in hangin' around here Why not Il
thar an clean 'eIn ups Thars no danger
T. night 'nless a strsggIin' gang runs in on
u.s.
They be sorry II they do" the boaster
asserted
Il The relief came. and Luke, wearied an
body ana mind, was glad to return 70 lie
down IN his tent, for long rides aud sleep
less nights were beginning TO tell upon him
While dragging his weary feet along tbs
read to camp II seemed asif every stepmus
be the last Reaching his tent VOTE cu
with anxiety and fatigue, be threw himself
on pile az straw and was socr IN tie lant
Of dreams.
Ia the slumoers Of midnight bis mins
araapally sFiftsa ssck v tts pleasant day