The Springdale news., 1889-07-26

in my ears What is it he knows-oh! !! what is t!i His last nterrOgatory was ut tered with a sigh from the uttermost depths of his troubled heart Ahl what longing possessed his soul. A longing to know the history of that helpless babe found floating m it's cradle down the turbulent Missouri.
 Picket firing and skirmshing at the front became a common thing. When a soldier was detailed for picket duty he went fully expecting to be fired upon before he re- turned
 "Jist let lem bang erway." said Bill Snow, as he lay in his tent, listening to the oc- sonal reports of muskets Tn the distant woods 'Ef they think I'm gwinc ter git skeered at n ow-el they're badly mis- taken"
 Wall, Bill, it mayn't be n ow-el by CT long shot," said Arllansaw Tom, who was reclining on pile of straw.
 Yer don't think old Johnston or Price ar comin' to tackle us, d ye." asked B1itii.
 ''Mought be"
 "Let um come"
 ''Not afore Buell. gifts here"
 'Whut d we kccr! Hain't VIC crnuf ter lick um'"
 Wall, we d hev our hands full, we kin bet, Bill I'm ergoin ter bet that we burn powder atore we've been here a week longer"
 Been burnin powder every day fur a week. said Ned, lazily shufflng deck of well thumbed cards
 "Yes, n what does t all mount to-" growled Max "Nuthin' Ef t want fur them mullet heads who command tn army we'd a been in Corinth long ago.
 'Ye'll git ter Corinth soon ernufT, Max" Ned Cotton answered.
 Wed as well had this war over six months ergo as ter be foolin an dallyin erlong. Now, didn't we go right inter Fort Donelson'"
 "Yes, but old Sid Johnston warnt thar We're not ergoin ter hey walk over s we did with Floyd n Filler He'll do some O the walkin' himself"
 The conversation was cut short at this moment by the appearance of the Colonel
 II am going to the front Tom, and want you four to accompany me, " he said. It's getting rather dangerous up there now"
 Yer bet we'll go," cred Tom, starting to his feet The four men at once buckled on their accOutrcments and seized their guns.
 They were all that Luke deemed neces- sary for the reconnaissance. They were all on foot, as a horseman would be a too-con- spicuous mark for a sharpshOoter. Colonel Mason's regiment was out on the extreme front, and they had not gone more than mile and half before they came upon the picket hnc.
 Meeting some relieved pickets coming in the Colonel asked:
 How IS it at the fronttH
 Been quiet fur nour," one of the guards said.
 "Haint seen Johnny fur nour, but they war blazln' at us nearly all nightn
 Did they seem very strongF
 Wall, they made It mighty hot, part O the time ''
 "Of course you have no idea as to their numbers Y
 No, but I believe they're more n the Ginerals think"
 With his slender guard the Colonel moved on. Suddenly there came distant shot in the woods IL was followed by three or four more in quick succession, and they saw the smoke issuing from a bunch of bushes two or three hundred yards away.
 Like experienced Indian scouts, creeping from tree to tree, and bush to bush, taking advantage of every thing that would screen them from vlew, Colonel Mason and his faithful guard made their way to where five Union soldiers were crouched behind large oak tree, at the side of sixth who had been pierced by q musket ball.
 ''Is he hard hitln asked the Colonel, com ing upon the group
 He's dyin',n one of his comrades an swered
 It was needless to ask any further ques- tions about him. Those glassy eyes, that gaping mouth, the quick gasping for breath and death rattle in his throat were evidence, that life was ebbing away. With each painful gasp there came a gush of blood from the wound in his breast.
 Joe, Joe, can't yer speak t me-" said comrade, bending over him. ''Haint yer got no word t send home Oh speak, Joe, jest one word Tell me that ye know me" It was lifelong friend who entreated him 10 utter just one word of recognition, and send some word of comfort to loved ones at home. But no word was spoken. Those 1 ears were deadened to all sounds, or that | tongue had not the power of speech. Joe, | Joe, jest one word; tell me yer prepared t | 1ien Ay, that one word-that precious word of | ,olid comfort to bereaved friends s-how | many hearts it has frightened in the ages | oast, and how many 1t will continue to | ighten in the ages to come, no one but an | lll-wise Father in Heaven will ever know. | But this soldier was too far gone to even liter word. Already his gasps grew 'horter, and already the rigidity of death seemed to steal over his frame. The feeble 'truggle for breath at last ceased. The