Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-06-12

an hour ordered him to be brought to
his tent.
Now, my boy, said the officer, look.
ing intently into the child's honest
brown eyes, I'm going 10 send you on
an impoi tant errand. Though you are
a boy, you must have the courage OF a
man
The boy made no reply. He was
looking straight at the General.
Il want you to take this'-he held
up something that looked like a pill.
Its roll of tissue payer in tin foil,
and there's message written on it.
Take 1t to General, commanding
the Confederate force at j.. You
will have to go through the Yankee
plckets. Do you understand
yes, SIR
General interposed an aide, impa-
tiently, this is a duty for me, not for
this child
How could You pass the enemy's
pickets2' demanded the general sharp
ly. Then, without permitting reply
he went on giving the boy his instruc.
tions.
you are so young that l think the
pickets will let you 60 where you
please
I'm twelve, interrupted Tom.
Are your Well, you must keep up
a stout heart, and not look frightened.
Il reckon | won't be scared consid'-
able .s.
Take this The General put his
6nger into the pocket of the boys
jacket to see if it was whole; then
rolling the pellet in a piece of news
paper he slipped it into the pocket. If
you must lose it, swallow it.
The boy looked surprised, but said
Il will!' resolutely.
The General took the little fellow
by the hand. 1t was a curious con.
trast, the grizzly bearded, rough COM
mander looking down from his six feet
two, into the boys little round face,
and holding the chubby fist in his
knotty hand. He was loath to relin-
quish 1t; loath to let the boy 60. He
was loath to send child on perilous
errand. He could have sent man
without conjunction, even if he knew
the chances were nine in ten that he
would be shot; but this boy
'Go' he said, suddenly, and motion.
ed the aide to take him away. Anoth-
er moment and he could not have done
it.
Tom Lane, junior, now advanced to
the dignity of Confederate courier,
was placed on a good-natured horse
which was to carry him on his jour-
ney. The aide took him to the Con-
federate picket line, and started him
off up the road. He stood looking at
the faxen- haired urchin, whose little
legs stuck out on either side over the
round flanks of the horse at an obtuse
angle, wishing that he might call him
back. He watched the boy till he
rounded a curve in the road. The
young courier turned and smiled; a
smile of innocence, of courage, of con-
cious pride in the work to be done
In another moment he was lost to the
officers view.
That day passed and the next. The
commander, who was awaiting the
outcome of his plan of communication,
did little but pace anxiously back and
forth before his tent. Though abrupt
in manner, he was usually singularly
kind to those under his orders. Now
he seemed the very incarnation of mil.
itary severity. When twenty. four
hours had passed and his courier did
not return, he became so crusty that
no member of his staff dared approach
him.
On the second evening at dusk the
plckets heard the Gathering Of a horses
hoofs on the pike. A horse came in
sight, and on his back was the little
courier, hatless, swaying in the sad
die, but riding at gallop. The SOL
diers grasped the bride and stopped
him.
Take me to the General, quick!
He was deathly pale, and blood
trickle6 down his side. They led the
horse toward headquarters; a man
walked on either side to sustain the
boy in the saddle. AS they proceeded
The courier told his story in detached
sentences.
He found no difficulty in getting
within the Union lines, but he had
been obliged to try several time be-
fore he could succeed in leaving them. |
He reached the Confederate army late |
at night, delivered his message, and |
was well cared for by order of the
General commanding.
The next morning a reply to the |
he had brought was given
1im and he started back. Again he
passed free into the Union lines, and
le again found difficulty in leaving
he lines on the opposite side. At
asst, getting some distance beyond a
,icket who was watching him, he re-
'olved to make a dash for it. Il
hought he wouldn't shoot me-, said
Noxa soo,.no T ,rn, 80 1:k1lo ,.nol~