Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1890-07-11

to subject them to structures they did
not deserve. They pledged themselves
to husband their slender stock, but by
noon their opportunities were SO great
that I shared a portion of the water
gathered in the little spring with them.
Long before evening the fifteen men
and Sergeant complained Of thirst.
There was but one thing to do.
about five o'clock I decided upon
my course. I told the Sergeant Of the
guard divided into three reliefs) that
he could take the men into camp at
six. I also informed my four assist
ants that they could return to camp
that evening. When the guards were
called in they were gleefuI. My assist
ants were also glad of the opportunity
to 60 down and see the boys again.
My assistants were among the first to
leave the station. The greater portion
of the guard had scrambled down the
mountain slope, when the Sergeant of
the guard said to me:
Lieutenant, where is your sword
and pistols?'
4 am not going to camp, I an
swered.
"The Sergeant looked at me round
eyed. He did not think was in ear
nest.
"I reminded him that I had expert
enced pain coming up, although 1 rode
half way up on my horse, which was
taken back to camp. He reminded me
of the fact that there were wildcats
and other Yarmints on those mountains.
The Sergeant was vehement in his pro-
tests. He volunteered to remain with
me, but I ordered him to follow his
men. His surprise did not find full
expression until he discovered that
my sole weapon Of defense was an ak.
"The Government gave all signal
officers and fagmen Sharps' rifles and
a pair of reYOlVers, but my sword, re-
vOlvers and rife we're lying in my tent,
in camp. The Sergeant withdrew very
reluctantly. It was not until L found
the silence Of the mountain OPP
pressive that I regretted my &C
ton. I said to myself that all
the catamOunts in the Tennessee
mountains were less to be feared than
a short paragraph going the rounds of
the press to the effect that Assistant
Signal Officer L. was cashiered for al
lowing himself to be captured by the
enemy, he having stupidity relied upon
an ak for his defense, carefully leaving
his guns in his tent instead of taking
them with him.
"My hagmen had made me a rude
arbOr placed against a large tree trunk.
I laid down under this, placed the ak
beside me, and trusting to luck, fell
asleep shortly after the lights in our
camp below me we're extinguished.
How long l slept 1 do not know. My
sleep was dreamless. I woke up sud
denly, as a person does sometimes, to
find some one has addressed or touched
them. On the instant my eyes fell
upon man wearing a brOad-brimmed
SLOUGH black hat that concealed all but
his heavy beard. He was in his shirt
sleeves. His arms were folded negli-
gently. He was leaning on a gun.
"The figure was as boldly defined as
any object human eye ever observed.
I raised my head, straining my eye
balls looking at the mOtiOnless figure.
It required a powerful exertiOn Of the
will to sit up, but I resolved to meet |
my fate squarely. turned to see his
fellows. Then it occurred to me that
nothing could be more absurd than that
q man should guard a sleeping cap
tive.
"These sensations and thoughts pos
sibly occupied a second-the time
seemed minutes. I clutched the ak, as
I experienced a crawling sensation all
over my scalp, rose and walked straight
to the man with a heavy beard, The
stars shOne clear upon a tree I had
passed and repassed fifty times tree
with a portion of its trunk bIackened
by fire, and from which several great
strips of bark had been torn. This was
the terrible Confederate.
when I realized the trick my fancy
played me, laughed outright at the
spectacle I presented. walked over
to the little spring. There was a cup
full of water in it, which I drank, then
composed myself to sleep. Ny last
thought was, did not care a CONT
mental whether I was captured or not.
All fear of ridicu1e vanished from that
moment. Chicago Ledger.