Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-09-11


away, but the conformation OF tho val
legs carried the sound without break
| till even to trained ears the fighting
seemed less than an hours hot ride be
| low.
Our proximity to Longstreet's corp
and Wharton's ubiquitous rangers die
not increase our vigilance. that haC
never been abated. The hope of soor
reioining my regiment cheered my meI
who now began to speculate as to th'
old friends they should find left TO gree
them. for on the march we learned thai
our boys had been badly cut up atCamp
BELLS station while trying TO check
Longstreet's advance from before Chat
tanooga.
While did not permit my love fol
Carrie Brent to blind me to the interests
of the cause in which ! was enlisted,
still sho was never out Of my mind, and
besides this, felt that it was my duty
as man and a soldier TO save her broth
or II | could We were now on tho
ground where Frank claimed TO have
been when John Harding was killed
near Perryville, and determined TO SCI
cure whatever evidence might be In bis
favor.
had just eaLen supper and was en-,
joying a smoke with my only lieutenant,
Walter Arnold, when q mounted troop.
er rode up to the fire, cooked pistol in
his right hand and gaunt old man,
with leathery cheeks and butternut
clothes, marching before him.
Game into our lines, SIR" said the
trooper saluting with the hand that
held the pistol, 'and says he wants TO
see the officer in command"
This man was fair type Of hundreds
of Union refugees had seen in the early
part Of the war He was as straight as
an Indian and there was much OF the
aborigine in his complexion and inn
passive bearing.
The soldier turned and rode away,
and before could frame question to
put to the prisoner, he advanced boldly
to the fire. and in the peculiar accent OF
the mountain men in that region he
said:
Hits fine ev'nin', Kernil.
at might be worse replied.
With inimitable GOODNESS. the old
man took bite from a plug of tobacco
then, sitting down on his launches be.
side me, he asked:
"Be you the head one harp
~ am
"Hear from Kaintuck?r
"Yes."
"A gwine on ter help weuns' ar
Meester Burnside down Knoxville way?"
"Yes"
"wa'al, he needs all the help he kin
git"
~ suppose So"
''Ya-as, indeedy. But say. Kermit
what is it?'' ] asked, my amazement
at the old mans GOODNESS and loquacity
increasing every moment.
"Thar's right smart deengos tween
bar an Knoxville"
THAT isn't news" said.
II reckon not, but hits heap sight
wuss'n yon'uns think fob. wy, thar's
Chenowith's men, an Wheeler's men,
an Brent's Partisan Rangers jist
swammin' har bouts"
ANeAAuS that AZ was ulN pAdCt W NO tut
questioning, checked him and asked:
''Did you say Brent's Partisan
Rangers are near here?"
"Ya-as, Kernil. been har nigh onter
goin' two MONTHS" he said. promptly,
adding, after he had sent a stream of
saliva into the fire: AN or-ni-ar-ier
lot O. hounds amt never seed"
us Captain Brent with them?"
''No, he left.
ibid you ever see him?'
"Bet your life did"
"When did you see him last?"
Before answering this question the
old man shut one eye, cooked the other
contemplatively up at the sky, and be.
gan stroling the gray tuft of hair on his
chin with. both hands. 1T length ne
IL 1, A