The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-04-30

perched on the drivers seat. Acting
in obedience to Aunt Mattie's directions,
he sprang into the body OF the vehicle.
1 only to find himself beside the rccum.
bent figure of his wounded Captain.
Don be skeered, boss-lie down-we
ain a-gwine ter hurt yer" cautioned
the driver, az he flung tarpaulin
/ cloth over them and started his horse
on steady jog.
To Franks delight his companion
! was the first to break the silence.
'Besant. my dear fellow, shall never
! forget the services you have done me
this night
/ Never mind that. sir.
But do mind it, and always shall
mind il. | was not insensible all the
time lay on that cursed doorstep, SO
saw something of the gallant fight you
made to save my life"
well. don't linger on that subject.
Where do you think this darby is car
rying u.s.
ITO the fair grounds, where our regi-
ment lies Won't my father be jolly
/ glad to set eyes on me--guess he's given
me up for goner..''
! But how came you to get over the
effects Of that ugly knock on the head
SO soon?''
splendid nursing. by Jove. but that
was the house of the Mothers and Sisters
of Mercy with a vengeance. But, say.
Besant. did you ever see any thing SO
perfect in the shape of woman as Miss
Lascellesa Wish Id seen more of her,
but il shan't be my fault if the acquaint-
ance isn't improved. though it does seem
, pity that they should be on the wrong
side Of the fence in this National scrim-
mage, doesn't it? And that reminds
me to :.sk you as a particular favor not
to let On to any one any thing of shady
color you may have noticed in that
house. as it would be too bad to bring
them into trouble after all they have
done for ms.
Il was about to make the same sug-
gestion.' Frank said. pleased that the
necessity Of cautioning somewhat vol
atile young fellow, though still his supe-
rior officer, was spared him.
The drivers precautions. which en-
tailed considerable discomfort on his
two passengers, seemed to them super
fluous for no one molested them on the
trip. 1t was tedious. disagreeable
ride. but at last they were cheered by
the hoarse challenge of the sentry and
heartily glad to find themselves among
their own again.
II dassent go no furder. boss" the
driver said. whipping his horse round SO
-.
vehicle. a proceeding which nearly cost
him a bullet through his body from the
conscientious, but too impatient young
soldier ON guard.
Frank ran forward. however and ex-
planned matters, while the darby
helped Fulton to the ground. where he
left him lying, not even stopping to
take the handful of silver the young
officer offered him. but, putting his old
nag to his best, sped in direction of the
city. 1t is strange what terror the
colorcd people had Of 1.-THE Yanks" in
the early days of the rebellion.
As soon as Frank reached his quarters,
he learned that the police and officers
in plain clothes had been securing the
streets on the line Of march, and that
the Colonel was well nigh distracted by
their futile efforts to discover the
whereabouts of his son. AS for the
lads of Captain Fnlton's company. they
were in wild state of excitement, for
the young officer was great favoritc
with them. and they had volunteered,
with more courage than discretion, to
go in body and clean out the whole
city" So when the news spread that
the missing ones had returned, there
was great and noisy rejoicing, and
when the old Colonel, half an hour
afterwards, shook hands with Frank and
publicly thanked him for his heroism.
the enthusiasm was unboundcd. From
lip to lip the story flew ever with more
or less exaggeration. and that night
Frank Besant lay down to rest the
most popular man in the whole regi-
ment. When too. a day or two after
wards, he stretched the bully Of his
company-a ruffian from Cleveland. who
had been ronstabont on q lake.
steamer-on his back in fair fight,
the boys would have made him a
Brigadier-General. if their votes could
have done 1t.
They did not lie long at st. Louis,
only time enough to properly equip
/ themselves for the field and take few
more doses of drill, SO nauseating to
James Lawson, who was getting sicker
and sicker of military life. Then. hey
! for the front. With one broad sweep
across Missouri, they went into camp
at Kansas City-then an insignificant
border town with little promise of its
future prosperity.
| Frank had been unable to make any
personal inquiries about the Lascelles
before he left st. Louis. as leave" had
been perenptorily refused to all private
soldiers, but Charles Fulton had man.
aged to visit their house. which. how
ever, he found deserted. while the only
information he could CLEAN in the neigh
borhood was that the ladies and their
household had gone South-where. the
informant could not, or would not. tell
him. This was disappointing to both
the lads, for, to tell the truth, the fair
Southerner's brilliant charms had set
their imaginations atiame.
For three weeks they lay in Kansas
City, each day expecting the order to
march.
1t was here that young Besant re.
ceived his first letter from hoSue-a
joint composition of his mother and
Grace Brentwood. which went far to
dispel the glamor of Mary Lascelles
destinations. What old soldier does no,
remember mothers first words to him
in the battle-feld-th tender messages
Of affection-the garrulous records OF
home events, so insignificant. yet SC
dear to him-the gossip about neigh
bors, for whom he cared not one iot
while he lived near them. but who now
seemed woven into his life with re
newed interest-the silly, but womanly
admonitions to take care of himself. a.
though her darling's primary duty was
to run behind tree as soon as he heard
the hiss of rifie-bullet-the warnings
against damp socks and bad compan
ions-the prayers-the little stains or
the paper he knew too well were tear.
and the mute misery which would
show itself despite its strained air o.
cheerfulness.