Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-03-20

for all dot. Vor ten years he hat been
mine childers' playmate"
"Do you know the man who took
him?''
"Yah, he vos called Paddy Byrne, und
/ vos told he vos Won of your company.
But dot vos not the worst of it, it vos the
cruelty dot make me 20 mad"
''Crueltyr
Yah, he vos skin dot tog und gut
him up in leetle bieces. He vos take
dot tog's hind-leg away NIT him
And by all the gods we've eaten it!"
Jack gasped, his face paling with dis
gust. "I'n kill that villain, Byrne, If
I'm shot for his murder"
But after reflections induced him to
forego his sanguinary intentions, as the
rueful quartette concluded that it would
be for their interest to keep the trag-
edy secret, though it eventually
leaked out, and not one of those gallant
officers could for time show himself
without some ocular fellow greeting
him with a lively ''bow wow-wowl''
CHAPTER XVI
THE RESCUE.
'Have you heard the news, Frank?"
Nothing special. What has happened,
Colonel?'
General Rosecrans is relieved from
the command, and Thomas takes his
place"
"You don't say sol Well, 1 hope our
old leader does not leave us under a
cloud; for though he made bad break
at Chickamauga, his has been no mean
record"
He has been given a nominal COM
Il H., ,,,SS -.
reply.
''To let him down easy. Well, all 1
can say is that those newspaper fellows
man to ruin, If he makes a mistake
once in lifetime"
But General Rosecrans has made
many mistakes of late"
$50 he has, but he is brave soldier,
and l, for one, am sorry he is going.
Anyhow we get superb substitute in
already dubbed the Rock of Chicka-
manga
"A soldier, every inch of him, and as
discreet as he is valiant"
The fact was that just before this
time, the whole Western region had
been remodeled into the military Di-
NIo4OA VI bIlC MlSS1SSIpPl,
the armies of the Ohio, Cumberland
and Tennessee, and Grant had been ap-
pointed Commander.
To resume the conversation of our
two friends, Hopkins and Besant:
''Now, Frank" said the former, five
a ticklish bit of duty before me which
bothers me considerably. General
Thomas has decided to send dispatches
to Grant, and has done us the compli-
ment to direct me to select one of my
officers for the perilous duty. You can
not go, of course; then, who shall it be?''
Charlie Fulton, SIR" Besant replied,
without an instant's hesitation.
The Colonel's brow knit ominously.
'Oh, SIR" the young Major pleaded.
''do give him this chance-it will be the
making of him-besides, it will show
him that after all his indiscretion, you
still have confidence in him. May go
at once and send him to you2'
"What staunch, true friend you are,
Franlsl' Hopkins said, admiringly.
"Wen, for your sake 1 will give him
the opportunity to prove your good
opinion of him, so go at once and send
him to my quarters"
And Charlie Fulton accomplished his
mission SO well that within a week
there came a telegram from Grant to
Thomas: ST am coming. Can you hold
out till / reach you?" To which the
hero of Chickamauga replied: 81 will
hold the fort till we starve to death at
our postsl"
Meanwhile there was rejoicing
among Bragg's men, who looked down
from the hills that surrounded the be-
leaguered city with the keen satisfaction
of knowing that ere long its hungry de-
tenders must give up their hopeless
struggle. Jefferson Davis himself came
to gloat on the prize SO near his grasp,
and was SO delighted with the prospect
that he withdrew Longstreet's corps
from the field. and sent him eighty
miles away to wrest Knoxville from
the clutch Of Burnside. n J..
But Grant and Hooker have come to
the relief of the ibeleaguered force, and
Sherman has tramped by forced march