The Irish standard., 1891-03-14
CHAPTER III.
ON THE ROAD TO GLORY.

to get even with him.
CHAPTER III.
ON THE ROAD TO GLORY.
The order to march had come. Uncle
Sam in those days did not waste much
time in turning his citizens into SOL
diers-perhaps not as many days ais the
German or English Governments would
have demanded nlonths-but when
Franks regiment, together with the
Twenty-seventh and Thirty ninth Ohio
Infantry, turned out Of barracks they
presented very imposing martial ar
ray--at least SO thought the country
people, through whose villages they
passed, and who were at that time in
mortal dread of raid by the enemy
from Kentucky. So they cheered tha
bold boys as they went along and show
cred blessings on their heads, not for
getting, too, the more substantial COM
forts of hot coffee and cold lemonade
brought in buckets by grateful women"
With banners flying and drums beating
his must have been q cold nature in
deed whose enthusiasm was not klndled
by this auttering panoply OF war,
Their objective point was the Ohio
river. which they reached in due time,
when they were transported by boats
down the muddy but majestic stream
to St. Louis.
Here their first real trouble :befell
them The boys got news Of the, gath
ering storm, even before they made the
city, when on stopping to ''wood-up" at
lone landing, a grinning co,1ntrynan
yelled jeeringly at them.
'tHullo. Yanlzs, you 'uns 'ull get it
almighty hot down at the city. The
Seceshes is swarrnin' over the hull
place, an they're a-goin' to give yer
regular hooroar On landin'. | allow
yer'd better turn roun' an go home,
while yer skins be toll bic WHOLE
A bullet from an officers pistol--fred
to brighten, not to kiil--cut the jolzer's
righteousness short and caused him to
retire with more expeditious11ess than
dignity, but the result OF his pleasantly
was observable in the serious faces OF
many---especially Of those who had been
most expressive of their desire to meet
the enemy The trouble was-wlether
by design, or because some one had
blnndered-t}lere was NO ammunition.
The brilliant pageant after all was but
like painted picture Of wars alarms.
When, however, they reached the
docks, and found the broad wooden
ouays deserted, the laugh went round,
and the men 'fell in with many SIM
ole jeer at each others nervousness,
1t was not till they reached the streets
that the storm burst upon them. a
cloud of dust it seemed to them at first,
Then out Of it crashed the roaring din
of a frenzied mob shrieling vengeance.
For moment the ranks halted.
Then, loud and clear as "a trumpet came
the command:
Elk bayonets! Charged"
And, with steady step, as though Oh
parade, those gallant Lads marched in q
solid phalanx sweeping the bowling
crowd before them
Frank Besant was in the rear rank
Of the last company, and as the rioters
rallied round by-streets and massed
behind the soldiers, the hardest b.'unt
of fighting was Immediately around
him. As vet no serious wounds had
been received by the soldiery, though
many were cut and bleeding, when
suddenly Frank saw his Captain,
Charles Fulton, the gallant young son
Of his Colonel, reel and fall PROSTATE
on the sidewalk, struck on the temple
by a rock hurled from q neigh boring
window. In a moment he spraDg to the
side OF the insensible man, and ere
the mob was upon him, managed to
drag his body to the shelter of the door
way Of handsome residence. In the
turmoil the Incident was unnoticed by
his comrades, who marched away be-
yond hope of rescue.
The mob was on him. In the strength
of desperation he dubbed the foremost,
not in his inexperience daring to trust to
the bayonet; but do all he could it
seemed hopeless, for as one OF the
crowd fell another was upon him.
Then his musket was wrencjed from
his hands and he was defenseless-bu
only for an instant, for his eye fell on
his officers sword. and he snatthed IL
from his scabbard and turned once more
upon his foes. But at the first blow,
which was Tended by the appraised blnd-
geon of a brawny rrlfdan the paltry
blade snapped at the hilt.
Aye, know many rich ladies nova
days, dressed in silks and seal-skins,
whose fathers made their money by
selling just such murderous trash to
their country's defenders, and who have
not even blush for the blood that
stains their fnery.
Fighting to the last, Frank hraced
himself against the door and did his
best. There was not a hope for him, for
the mob was wild with rage at his de-
termined resistance.
TO be G Continued
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