The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-04-25

rudely- painted characters, which read:
"HERE LIES THE BODY OF
COLONEL ROBINSON,
WHO FELL AT THE BATTLE OF
STONE RIVER,
GLORI0usI.Y LEADING THE
| SECOND TEXAS REGIMENT.
HE WAS BURIED BY
UNION SOLDIERS,
IN RECOGNITION OF HIS nEROIsM."
Rude as the tablet was, simple as the
atly-rounded grave looked by the
lantern light, Frank thought that many
a grand 1nausoleum would bear but poor
! comparison beside that humble tribute
to a brave mans memory, even though
the first blasts of winter would destroy
the rough 1,emento.
That night they slept upon the battle
field.
| Now, it must not be supposed that
Charlie Fulton's absence from his post
| had not caused CONSERVATION among his
comrades and intense distress to his
father. None, however, but Ma or
| Hopkins and Frank Besant had attrlb~
uted suspicious motives to his disap-
1,earance. and you may be assured that
they kept their own counsel. Jealous OF
tlleir comrades honor and mindful OF
their Colonel, whose heart they knew
would be broken if his boy fell into dis
grace, SO it was generally accepted that
he had ridden farther than was prudent
and had fallen into the tolls Of the en-
emy. But the Major and Frank had
drawn the worst conclusions, especially
when the latter learned from the pick
cts the direction the absentee had taken
when he started ON the journey from
which he had never returned Besant
! hoped against hope, but Hopkins vowed
that he had sold himself body and soul
for pretty face, and had gone over to
the enems
.'He always had preposterous ideas
OF Southern chivalry," the Major said,
land it only wanted the witcbery OF
this woman to tip the scale of his un
balanced mind and land him headlong
in ruin, a supposition the younger man
had not the courage to controvert.
It can readily be imagined then, how
his heart beat with renewed hope when
on the afternoon Of the Sd, while
fearful storm was raging, which will
never be forgotten by those who
shivered meath it's blasts an old colored
man crept into camp, anxlously III
curing for him He bore letter
written on a crurnpled leaf Of paper
and inclosed in an empty rife cartridge"
carried in his mouth for secnrity's sake
and which he gravely assured Frank he
would have swallowed if he had bee1z
caught by the enemy.
Hastily unfolding it, Besant read tbs
penciled lines:
FRIEND FRAME: I have been for some
weeks prisoner. This morning they moved
me from Murfreeshoro to a mill four miles
down the river from your camp We are only
under guard Of eight men and q sergeant.
besides some invalids, who won't count in
scrimrnage You and dozen boys of the
Fourth might readily effect rescue if you
think me worth the risk. Bragg has given Or
ders for a retreat at daybreak, SO ii you doa't
hurry it will be all UP with your unfortunate
| friend CHARLIE FULTON
Rewarding the faithful negro beyond
| his widest expectations, Frank hurried
to the Major with his glad tidings, but
to his surprise his senior evinced no
especial signs of qualification.
''You are a little too sanguine, Frank,
my boy.'' he said, grayely, "but though
we are relieved of the pain of believing
the young man is voluntarily absent
from our ranks, the onus yet remains
on him to prove how innocently he fell
into captivity. You see, now the Colonel
is wounded, the command of the regi-
ment devolves on me for the time being,
and, considering the responsibilities Of
my position, do not for the life Of me
see how, if you brought him back,
knowing what / do know, have any
other alternative than to place him
under arrest and court-martial him.
ooh, sir, surely you would not pro-
coed to such extreme measures!''
81 am afraid I should, Frank and, if
I did, it would go far to kill his poor
father, who now lies in a very critical
condition. I guess we had better let
this young fellow paddle his own canoe
for time-a dose of Libby prison will
90 long way to ameliorate his high
flown sentiments on Southern chivalry."
ssThat is not spoken like Major Hop
kins.''
'sNor is it spoken by Major Hopkins,
but by the acting Colonel of a regiment,
whose fair fame shall never be stained
while I command. If my own dead
son were here alive to-day, and he had
done what Charles Fulton has, would
order him under arrest without an in
| stant's hesitation.
Frank was awed to silence by the
Majors earnestness.
ssYou see, Besant,' the older man
continued, Il am in possession Of facts
concerning which you know nothing"
A spark Of intelligence flashed in
Franks brain.
ssAnd your informant, sir, was James
Lawson?' he asked eagerly.