The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-03-21
CHAPTER Y.
NIL WARS ALARMS.
a 4 last.

They were on tbs march, hurrying
! foyvs ard 10 the relief Of General Lyon,
! who had had tlae choice thrust upon
! him of abandoning to the enemy the
; part Of the State lie WAS guarding, or OF
meeting in battle double the f@'ces at
his command. Like the brave hero he
always showed himself to be- he had
resolved to adopt the latter course,
though defeat seemed inevitable.
Up to this hour the young citizen
soldiers mad never even seen g. Confed-
crate regiment, ROE experienced the
sensation Of firing at any object which
possessed the unpleasant power Of re-
taiiatiOn, SO when in the afternoon OF
the second days march, the scouts came
Iaurrying back with news that the enc
my was in front of them, many heart
beat fast in anxious expectation. 1t
vas Ii wooded, hilly country with small
clearings interspersed here and there.
''Yhey're over the ridge yonder, /
can see the smoke of their carnp-tires
Oh, Lord, but vvisi, was out of this, -
Lawson whispered hoarsely to Frank
Besant.
DidcC ups uidu. FTdS hlLC ACEAy. AI"
tered with cheerfuinass not altogether
natural.
But say, Frank can't brace up
I've got secret on ny mind that won't
let rne brace up, just as I'm on the GER
tain road to death. Hold hard a min
ute and III make a clean breast Of it,
But the confession never came.
''Skirmishers-by the right flank"
take intervals-march.' rang out the
command, and the men of Franks
company were deploy ed over the rising
ground.
Every crash of broken twig, every
sound Of moving bird Or squirrel nay,
every stirring leaf made some face light
with apprehension. III see an enemy, :"
thought Frank, "can deliberately
point my weapon at him and pull the
trigger?'' eff the enemy sees me, Z"
thought James Lawson, will he send
a bullet through ne without qualm
of conscience?" 1t they could only see
the foe, it would not be half so bad, but
to be crawling at snal's pace through
the gloomy woods, each instant ex-
pecting the thin. puff of smoke and
crack Of rife that shall speed the mes
senger Of death, is indeed trying to
those who have never stood fire before
$50 different from rushing with blood
at fever heat in the wild deliriu1n of
battle on a foe yol can see. Thus,
with hearts beating and nerves
strained these Embryo warriors reached
the top of the hill and gazed into the
valley below them.
Yes, there lay the enemy right in
front Of them--a small family Of Ger
man eraigrants camped beside prairie
schooner.
The bugle sounded a recall, the men
fell back in column, and the march was
resumed.
That night over the blazing campfire
song and jest and story passed the hours
away-rations were plenty-discipline
not half as strict as in the barrack-
yard-why, war after all was but big
picnic, paid for by grateful country.
But Frank Besant was not fated to
enjoy much of this al t7esco reyelry, in
fact he had hardly stretched himself on
the turf after hearty meal and really
began to enjoy his rest. than he heard
voice behind him say:
'.Just the very man, sir, for the job;
we need not go any farther, think"
He instinctively knew that they were
alluding to him, and turning bis head
saw Major Hopkins and Colonel Fulton
In earnest consultation. For the present