The Irish standard., 1891-03-28

could, fighting when there Was fighting
to do, and giving helping hand to the
ambulance squads whenever occasion
demanded his services.
Thus in FIVE days he found himself in
Springfield, where the very first person
he met was James Lawson driving 6
light supply wagon.
s'Hullo!'' that worthy cried, almost
dislocating the mules jaw in his eager
ness to stop. "Why, blame me if ever
thought was going to set eyes on you
again, old fellow. Come, jump up along
side me. I've been down to the COM
missariat masters for some grub, but
I'm going right back. And won't the
boys be glad to see your
$50 the regiments here all right"
ssYou bet tbs. Say, weren't we lucky
to miss the carnage at Wilson'S creek?
It almost made me sick to see them
carry the wounded to the field hos
'aThat's no way for soldier to talk.
do believe, Jim, your moral sense is
SO blinded that you do not have the
faintest appreciation of the word
duty Frank said, Indignantly.
"Haven't I, though, old chap? Then
that's all you know about it. Why,
duty's been my bugbear ever since |
was as high as your knee. Miss Ruth,
Grace, old Brentwood, all the pious
crowd at Meltonburg have dinged duty
in my ears as long as can remember,
and, now I've got here, durn me if you
aren't all at the same old game again,
till I sometimes wonder If there is a
spot in the world where man like me,
whose principles are little knock
kneed, can get, out OF hearing OF that
hateful word"
ssNot in this world nor the next, I'm
afraid Besant said, with smile at his
companions frankness.
s'Then ell can say is, / wish I'd
never been born. G'lang!" and Law
son gave the mule a vicious lash with
his cowhide, as though resolved that
there should be some vicarious suffering
somewhere. then sank in to moody silence.
Just before they reached camp, however,
he recovered his usual air of self-satis-
faction.
''Say, Frank he said, "you couldn't
fer the sake of old times lend me a ten
dollar bill, could you? We've not re-
ceived cent of pay since we left Column
bus, and I'm dead broke. Why, it's q
holy outrage the way we're treated.
Guess those big-wigs at Washington
would boiler out pretty lively it pay
day came round and there was nothing
in the treasury for Them
H.
"Well, could you let me have the dol
lars?"
II could" was the frigid response
''-Ehen, will you?''
''What do you want it for?''
'"To send to a girl
Franks eyes opened with astonisll-
nent.
S'Don't ask me any questions about
it., Lawson continued with earnest
ness. s'Give me the n1oney-it will he
ruin if you don't"
Frank was puzzled.
'Well here it is, JIM" he said, hand
inc him the bill; land as the Adjutant
might kick against your carrying pas
sengers, ri get down and walk the rest
of the way"
Lawson watched his retreating figure
with a curious expression on his face,
muttezing to himself the while:
''That's the best thing you've done for
yourself this many Il day, Frank Besant
though you don't know it.
They were all glad TO see Frank back,
especially the Colonel, who had many
kind words for the young man, whose
story he listened to with intense inter-
est, while Major Hopkins called him to
his own tent and made him relate his
adventures over again, paying him sew
eral handsome compliments. But the
best news of all was that his name had
been forwarded to the Governor Of
Ohio for a commission, and these gentle
men thought that their strong recon-
mendations would be favorably re-
ceived.
From Springfield the regiment went
into winter camp at Sedalia, then the
terminus of the Union Pacific railroad.
What the men endured during that
severe winter under canvas no pen
could describe. The weather was ex-
ceptionally inclement, and many a gal
&"
blow for the Union, was either invalided
home with broken constitution or died
outright of exposure. 1t was indeed a
case of the survival Of the fittest--
those who were hardy enough to strug-
gle through it all gave Uncle Sam sutfi-
cient assurance that his bounty money
had been we'll laid out.
In the midst of this discomfort they
were turned out several times to take
part in slight engagements, while they
celebrated Christmas by capturing a
gigantic supply train on its way to
Price, together with five hundred pris-
oners, and, what was of more conse-
quence to many Of them, ''lots OF loot. y
It was on his return from this ezpe~
dition that Frank Besant received the
glorious tidings that his commission
had arrived, and that he was appointed
to Lieutena,.cy in his own regiment
A little later and there would have
been much grumbling at mans step
ping from the ranks to g. seat at the
officers mess-table, but in those days
military etiquette was not SO strictly
observed, and, besides, oo1f hero was too
popular for the tongue OF envy to be
raised auainst what all thought was