The Helena independent., 1892-02-28

It was an exhibition as funny as a scene in
the circus, and Joe enjoyed it as thoroughly
as he could under the circumstances. by
night all the foragers had disappeared.
The army had gone into camp at Den
hams Mill, and Joe supposed that it
this he was mistaken. 1t turned sharply
to the left next morning. and marched
toward Milledgeville. Joe had almlessly
wandered along this road, as he had done
hundred times before. and finally seated
himself on the fence near an old school
house, and began to whittle on the rail.
Before he knew il the troops were upon
! him. He kept his seat, and the Twentieth
army corps, commanded By Gen. Slocunl,
passed in review before him. 1t was an
| to appearance. For once and for all so
far as j oe was concerned, the glamour and
| romance of war were dispelled. The skies
| were heavy with clouds, and fine lrri-
| tating mist settled down. The road was
more than ankle-deep in mud, and even the
fields we're boggy. There was nothing gay
about this vast procession, with its tramp
ing soldiers, its clattering horsemen, and
its numbering wagons. except the temper OF
the mon. They splashed through the mud,
cracking their jokes, and singing snatches
| of songs.
I Joe Maxwell, sitting on the fence, was
i, the subject of many jest, as the good
humored men marched by.
| ''Hello, Johnny! Where's your parasolF
Jump down, Johnny, and let me kiss
you good-byr'
JOHNNY, if you are tired, get up behind
and ride!'
Kun and get your trunk, Johnny, and
| get aboardn'
He's bushwhaoker, boys. If he bats
| his eyee I'm going to dodge!'
! "Where's the rest of your regiment,
johnny"
..If there was another one of 'em a-settin'
on the fence on tother side, I'd say we WAS
! surroundedp'
These and hundreds of other comments,
ordinations and questions Joe was made
the target of, and il he stood the fire of
them with unusual calmness. it was be-
cause this huge panorama seemed to MIN
to be the outcome of some wild dream.
That the federal army should be plunging
through that peaceful region. after all he
had seen in the newspapers about oonfeder-
ate victories, seemed to him to be an i'm
possibility. The voices of the men and
their laughter sounded vague and unsub-
stantial It was surely n dream that had
stripped war of its glittering trappings
distortion of dream that tackled on to
this procession of armed men droves of
COWS, horses and mules. and wagon-loads
of batteaux! Joe had read of pontoon
bridges, but he had never heard OF pom
toon train, nor did he know that batteaux
were part of the baggage of this invading
army.
But it all passed after awhile, and then
Joe discovered that he had not been dream
ing at all. He jumped from the fence and
made his way home through the fields.
Never before. since its settlement, had suoh
peace and quiet reipned on the plantation.
The horses and mules were gone, and many
of the negro cabins were empty. Harbert
was going about as busy as ever. and some
of the older negroes were in the accus-
toned places, but the Younger ones,
especally those who, by reason of their
field work had not been on familiar terms
with their master and mistress had fol-
lowed the federal army. Those that re-
manned had been informed by the editor
that they were free. and 80 it happened IN
| the twinklng of an eye, that the old things
, mad passed away and all was new.
In a corner of the fence, not far from the
rond. Joe found an old negro woman shiv-
orinu and moaning. Near her lay an old
nooro man, his shoulders covered with an
old. ragged shawl,
"Who is that lying there2' asked Joe.
, ut my old man. sui"
'.What ia the matter with hlmF
, .sIle dead. sub! But, bless God, he died
freen'
It was u pitiable sight and pitiable
, ending Of the old couples dream OF free,
, dom. Harbert and the other negroes burieo
, tho other man, and the old woman Wat
: made comfortable In ono OF the empty
: cabins. She never ceased to bless Little
Marster" rs she called Joe, giving him al
the credit for everything that Was done
for her. Old a. she WAS. she ana mex nus