The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1892-11-10

E,iddisr. and that ef 80 be ! didn't never
come back. yo'd b home to keer 70
i the place. Yo've got q heap sight
better head'n me, Jack, and though !
know yer hearts sot onto the Union,
yoll not leave the folks at home. And,
ole Teller, don't want 20 to feel hard
agin me; I'm powahful bad cut up, but
I'm pleedg'd to 60"
Pike drew his coat sleeve across his
eyes and reached out his hand. and TAX
ing it in his own strong grasp Jack
saidi "Pike, every hour in the day I'll
pray God 10 damn the Confedacy. but
to save 20 and to send 20 back safe.
Hit may be that m have to take sides,
but IL do and we uns should meet in
the battle, I'll not raise my hand agin
my brother. and know, Pike, You not
draw a bead on a man that 20 think
is me-"
More demonstrating men would have
shed tears and perhaps have embraced
at this sad parting, but the brothers
simply withdrew their hands. Jack
stepped to one side; Pike flung himself
into the saddle and rode down the trail
leading to the south.
After waiting till the rider was swal-
lowed up in the shadows and the tramp
ing Of the horse died ont, Jack went on
to the house. where be found bis mother
and sister in tears. he tried to cheer
them up by telling them that Pike would
soon return, for it was not in his nature
to submit to discipline such as he under
stood the officers required Of their men.
pike will lick his captain and then
he'll come back home" said Jack; but
though he hoped for this his heart told
him that shadow had fallen on the lit
tie family that would never again DO
lifted.
Jack Hurd kept on with his work, af-
feeting to pay no heed to the battle
echoes ringing through the Cumberland
valleys or to the rumors that the Con-
federate authorities were about to begin
cOnscTipting. But Jack Hurd cleaned
his rige and oiled his reVolvers and mold
ed bullets-nOt an unusual thing at this
season, when the farm work was over
and game was fat and abundant in the
hills. But the mother and sister, watch
ing his serious face as he made these
preparations. knew that he was not pre-
pairing to hunt.
One day in late November Jack, who
was cutting wood up the mountain side,
heard his sisters halo and saw her sig
mailing from the knoll above the house
for him to come home. When he joined
Minny she said; "Thar's two sOjer men
down to the house, and one Of ems tit.
tivated all TO death with gold lace and
SIGH fixins. A hey SEE ez how they've
como to talk wan we uns and to see yO."
Jack Hurd entered the house and was
confronted by a man in a gray uniform
and with q sword hooked to his belt
My name is Captain Field. and | am
a mastering officer, said the man.
''Ws-al. Iaint got no objections. said
Jack.
"Will you please to answer me q few
questions? said the officer.
Lets hear EN-"
"what is your full manner and Cap
tain Field took out q memorandum
book and prepared to write.
"Jack Hurd."
"How old are your
twenty-five"
"How tallY'
Bout six feet, reckon"
blow Is your healthy
"TOllable, thank you"
"Quite strong, ehY"
"Well--fa'r."
"Eyesight goody'
II reckon 90. But what In blazes do
20 want to know them things for de-
manded Jack.
well" responded the officer, as he
put away tho book. I'VE are sent into
these mountains by General Ledbetter
to find cut what men are tit for duty In
the army You are just the man for
a soldier, Mr.. Hurd. and ! propose to
send you on to Knoxville"
whether I'm Willin or nor
"You certainly must be willing"
"But I'm notF'
"Tm sorry for that, but must carry
ont orders. Please to get ready. A lot
Of conscripts will be assembled this
evening at williams store"
"And you'll urge me to fight whether
want to CT noy"
"Oh, I'm sure you will want to-"
laughed the officer.
"And yo'n 'bleege me TO TO leave my
mother and sistah haT all alone by thar
sells whin the other boy has gone and
jined you uus!'
"Yes; those are our orders" said the
officer.
$50 back TO them as sent 20 and tell
EN- ez how Jack Hurd seq he'll see 20
and Jef Davis and the hull Confedacy
DID afoah he'll eight 70 emil I'm Union,
| am, and IL so be I've got to shoulder a
rifle it'll be dead agin 20 una. Now git
out Of this house, and Jack Hurd drew
himself up and pointed to the door.
The officer did not know human ma
ture Of the mountain variety very well,
otherwise he would never have at
tempted to force Jack Hurd out Of that
house at the point Of his revolver. He
was in the act Of drawing his pistol, as
was his companion. when the young
giant, who still held in his right hand
the ak with which he had been chop
ping. swung the weapon above his own
head and brought 1t down, blade fore
most, on the head Of the unfortunate Off
Ger. The other man was seized by Mrs
Hurd and her daughter and the pistol
was torn from his hand.
The mountaineer did not mean to kill
the man-gavo the act no other thought,
indeed, than the fact that these men,
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