Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-03-11
INSIDE THE LINES.


Nobody knew just Why . fort had
beea pat in that place. There was no
chance for fighting anything except
mosquitoes, yet there was long line Of
fortifcations, and an entilade Of pickets
guarded the little town from which ali
the men had gone away.
If beauty Of location had been . mill
tary requisite. the fort Was certainly
well planted The earshworks ran near
tae edge Of . high bluff. which rose al
most perpendienlarly from the strip OF
land bordering the brown river 1T its
feot. On the other side Louisiana
stretched away to the horizon line, level
and green as garden, and in the dis
tance bit Of lake often caught some Of
the bluenesso Of the sky and shone tina
gem of all this fair setting.
The boy who was lying on the edge Of
the bluff had no eyes for the distant
view. Through an opening in the trees
ciinSlng TO the sides Of the hill he was
gazing at the antics of a party Of boys
far below him, Close under the bluff
lay a white. many pillared house, and
stretching before and behind it werc
smooth spaces Of lawn, long lines Of
clipped hedges and avenues Of mag
uolias. Something in its sheltered posi-
tion between the river and the bank had
saved from destruction this estate,
whose possessors had given it the fitting
name of the Garden. 1t seemed like a
vision Of paradise to the eyes of the
homesiek boy who was gazing down
into the enemy's country.
From the door of rough house with
in the embankment two officers watched
the boy. The elder, Colonel Denning.
was the commanding officer Of the fort.
II am afraid made q mistake when
brought my son down here" said the
colonel. "He is almost desperate with
loneliness. l was afraid of II, but it
seemed too hard to leave him there
after his mother died"
Il think you did right to bring him,
colonel" said the younger man. ''Its
a good, quiet, healthy place, and after
while he will make friends with the
men and be happier"
Il hope he WILL" said the colonel.
II feel sure Of it," rejoined the other.
"Just now he longs for the society Of
boys, but he is fighting against the in
evitable. He has not philosophy enough
to endure nor experience enough to I'M
derstaId the feeling these people have
for everything inside these walls. Moth
ing could tempt one Of these town boys
to have any intercourse with him, and
their scorn is rather hard to bear. I'm
going to send George the Second to
take him out on the river. He is an
amusing little beggar, and will not
make such bad companion for Will
when he gets used to his color and his
ways"
A few minutes later two boys were
swinging themselves down the face Of
the bluff. Wills companion was slim,
timber jointed little black boy, Whose
movements suggested jumping jack,
and his bearing showed the pride he felt
IS Wills guide.
Holding now by tough root, now by
the smooth ste, of blackjack vine.
digging their heels into the soft soil and
slipping perilously forward, they pres
emily struck into well worn cowpatl,.
which led by easy stages to the foot Of
the hill.
7 Beyond the road which led to the
Garden lay huge stranded logs, thu ough
which they picked their way out upon
sandy strip Of beach, where an ancient
skiff was tied to q raft. There was
little water in the boat, and huge
gourd was at hand as means Of de-
Tense against further leaking. Two
clumsy oars furnished employment for
both boys, and once launched their
strength was tried by the current, which
came swirling around the pronontory
Of rotting bark which served as break
water.
But sturdy boyish muscles were at
work. and the old boat was pushed
slowly up tho shore. keepius, IL with
the eddy, and nosing her way through
anchored snags OF driftwood aud up
into more open water away from the
shore.
Drawing . long breath, Win pansed
for q minute and said: "Let's 20 over
to the island we see from the fort-the
Towhead, mean. Where Is it, anyhowi
I'm completely turned around"
"Hit's right ovah yander where you
see de cottonwoods an de san'bar," said
George. "Dis yer is de corral Heap er
cullud folks lives yer, but hits drappin
in de water mighty fas'. Dat beach tree
q swishin up an down in dat ben.l useter
grow in Unc' Jake's yard"
On the shore Of the bend Georg point
ed out the grim sight of an old burying
ground, upon whose precincts me cur
rent of the Mississippi was rapidly en-
croaching. viii shuddered, and, with
quick intuition, George turned the boats
head away from the bend and pointed
across the current to the TowheaG, which
was now below them.
When the island first pushed its white,
sandy head through the water some cot
tonwood seed had landed there from an
airy voyage, and the young trees that
sprang from them formed the nucleus OF
an aftergrowth which was added year
by year like the rings Of tree. The in
nermost growth was now com posed Of
tall young trees, but the thicket ierraced
down until near the water there was
none but low thick bushes Of la t years
growth. A long tongue Of sand xtended
like the tail Of a comet down tie river.
Upon this the boys beached the boat,
and then stretched their legs on the soft,
warm sand.
"1ze skeered er dis yer rowhead."
said George. Hits haunted. A ole
fatboat man useter live up in yander,
where you sees dat black spot 'nIon'st de
trees. De ole boat washed agrpun one
night in high water, an de old man neb-
Der made no monst'ous tempt fer to git
out. He was onsociable like, in liked
hisse'f mighty well. He live yer kinder
quiet, an folks done got de notion dat
he hab heaps er money. An ole night
somebody done kill i'm an TUX all he
he'd. Since dat time his ghus' done
walk dis Towhead. Only jes' yisterd'y
Cnc' Jake lowed he done seen dat ole
ghos' an he lowed he gwine come Yer
20 mol AIM had much 'pin1on er INC
Jake lately. but I'ze jes' about a. nigh
lat ole boat as keers to CO."
"Well, I'm going to have look at the
bid shanty," said Will, rising from the
sand. His companion did not venture
10 follow him in the expedition.
The river had year by year added to
the strip Of land, and the old fatboat
was row nearly hidden by the under
brush that had grown up between it and
the water. The low hut which had once
been the boats cabin was still standing
,mid the decayed timbers Of the hull,
ind Will noticed with surprise that there
we're traces Of something like footprints