The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-07-12
CHAPTER III.
Recruits.


Recruits.
One morning as John Brooke was work
ing merrily at his forge, the ring of the
anvil sending the music of toll out and
down the village streets, a song that said
to him, as the sparks flashed from the
glowing iron and the bellows puffed and
muttered in tanning the fire, that all this
meant good home in old age for him
and his devoted wife and plenty to keep
them during the declining years, when
decrepitude and helplessness that has to
lean upon the savings of earlier days or
be burden to children or society.
While working, whistling and humming
snatches of songs and again dashing the
sparks from the hot metal, Sparkle, all
excitement, eyes wide open and almost
breathless, rushed into her fathers pres
ence to beg him to come to the door
of the smithy quick, and see what was
to her almost an inspiration. Turning,
he heard for the first time the strains Of
martial music as a little band of men ap-
preached from the farther end of the viii
lage, with fife and drum and flags flying.
This was the first call Cedar Dell had
had from the recruiting officers, asking
for men to go to the front i'm the dark
days of 81. AS the squad advanced
through the street the music called every
villager from the house and the CLEAN of
the stars and stripes in the morning sun
that flowed like an ETHEREAL flood from
the cedar-clad hills. filling every breast
with patriotism and every heart with
love OF country.
Cheer after cheer went up from the
by-standers as onward they advanced
toward the center of the town, where
they were surrounded by every man,
woman and child in the village, thus ac-
complishing what was desired. The vii
layers had been called out to hear a
speech from d recruiting officer calling
for volunteers for the Union. When the
music had ceased, Col. Abner, who had
followed the band in a carriage, rose
from his seat took off his hat and pro-
posed three cheers for the stars and
stripes and the Union, which was re-
spOnded to with a will that woke the
echoes of the very Cedars, and the hang
ing vines seemed to tremble on the
crags above. He made a short address,
saying: MY countrymen, American
liberty has been assaulted by the
bloody dagger of treason and is pros
trate, lying upon the couch where rest
the safety of your home and my home.
The call for aid is loud and clear, and
if not answered Immediately the Union
is disrupted and the nation will sink.
Who will enlist and bare his bosom to
the enemies of his country? Who will
stay the advancing horde of traitors?
We this little squad, have not come TO
say 60 but we entreat you to come
go with us, share the fateS of war and
wear the laurels of victory" Many
cheers greeted the colonePS speech, and
almost every able-bodied man in the
village enlisted. This was followed by
q general handshaking, and the viii
layers, with one accord, seemed to catch
the same idea. Every one .betook him
self to his home TO return quickly with
whatever eatables he might find there,
and all gathered at the little tavern.
donating their part and such a good,
big, old-fashioned dinner had never
been seen before or perhaps since in
Cedar Dell.
The new recruits were given three
days furlough in which to get ready to
be transported to the nearest point on
the river, thence by boat to the front.
After the excitement was over and the
ardor of impulsive nature had cooled
there was more than one sad heart in
the town. They had not fully realized
as yet, what the army meant; that il
meant to enlist and go to the front to
be shot at and to shoot at others. This
really meant war. 1t meant long, hard,
fatiguing marches; 1T meant small and
unfrequent meals; it meant weary limbs
and aching heads; Ii meant camp fever:
il meant disease and privatiOn: IL meant
miserable hours in lonely tents far from
the smile and kiss of home; it meant,
perhaps. to be domineered over by a
petty tvrant. who unfortunately wore
shoulder straps 1t meant, perhaps, to
be treated less kindly than they had
treated their dogs at home; 1t meant,
perhaps, to die on the battlefield under
the starless clouds of war, and to be
mitchell like dead animals into unmarked
and nameless graves. But this Is war.
Cruel relentless, awful. But over ii all
vain humanity has written Glory"
When John Brooke had gone home and
sat down and thought il over. he realized
the awfulness of the step he had taken.
and yet he could not retrace it, nor did
he want 10. TO him it meant something
terrible. 1t meant TO leave his wife, the
only woman he had ever loved, who
had ever loved him. II meant TO leave
his little girl; to perhaps never again
hear the sweet song of Sparkle" as she
gathered the roses in the yard that
bloomed by the path. 1t meant hardship
to that wife and child, for their sup
port was his daily toll as there was
laid by but a few dollars.
To the wealthy officer, who had
great bank account, the government I'M
wisely gave much, but to the poor pri-
vate who left a helpless family behind
it gave a mere pittance and paid that in
deprecated currency; and not infre-
QuenIlY the nelDleSS Illlle ones at nome
were robbed by the extortion of the shy
lock who kept the corner grocery.
John Brooke's heart grew heavy and
still more heavy, like clouds that adj
vance before the coming storm, and he
thought Can / leave those whom l
love?'' and then the thought came back
my country dies" and like a true pa
triot and brave man he said, "All for
my country His good wife bore up as
best she might, hiding her tears as he
hid his sorrow. 1t meant to her the
bearing of all the burdens he had kindly
laid upon his own shoulders. How
would she feed and clothe Sparkle and
keep the household together? But with
the faith of a true woman and the semi
fatalistic ideas of her sex she said, 'All
will be WELL" bowed her head in sorrow
and resolved to do her duty.
CHAPTER HI.
The Departure.
When the day arrived for the recruits
to leave Cedar Dell. again the little viii
lage was all astir, all commotion. II