Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-05-29
but soak the drink out of him and bring

but soak the drink out Of him and bring
him hero ip the morning."
Teddy had been last seen by his COM
rades about noon of the first day of the
battle bent over his lead team plying the
lash like jockey on the last quarter and
swearing galore above the cracking of
rifles and swish Of the whips. The bro
ken, plunging column of batteries was
tearing through the smoke of the infan-
try, closing in on either side with yells
and oaths. Wounded horses were dragged
along under the lash by the frantic
plunging of the teams. Cannoneers
leaped into the saddles emptied by the
rifles, and every nerve was strained to
gain the bridge leading to the village and
the cover of the blue infantry hurrying
to our support. But Teddy's gun was
the last of the flying column, and Lieu
tenant Mink sat like statue on his bald
faced chestnut praying for his last gun
until horse after horse went down, and
before he threw himself forward on the
chestnut's neck and touched his culver
ing flanks with his spurs he had seen
Teddy leap into the smoke whirling his
whip at his assailants. Accordingly Ted
dy Greggan, lead driver, had gone up in
the reports to corps headquarters as
missing"
Directly after guard mounting Teddy
Greggan was marched up to headquar-
ters in charge Of the new corporal. A
small collection of saddles piled against
a crumbling stone wall in the shade of a
sturdy oak, with blankets spread on the
ground and brides and fieldglasses and
side arms strewn about, constituted Bat
terry Qs modest official headquarters on
that sultry July morning.
Teddy was arrayed in clean new uni
form and looked as fresh and ruddy as
baby turned out of its bath. Alongside
the corporal he came to attention, and
the two stood dumb before the powers as
handsome brace of soldiers as any COM
manding officer would wish to see.
well, Greggan," said the captain
sternly after looking his victim delib-
erately over from his seat on the wall,
"what have you to say for yourself this
morningp"
"Prisent for dooty, SIR" spoke up
Teddy as bold as brass.
Don't you think | should stand you
on gun timber from now until taps?"
said the captain, looking his fercest
II don't, yer honor" said Teddy.
Then the captain laughed merrily and
said no more, did he, that Teddy was his
best lead driver and he was glad to see
him back. So he bade him come under
the tree, out of the sun, and explain how
he came by the calico and the commits
sary.
The corporal was excused, and the
captain called over the officers Of the
next battery, so that before Teddy be-
gan his story he had an audience Of
dozen, including the first sergeant, who
stood apart with the quartermaster in
tangle Of dry limbs clipped off the oak
tree by the artillery practice of the
enemy
'It's long story about the DRESS"
spoke up Teddy, "but the whusky is q
short wan. Oh had no intintion av comm
to the batthery in famale atthire, cap
tain, an at twilve o'clock Yesterday morn
in, havin heard that ye was lyin in this
place forninst the cinetery gate, says,
Teddy says |, 'av ye go in this way
ye'll be raisin expectations that ull ind
in cruel Disappointment. The leftenants
might fall in love wild ye. I'll first
thrade me clothes wild sthiff, says Oh.
So Oh made off, crapin along the fnces
down to yander hollow be the woods,
an jist as | had conseated there was a
liberal shprinklin o. dead Johnnies a-ly.