The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-05-30

MIS. DdAtEI A1SO q
and ready made grievance. If she had
been allowed to have her way about
things, she always argued, they would
long ago have been rich and owned mig
gers, Eyes, sab, real niggers and mo
or fewer $50 nevis"
Ike Baxter had also been granted a
furlough, and according to the stories
he told after reaching home the battle
of Bull Run would not have. been vic
tory without him. When anything was
said about Kenton, he was prompt IN
replying:
.sDurn the Yankee! But we n has
got our eyes open now, and he I'm can't
play us no mo- tricks!'
He was SO outspoken in his language,
and his language was so bitter that
LAWYER Williams and others were given
an linking of the true state of affairs.
The lawyer found opportunity to in
quire of Ike:
Didn't my nephew enlist Of his own
accord, and is there a man in the COM
pany who has exhibited more bravery
and Won more Of a reputation:"
"What did he un rush in and rally at
Bull Run fur befo' Duke Wyle could
git thar" demanded Ike in reply. He
un just wanted to show off and make
believe. And isn't he un givin us away
to the Yanks all the time? And isn't he
I'm talkin bout Gineral Jackson and
holdin his head above us? And it he un
gifts the chance won't he IN give up our
hull army to Gineral Mcclellan? Oh,
we uns has our eyes open fur him.
Mrs. Baxter had got the idea from
Ike's letters home that he had not only
won a crown of fame under fire, but
was holding the whole Federal army in
check. She. could read and write, but
very poorly. She had picked up most of
her information and all her military
terms from others scarcely less ignorant.
When Ike appeared in sight down the
road. she ran to meet him and welcomed
him with:
"Hurrah fur Gineral Ike Baxter, who
fit and st till the Yankees dun q
away"
"Don'tyo' IN know nothin q angrily
demanded Ike as he came nearer.
Didn't yo' un 6t and ft::"
"Of co'seI fit, but yo' needn't CAB it
all over virginny and make other folks
~jealous!"
"Whar's yo'r stripes:" she asked.
"What stripes""
Son yo'r arms-yo'r gineral stripes::'
ST hain't no g%ineral!"
.Yo' hain't? Why. l thought 20.
was boss of the hull army! What's the
matter yo' hain't no gineral:"
whats the matter yo' hain't got no
sense in yo'r head?"
"But yo' un's a corporate"
"No."
"a major?:"
mo"
"a leftenant?:"
"No."
"Hain't yo' IN nothin but jest COM
mon folks?" she persisted.
mo"
Didn't I aIlus say yo' IN had no
speerit about yo', and that's why we
was allus pore and low down." she
bitterly exclaimed as they passed into
the house. like Baxter, yo' haint
shucks! You un's low down. and 20
like to stay right thar! Everybody else
is comm home with g%ineral's and cor
poral's and majors stripes on thar
sleeves, but yo' has dun let ;em walk yo'
inter the mud and hain't got no speerlt
to resent it! If I'd gone'down thar, I'd
"a come back as big as anybody! I've
dun told everybody yo' un was a gin
eral, and now-now yo's only jest COM
mon!!"
Mrs. Baxter sat down and wept and
used her apron for a handkerchief. Ike
had expected just such a reception, and
he had a plan to develop at the proper
time. While she continued to weep be
helped himself to a bite TO eat from the
cupboard and maintained silence.
And why didn't they make a gin
eral of yo'::' asked Mrs. Baxter after
about 10 minutes.
If yo' un dun had any In 20
head, l could tell yo," he sullenly re-
piled.
Sense! Sense! If / haln't got sense,
who has: # it hadn't bin fur my sense,
we uns would hav bin right down to
tater skins Vars ago! It's my sense that
has kept us outer the porehouse and let
us hold our heads up with the best Of
'em. Leastwise I've allus held my
head up, even if yo' hain't!."
Its this way" said Ike as he con-
tinued to eat and reflect. ITS cor
poral, sergeant, orderly sergeant. Ieften-
ant, captain, major, kurnel and GIN
e1al. Takes a heap O. time to git up
thar! Everybody has got to begin way
down."
"But yo's not even a c~orp-corporal
yit!!" she exclaimed as II eye filled
with tears of disappointment.
And what's the reason l hain't: Do
yo' un remember that Yankee lawyer
who lived yere-fe1ler named Kenton::"
Seems like l did,"
xrr- LI,~o Tr;a1 to D;% nc