Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-01-25

man returned good for evil" spoke up
another old graybcnrd, whose eyes had
become moist during the last rccitn-
ton. ut goes without saying that
indorse everything you say about the
ST Louis ladies God bless them. but
you will find That my man will come
under the wire n close second
"rhc way Of twas this One Of Shell
by's captains, IN just call him Bell
had q squad Of men from Shelby's brig
ndc with him ON recruiting service TO
pick up new men 60 replace those who
were laid away with u marker over
their heads, and to pilot them through
the lines TO ill up the declining ranlss.
"Bcll was regular daredevil, and
when he undertook to do thing he
most generally got there. lie never
counted numbers when he went into Il
fight, and II was the only fault he had
as n leader, which no argument of
Shelby could ever knock out Of him,
that he went into every engagement
with that insignificant squad Of his as
II he had the whole confederate army
Mt his back.
One u.ternoon he found himself In
Saline county, somewhere In the neigh
borhood Of Arrow Rock, at point on
the Missouri river where there Is II
sharp turn between the bluffs, with a
narrow channel on the Saline county
shore
"llo had his men concealed In n
scrub oak thicl,ct close to the edge OF
the blur, and when the Fannie Lewis
showed her bow around the bend n
salvo Of twenty-five guns twenty-five
was the Size of the squad caused 81
simultaneously tho tinltliny Of n bell IN
the cnginc-pom and the waving Of a
white rag on the hurricane deck
"'llcal her in shore and heavo ont
the gangplanlt,' shouted Shclby's cap
tain, and In lew moments he aud his
squad wcrt aboard
"i'rcd Dolicr, the commander Of the
Fannie Lewis, met Bon at the head Of
the stairway, asking what this peculiar
vancouver meant
els this transport in tho employ OF
the federal goyernment?' demanded
Capt Belt
ut is replied Capt D1zier.
"'Wcll, just hand mo the keys Of
your safe, suggested Bell with sig.
nilcant motion toward hi, hip pocket.
"'What do you want with m keys2
| took you for confederate soldiers. aud
not for highway robbers
"Ncver mini what you took US for
or what you call IL; "a rose by any
other name" you know; want tho
keys.
"lIell took the money out OF the safe,
rolled IL into wa1 aud carclcssly
thrust IL into an outside poc.Jet OF
his gray blouse, and then, following tho
prevailing custom Of closing succcss-
full business trunaaUtiun, Invited all
banda TO join him In u drink at his cX-
pcnse,
pulling the outside bill from tho wad
TO pay the damage he extraordinarily
loosened the next one 30 II and left tho
corner Of an X pccping out Of his
pocket
"Dozier, who stood next 10 him, saw
the opportunity Of his life, npd with
dcxtcrous twist Of his thumb and index
finger transferred the bill into his own
pocket
"Thc war was over and, like that Of
many others, Bells occupation was
gone He had never surrendered, but
followed his brigade into old Mexico,
and only then returned to his native
state when Maximilian's banner had
been lowered with him into his imperi.
al grave.
BELLS count y home did not offer
him safa rofuge at that time, and his
confederate money would not pay cur
rent expenses Without Il cent Of any
other money he was wandering up and
down Main street In st. Louis trying
10 get something TO do In some Of the
wholesale houses whore some Of his
comrades had mot with success In Oh
tanning employment
And thus he once more encountered
the genial Capt, Dozier, lie saw him
coming half block away; he pulled
his SLOUGH hat over his face 10 avoid
recognition, but II was too late. The
captain was too quick for him. Bells
face, once seen, was difficult 10 forget
Hello, Ben, how are your wag Dos
zier's cordial salutalou
He knew that certain confederate
soldiers were prescribed and detectives
employed 10 ferret out cause for civil
action against them.
~ want ~ Bee you minute added
haziar' let's SOD across the street