The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1895-03-07
CHICkAMAU6A.
From nrst page.

time 10 VT o0min mum he1 dr0Weo
nigh shes puokered mp pretty peart. :"
The boom Of gum came family from
far down on the lower level, and the
oannonading heard by Corporal Ratigan
and his charge began. Taking up the
whip, the countryman gave his horses a
out.
"Iwant ter make hum afore somep'n
happens. Thar's goin ter be q big fight
bout Tullyhoomy. Thar's forts all
round the place and big gums on en-. -
The horses trotted ON &c briskiy- for .
short distance, when, locking ahead, the
farmer could see the picket post. He
got his pass ready, ana when they reach
ed the post an officer came out to ex-
anime it.
ITS your name Ezekiel Slack?'' he
asked of the farmer.
''Zeke Slack; yaas, thes's my name. :"
'And yours?' to the girl, raising his
forage cap Admiringly.
Missouri Slack. -
1.-THE othez name on the pass refers to
the boy, Isuppose. You have name,
sonny, haven't your he asked absently.
while he was studying the pass, though
Il IL questionable il the inquiry was not
intended to show aome faoetiousness be.
fore the pretty girl.
'Hev got harp
'Oh, Jakey," said his sister, "don't
fail back into that habit Of asking ques-
tions instead Of answering them. You
know how hard they tried to break you
Of lit at school, land says :hais. = not
'ha'r.'"
II got q name" said Jake. by
reckon boy lbs goin ter git on 'ithout
. name?''
"wsll. what is it:'' asked the officer,
smiling.
''Jake.''
"Jake what?''
''Slack," answered the farmer.
''These two uns is my children. They
been ter skule up in Ohio. They got lots
O. l'arnin. Reckon they II down the old
man.
tUnion or Confederate sympathies:'
Union.
"All right. Go ahead.
Leaving the picket, they came to an
opening in the country which enabled
them to get view of the region lying
to the west. The farmer, though de.
sirous Of getting on, could not resist a
temptation to rein in his horses and
watch the fighting, or the distant evil
dences Of it, that morning going OH at
Hoover's Gap Volleys Of musketry
were mingled with the deeper tones Of
cannon. Then the firing ceased fol-
awhile, when the booms began again,
continued and rapid. A white smoke
rose above ridge Oh which Confederate
oannons were Smelling the advancing
Union troops Oh the ground below.
Souri, Slack thought of the lives that
were passing from under that smoke and
covered her face with her hands.
When the sounds ceased, Farmer
Slack drove on and soon reached the
Confederate picket. The party were sen,
in charge of = trooper to the headquar-
tiers of an officer commanding body Of
cavalry on the Confederate extreme left.
His headquarters were in house beside
the road. 1t had once been in the cen.
ter Of neat country place. The fences,
the outhouses, the walks, had all been
in excellent condition prior to the first
passage of troops. Now of the fences
there was All occasional upright post
left; the walks were overgrown wit!
weeds and grass; the outhouses had
nearly all been torn down. The place
was a picture of desolation. Neverthe
less the general who temporarily resided
there was making himself very comfort
able
The wagon drew up before the house,
and the conducting trooper sent in wore
to the general that a party, who haG
come in from the Union lines, were
waiting outside, desiring permission tc
20 on south. An order came to send the
party all inside.
The three travellers entered the house
to find a tall man with an iron gray
beard reclining in a rocking chair with
as much apparent unooncern as if wal
were simply pastime.
"You have just come from the enc
my's lines, I hear,'' he said to the
farmer.
"Yaas, sir.
"What force did you see in the re-
gion through which you passed?"
The farmer explained that he could
not answer the question, inasmuch as
he had been permitted to pass after tax.
ing an oath not to give any information.
Him. You are quite right not tc
answer under the circumstances, OBJ.
served the general. did your daugh'
ter take the same oath?''
"Yaas, general" said Souri,.
Surely they didn't administer an
oath to boy Of your age?'' he said,
turning to Jakey.
Reckon tn thought war too little
to swar," said Jakey. He thrust his
hands in his pockets, sure sign that he
was steadying himself for conflict OF
wits AMI words. But the. general was
not acquainted with the peculiar char
acteristics of Jakey Slack and prepared
to question him as unconcernedly as he
would pump water from we'll.
what route did you Gomez" he ask
ed of the farmer.
G L. Il