The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1895-10-23

n cOmmOIlOu Dack Dy Jne uOOr UOlu
of new arrival, and the crowd will
ingly made way for him. A little man,
rumpled as t. hair and tattered as to
garments. struggled into the clear
space in front of the enrolling nHcer
and said:
'Ef the comp'ny uin't made up yet
you kin put me in"
Everybody knew him, and every.
body laughed. The laugh was a
CHEEKY one, brimming with amuse-
ment, and it filed the room and ex-
tended out into the street.
"How'd you manage to git off from
Minervy, JimP" asked a tall fellow
who was going to stay at home, pre-.
sumably because he couldn't "git off
from" the wife over whom he domi-
neered.
"Does Minervy know you're outP"
shouted another ieeringly.
"Jist think of it, boys" drawled q
third. "Think O. Jim Carroll i'inin'
the Smithville Tigersl He's a whale
of tiger, amt he?"
"Never mind" interrupted the en-
rolling officer grimly. "He'll make
as good food for powder as any of
you"
With which cheerful suggestion Jim
Carroll was duly enrolled as u private
in the Smithville Tigers, and by dawn
the next morning the company was on
the road, marching gayly off to the
tune of "rhe Girl Left Behind Me.
latA Af fhn
Tigers, Sile Colburn, remarked in
general way to several of the others
"Wall, boys, fur's Pm concerned,
you kin leave off laughin' at Jim Car
roll an pokin' fun at i'm. Jim, he
never growls at the marchin', nor the
weather, nor nothin' else, an he does
more'n his sheer o. the work, you all
know that blamed well. An he sleeps
on the groun' without any kiver SOS
to give me his extrY blankit all O. last
week, when I want feelin' so mighty
vigrls. I'll bet they wouldn't none O.
the rest O. you "A, done it"
''Jes' wait till battle comes up"
said long Ben Finks scornfully. "You
won't never hear of Jim Carroll again
after the fust gun fires. He'll pitch
out a-runnin', an he'll be a'runnin'
yit when the trumpit sounds for the
merlennium."
Within three days there was q bat
tie; a battle for which some of the
Tigers had longed, and which others
had awaited with dread. The weak
little man vino had fled from Minervy
found himself, with the other Tigers,
and dim, gray-coated ranks beyond
charging up hill, in the face Of a
battery that plowed through their
ranks and laid rows of slaughtered
men along the slope behind them, but
still they rushed on, their faces set
grimlY. Jim Carroll was one of the
first to leap upon a smoking cannon
and snatch away the fuse, and then on
in the pursuit, as the enemy retreated,
stubbornly lighting their way inch by
inch.
The next day something happened.
Jim Carroll was offered promotion for
bravery on the field of battle.
''l'm much Obliged" he said, fumb-
ling with his hat in an embarrassed
manner, "but if it's all the same to
you, I'd rather not. I'd lots ruther
do jest plain fightin'."
So Jim Carroll was left to do plain
! fightin', and there is no denying that
he did it we'll. 1t came to be acknowl-
edged rs n settled fact that the little
man whom Minervy had ruled with a
rod of iron did not know what fear
was. The first guns of a battle fired
him, as the sound of the trumpet
reused the biblical warhorse. He
rushed into a charge with head up and
eyes flashing His only trouble was
that he could not bear to retreat, and
when the exIgencies of battle demanded
n retreat he yielded with the most
ludicrous unwillingnesso
His superior officers found him out,
and when there was u difficult or dan
gerous mission Jim Carroll was the
man to be sent upon it. The meek lit
! tie man with timid and appealing look
made more than one journey into the
enemy's lines, aud returned with in
| formation which no Que else could
have gained. Long aud lonely Jour
neys, through sections bristling with
dangers, fell to his share, aud he was
frequently placed where nothing but
quick thought and ready wit could
save him. No one had ever suspected
him Of having either resolg2t, hut he
came out of every difficulty unseathed
and reported at headquarters with the
old meekness and gentleness.
THAT jim Carroll is a caution, re-
marked Sile Colburn to a crowd of his
native villagers, when he was takius u
little fur!ough On ae,Jant OF a bullst