The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-03-14

girls at the church sociables and tea
parties, he was growing in business i'm
portance and his improved position was
expressed in fine linen and sumptuous
raiment.
Meanwhile Unions pay had been in
creased, too. His generous Government
had made it s13 month instead of
81, but the paper money had begun to
depreciate so that SIS would not buy so
much as 81 had formerly. He was not
thinking about this, however. His
thoughts were concentrated on other
things-on getting at and whipping the
insolent bands of rebels which they were
chasing hither and yon in palpi-
tating, muscle-wracking marches throug h
the storms and mud.
The Spring of 1862 opened very
pleasantly for Mr.. Copperhead. The
proprietor of the store, having many
things on his hands, had decided that he
must divide his responsibilities, and had
taken him into partnership. This could
not help being a fine thing for the young
man. Everything they bought was
going up. The muslins, calicoes, sugar,
coffee, and iron they purchased of the
iobbers would advance SO fast in price
that there would be a good profit on the
goods even between the date of their
purchase and the time of their arrival
at the store.
All this was communicated to Union
by Copperhead in a letter in which
there was not little very evident praise
of bis own superior shrewdness in stay
ing out of the army. Union received
the letter from the regimental postmas-
ter while bis regiment was pushing for
ward over the icy streams and through
the mire to reach the battlefield Of
Shiloh. The letter was so meanly and
selfshly exultant, that Union read it
through with fierce anger in his heart,
and then threw it into the fire where he
was boiling his coffee.
While Union and the 18th Ohio were
helping in the weary and wary advance
on Corintb, were making forced marches
to head off Bragg from Louisville and
Cincinnati, were chasing the rebels out
of Kentucky, and moving down to the
awful slaughter of Stone River, Copper
head was surveying his daily increasing
piles of greenbacks with trimming salts
faction. Everything that he touched
turned into money. He would buy a
bale of sheetings in Cincinnati at 10
cents a yard, and before the drayman
would roll them down in front of his
store they would be worth Is or 90
cents. Everything else was going up in
the same proportion.
When Union came back with bullet
hole in his leg, received in the desperate
fight amid the cedar thickets on the
right at Stone River, he found his
former fellow clerk sole proprietor Of
the hourishing store, with snug balance
in bank, and the complacent look of
capitalist. He had become convinced
that his Importance demanded that he
take prominent position in politics.
He diseoursed very volubly and dog
matieally to the crowds that gathered
about him on the wickedness of this
Niger war;" the enormous taxes caused
by the "Abolition crusade" the fiendish-
ness of invading the homes of our South
ern brethren, and the greatness of that
fearless patriot, Clement n Vallandig-
ham. He was sure that "brave men,
fighting in defense of their Constitutional
rights and their homes never could be
conquered and that the vulgar rail-
splitter who disgraces the White House"
should be impeached, if no worse. He
looked on Union with the contempt
uous pity that we regard young fellow
who once had bright prospects, but has
gone wrong through drink or cards
Naturally there was little intercourse
between the two former companions and
that little was not pleasant
Union returned to his regiment in
time TO take part in the brilliant cam