Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-01-29
CHICK By Captain F. A. MITOHEL. ICopyright, 1894, by American Press Assn Ia
 tion.
By Cantain E. A. MITCHEL,
CHAPTER NEIv.
Co&ING OF THE RESERVES.

 commander in chief of the Confederates hears it and knows, with a generals quick perception, that another chance of destroying his enemy is passing. He can not enter the forest at the dead of night to stop that choppin". and he knows as he hears hundreds of &XrS replacing the moro appalling sounds ,r the day with the chatter of their blades, and now and again some great tree crashing through its neighbors, that by morning his ene- my will be intrenched behind breast works.
 Maynard bivouac15ed on Thomas line The two armies lay too near to each other to light telltale campiires, and as all equipage had been sent to the rear and blankets were scarce the army spent tho night shivCring. Tho wood was too thick to see anything above the lower branches, Tine men needed sleep, but it would be as easy to sleep on the battle field as in the continuous clatIer of those axes Besides distrust had come upon the whole army. It was all anxious night to tho generals, and the men par took of the soliCitude of their command CTS. It was knuwn that the enemy had been re enforced from Virginia, KnoX- vile and other points. It was rumored that Burnside was coming, but Burn sido did not come To natural fatigue was added that moro appalling weari- ness of being constantly ill the presence of death and the certainty that when the soldier should rise in the morning tho grim spcCter would rise with him to haunt him for another day
 There is a streak of gray in the east The commander in chief of the men in gray listens for the sound of guns ill the hands of those he has ordered to begin the attack at daylight and which are to be signal for others. The streak broad- GAS; day comes: the sun rises; it is s o'clock. Still all is silent along the line. It is only q mistake, only an order not received or understood by the general who Was 10 lead off, but in that mis- take is involved possible failure. With all the vaunted gencralship on the field of battle what is it, after all, that turns the tide except the mistakes?
 Mark Maynard on that Sunday morn ing was lying with his body in the dirt and his head on the root of tree. He dreamed that he had just come in from making a charge at the head of his bri- gade and was approaching his com mander to report glorious success; that the general said to him after thank ing him for his achievement, Colo mel, it will give mo pleasure to rCcom- mend you for promotion to tho rank of brigadier"-
 "Gcneralr'
 He awoke and saw JaEcy Slack lcok- ing down on him. It was hc who had spoken tho word General"
 "GcncraI, ." s:.i ,Iakcy as he saw his friends eyes open, ''it'S ben d-d hard fight.
 For hc&vcn's sake, my boy, where have you been, and what are you doing here? The battle will open soon again this morning wonder it hasn't open i ed already. You must get back"
 II tEOrt l War q soiCr.'
 Well, Jakcy, you arc a soldier, | that's a fact, and I'm not.
 Reckon I'll git caShycred. ben away 'thout any furlough." "Whcrc:''
 "Waal, thort I'd go n sec Souri l ,hancc aft,r it, l mOuSht git killed, n then I wouldn't be no good nohow."
 Have you seen her:'' "Yas"
 And Laura:" he started up.
 "Yas"
 And yop told her "ReCkun :"
 | Maynard paused in his questions He dreaded tO know how his wife hal re- ceived the news Did she condemn him with the rest:
 Jakey put his hand in the pocket of his coat and took out a card on which was a picture of Laura holding her | child. Maynard seized it, and in a mo- ment his eyes were riveted on it to the exclusion of all other objects. His mind drank in thirStily all it suggested.
 Mark, he exclaimed suddenly, flor these you must win back your spurs.
 "Reckon she uns ud like fo' ter hear v talk thet away" put in Jakey sym pathetically.
 "Jakey, I'm changed man. 1 feel that I am to have a chance to vindicate myself on the field today. For two days I have been fighting in the ralIks. have had only a private's opportunity, and that is to furnish material for the sacrifice demanded by the god of war. while the god only smiles on those who lead the victim. Today-today''-
 "Somep'n'll turn up sho', y bet. ''
 Come, We must get some breakfast. We'll need it soon. This day will de eide the fate of the Army of the Cum berland ''
 Going to q group of soldiers near by from whose campfire emanated thu pleasing odor of boiling coffee, the two asked and received a breakfast.
 fog hung over the valley of thu ] Chickamauga which screened the two armies from each other. Maynard ana Jakey were ignorant of their surround ings a hundred yards distant, so the. munched their 'hard tack" and swal lowed their coffee, quite willing to b :, hidden from Confederate fire while the, were doing SO Meanwhile Jakey gay his friend an account of his trip ant how he had arrived on the field at nool the day before.
 . How did you find me, Jakey?" ask ed the nearer.
 "Waal, ast a good many sojers, T none of 'em knew whar y war. 'Bou dark heard one O tn cavalry of tn old brigade. our brigade, thet knew y He was a-tellin how y went with Ter !, in charge. They all liked ter hev ye
 do thet away. I ast him whar mough find y, n he reckoned he sor y goi up this way. So I kem n found V Thet's all.
 As he finished Maynard exclaimed:
 ''LookT' Tho fog had suddenly lifted. The