The Red Cloud chief., 1895-01-25
CHAPTER VII.
OH MEET.

CHAPTER VII.
OLD FRIENDS MEET.
Itwas the middle Of August before
the different columns Of the Army Of
the Cumberland began to cross the
mountains between it and Chattanooga
in pursuit Of the C~onfederates who had
withdrawn to that place and there In.
trenched themselves. Meanwhile the
Slack family had arrived at their homo
near Jasper, in the ~Sequatchie valley.
Much to Souri's surprise, everything
about tho place looked uncouth. When
she left it q year before, 1t was all she
had ever known. A ten months resi-
| dence in the north, surrounded by every
comfort, associating with tho daughters
Of refined people, had made o great
change in her. Now tho furniture ap- !
pcared dilapidated, the rag carpets
rough. Indeed there was a disappoint-
ment about ''sweet home" that she had
not expected. Nevertheless she did not
sit down and repine over it. She had no
means Of ~pcoouring anything better, but
she found that she could.do q great deal
Of patching. With considerable fore.
thought she had brought some cheap
material Of different kinds with her
, from the north, and this she used to the
best advantage. She made neat ~valances
for the beds, cushions for her mothers
rocking chair, scarfs for the bureaus
in fact, with vory little she made quite
revolution in the house.
Her great anxiety was her brother.
Jakey had attended we'll to his studies
while at school, but his teachers had
found 1t impossible to change his meth.
DDS Of expressing himself. As soon ~
he reached Tennessee he began to relapse
into the state Of standardization in which
he had lived before the coming Of his
advantages Souri, knew that there was
no hope for improvement in her father
and mother. Instead Of troubling them
when their ways Of acting and speaking
shocked her. she refrained from oom-
ment, but when Jakey dropped into his
old ways she tried hard to check him.
Besides she felt that it was necessary to
keep q strict guard over herself, for she
had noticed that when under any OK.
element or when her feelings were deep
~ touched abe was apt to forget herself
and be once more the ''poW white" girl
Of former days.
There WAS another "A VI solicitude
a. to Jakey. 1t must be admitted, not.
} w~ithstanding Jakey's good points and q
certain original shrewdness there was
about him, that he never was the same
hoy after his few hours Of service ON
Colonel Maynard's staff. II was CON-
stantly ''when I war Colonel Maynard's
aid-der-camp," or ''when tho colonel
IN me rode inter Tullyhomy, "or "when
, q carried the news Of the revacuation. +"
Then he would strut about with his
hands in his pockets. much to his ia.
thar's amusement and Souri's dread that
he would run away and join the Union
J army. But one day when he threatened
todlo 80 Souri, took him to task for il
and made him promise that he would
not. This ended her anxiety. for Jakey
would a. OOH have forgotten his mill.
tary honors ~ break q pledge TO his sis.
ter.
The Army Of the Cumberland was
now advancing by every possible route
: toward Chattanooga. One Of the routes
taken by the Union army lay through
tho Sequatchie valley and directly past
the Stacks little farm. One evening
Souri, was leaning over the gate thought,
fully when she saw several mounted
!. men in blue, with yellow facings, trot.
: ting down the road. They were the frs,
? bluecosts to appear Of the host that was
, coming. There il q certain jaunty air,
. o devil may care appearance, about 9
= trooper who becomes used to being al.
ways ON horseback. Each man and horse
q seemed the same animal. Their sabers
clanked in unison, and they were chat
{ ting and laughing M il they had COM
!. to the south with only the most peace
full intentions. When they reached thu
gate where Souri, stood, one Of them,
lifting his hat politely, asked:
Would ye mind me goin to the wei
for q little water?"
0 In the brilliant display that was re
vealed by the lifting of the mans ma
Souri, recognized q head she could neve,
forget-the head Of Corporal Ratigan.
why She said. ''ain't You Corpo
raj Ratigan?"
II am, me young lady, and IL DIN
not mistaken ye're one of the party tina
was goin through the lines one day
few weeks ago"
K Jakey OF this moment came aroun'
Q the house in a fashion at which no Ina,
o become expert at school. This was turn
i ing h~andsprings sideways like q car
wheel. Seeing the soldiers, he suddenl