Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-27

they call 'em. You took Dutch leave. The
cap said if you dt1a't come back in ten
then your cake would a been all dough.
But now you've COME back of your own
free will, and the case Is mixed You are
bound to be arrested,a All that's been fixed,
and that's the reason I've been comm to
train every day seuce you've been gone.
wanted to arrest Nsamyself." r-'r
Then I'm a prisoner suggested little
Billy.
That's about the size and shape of it,"
replied Private Chadwick.
His tone was so emphatic that little Billy
looked at him: But there was a kindly
light In the private'a eyes and a pleasant
smile lurking under his mustache so that
the young fellow thought he might safely
go back to his grief again.
Chadwick. with a great show of fierce for
manly, led little Billy to the guard tent
and there placed him in charge of a newly
made corporal, who knew so little of his
u ,i, that he went inside the tent, placed
MS gun on the ground and had a long,
familiar chat with the prisoner.
AFTER the camp had gone to bed Private
EnadWlck relieved the guard and carried
Mosely was waiting.
This rough old soldier gave little Billy a.
lecture that was the more severe because IL
was delivered In a kindly tone. At the end
ne informed little Billy that the next day a
squad of picked men from the conscript
camp was to go to the front in charge of
friVate Chadwick the enemy having shown
purpose to make a winter campaign
asked.
Little Billy seized the captains arm
Don't fool me-" he cried IF I'm fit to
for" - 1o4s'hs
The captain felt about in the dark for
little Billy's hand and grasped it, You
snail CO. he said. and walked from the
oa nh tent into the starlight outside.
to
with sorrow, but. after all, the DAYS come
quickly As little Billy soon found out. The
next morning he found himself whirling
away to Virginia. where some cruel hnsi.
ness was foot. The DAYS went fast
enough then, and the railway train. with
It's loa6 of soldiers, puffed and snorted az
II " wanted to go faster. too: but 1t went
fass enough-just fast enough to be switch
Gu OH to The right of Richmond and pIunep
lts load of conscripts and raw recruits mn
prepared into furious battle that had inst
reached the high tide of destruction. Pri-
Vate Chadwick was swept along with the
rest ana he tried hard 70 keep his eve on
little Billy, but found it impossible, since
they We're soon mixed with men who were
Monide9 ana with men who We're running
away. Some Of the latter turned again
When they saw the reinforcements rush
ing forward pellmelL ss... 49,.
Little Billy was far in front of the 9TH
e[s; ne heard the crackle of Inusketry
and the thunder Of the cannon and ran
coward the smoke and confusion A shell
dropped in front of him and spun around
splitting fire, but he ran on, and never even
, .na lne explosion that shattered the
trees around and played havoc With the
re'nlorcements that Were following He
jumped over men that Were living IN the
ground. whether dead or wounded he
never knew. Some one, apparently in COM
mand yelled at him with a savage curse
but ne paid no attention to it. Directly in
front OF him he saw a battery of three
guns, Two We're In action, but one had no
one 10 manage It.. On each side of this
battery ard little to the rear the line of
battle stretched away .-
Seeing little Billy running forward, fol-
lowed by the recruits from the train the
same time to advance. He had practiced
with an old siX-potntier at the conscript
camp, and he now 'Fan. as if by instinct
to the gun that HAD been silenced The
confederateS charged but had to fall back
again, and then they tegan to retire slow
ly at first. and then With some haste. Lit
tie Billy paid no ATTENTION to this move
ment at all; He Continued to serve his
gun and fire 1t as rapidly he could Shot
and shell from the Federal batteries plowed
up the ground aroand him, but never
touched him. Presently a tall man with a
long brown beard ,r1ode out, of the smoke
and ordered little giRy to retreat, pointing,
as he did so. to the DriStling line of fed
erals charging up the hill.
rake hold of my. stirrup." said the tall
and little Billy trotted by his side, might
lily helped by holding on to the stirrup. In
this way they We're soon out of it, and in a
little while had caught up with the main
body. which rad planted itself a couple of
miles farther back, while the brigade in
which little Billy had fought was holding
the enemy at bay.
Little Billy's face was black with powder,
but mis- eyes shone like stars He knew now
that never again would danger or the fear
of death cause him to finch.
Nv nat regiment 90 you belong top asked
the tall man, they went along
None" replied little Billy simply. Then
he told how he was just from a conscript
camp in Georgia: When they arrived at
the confederate position the tall man called
to an officer.
This is my rear guard" said he See
that he is cared for" Then to little Billy.
When this affair blows over. brush up aud
call on Gen. Zeb. Stuart. He needs a courier
and you are the man.
AS there was no sign of fight the next
day, little Billy went to Gen. Stuart's head
quarters and was ushered in. That famous
nshter, VINO happened to be the officer who
mad noticed him the day before took him
by the arm and introduced him to his staff,
and told how he had found him serving a
gun. after the entire brigade had begun to
retreat
This was the beginning Little Billy be-
came a courier, then an aid, and when the
war closed he was in command of a regi-
ment. His recklessness as a fighter had
given sort of romantic color to his name.
SO that the newspaper correspondents found
nothing more popular than some anecdote
about Col Cochran
His fame had preceded him to Hillsbor-
otgh, and he had queer feeling when the
older citizens. men who had once awed him
by their pride and their fine presence took
OF thei- hats as they greeted him. The
most denonstrative among those was Mai
Goolsby.
You are to come right to my house. COL
oneL You belong to us, you know" This
was Maj. Gooisbys greeting, as he chung to
Col. Cochran's hand. 1T will be a great
surprise to Mary. She'll never know you in
the round world Why, you've grown to be
a sX-footer."
So there was nothing for Col Cochran
TO do but to go to the Goolsby place. a fine
house built on hill beyond the old church
The major wanted to give his daughter a
surprise. and so he carried Col Cochran into
the parlor. and then told Miss Mary that one
OF her friends had called to see her.
The young lady went skipping into the par
lor. and then paused, with frightened air,
as she saw six-foot man in faded uniform
rise to meet her.
Miss Mary" said Col. Cochran, holding
out his hand.
Are YOU She paused grew white and
then red, and suddenly turned and ran out
or the room, nearly upsetting the major,
who was standing near the door.
Why, what on earth's the matter?" he
cried. We'll, if this don't beat Did she