Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-02-19
..Reckou. y said .JaIev. wrinkIinc his


''Reckon, said Jakey, wrinkling hi
brow and drawing down the corners o.
his mouth with an intensely delibera
tive expression, as though, the problem
having been submitted to him, il be
hooved him to consider it carefully.
They rode back past the house, anC
keeping OH for about mile turned int
a byway. This they followed till they
reached the Chattanooga road.
Colonel Maynard was in the most ex
uberant spirits. He had turned over tbs
command Of his brigade for a day ol
two to the colonel next in rank To him
self and was on his way TO join hi
young wife, from whom he had parted
a week after his marriage. The two act
ed OH his spirits like champagne. H'
| laughed without having anything e
laugh at: he bantered Jakey; he talked
lovingly 10 his favorite horse, Madge.
In short, Colonel Maynard appeared
| Just what he was in years, little more
than a boy.
His services n Il scout had attracted
the attention of the army and had led
the general for whom he secuted TO ad'
vance him. He had stepped from The
ranks to high position on the staff,
and soon after cavalry regiment being
| badly in need of lieutenant colonel,
the colonel being inefficient and some
Junior officer being needed TO practical
ly command, Maynard was placed in
the position. When the colonel Of the
regiment was got rid Of, Maynard
was made colonel. Sodh after his COM
mand was attached 10 brigade where
in he found himself the ranking regi-
mental commander. This gave him the
! command Of the brigade.
dc entered upon his duties with mis-
givings He knew he was well fitted for
the duties of scout, but doubted If he
could command the respect OF 5000
men. Besides he knew there lurked
within him a spirit Of antagonism to
conventional methods: he feared inn
pulses that might wreck not only him
self, but his brigadc-perhaps a whole
army True, there was often kind OF
illegitimate nobility about these inn
pulses. but il did not render them any
the less dangerous.
On hearing the news Of his appoint
ment 20 the command Of brigade he
! mounted his horse and dashed over 10
the headquarters Of the general 20 whom
ho owed nearly all his advancement,
with a view 10 protesting. On arriving
there he stammored out reasons which
had no conference and was dismissed by
the general with the remark that he
was suffering from an attack Of Ill tim
ed modesty, the general adding, You
are born soldier, Colonel Maynard,
and il the war lasts long enough TO give
you an opportunity you will reach p
much higher command than that Of a
brigade.
Once on the road he and Jakey had
passed before on their journey together
to Chattanooga, Maynard took infinite
delight III talking over their cam
| paign, AS he called the mission they
had pursued Jakey became more puff
cd up with pride at having been with
the colonel on that occasion than hav-
ing ridden with him into Tullahoma.
Others had been on his staff on the lat
ter occasion, but he. Jake Slack. alone,
had been his boon companion, his con
fidential friend, on his mission 10 Chat
tanooga. When Jakey considered this
double honor, he felt that he must GER
tainly have been born in uniform and
deprived of it by foTo malignant fairy
soon after coming into thc world.
The Chattanooga road Was by no
means deserted. Wagons under guard,
couriers, staff officers followed hy or
derlies, citizens, negroes, Indeed AL
manner of people and vehicle p-S ine
between tho different corps OF the Army
OF the Cumberland. met them OF were
| passed by them on the way.
"Jakey, " said 'he colonel, II r-mem-
Der every moment Of The timo when
came along this road on my WY back
from Chattanooga / was travelling, rs
the dignitaries say, incog.
yer mean by thet If they'd know
ed what portant person y war they d
a showed ther respec' by hangin y. -
Exactly. They would have put sew.
eral feet between mine and the waving
summer grass below. You have for
chile way Of expressing yourself, but
considering that | m the subject of your
remarks my throat feels clearer at my
own more delicate drawing Of the pie
turc.
Reckon" said Jakey, with proper
solemuity, remembering that the topic
was likely to wound the colOnel's feel
ings.
ION that occasion, Jakey, | did not
meet even mule without my heart
jumping up into my throat. P"
"A rope harness must a skeered y
outen yer skin. "
Especially when noticed the knots
in il. But seriously, Jakey, that expert
ence has filled me with peculiar dread.
Now, suppose some day Confederate
spy should fall into my hands.
Reckon yer'd hev lots o fun hang
in him.
lyon re far out Of the way there my
little Solomon. fear it would be ahso-
lutely impossible for me to. do such q
duty if required of me. "
Eyer needn't take him. in the first
place.
1T might be my duty to do So "
"Y' mought do like Tom. Tom, he
can't never see me when ! want ter
drive i'm outen pastur He can see well
nuff when | get ear o corn TO i'm,
though. "
"A good idea, Jakey. With that sub
tie sophistry Of yours you could reason
Methodist minister into dancing a
hornpipe, but / fear it's hardly sound
enough TO enable one so used 10 decelv-
ing Others rs was when scout TO de-
ceive himself | should do my best,
should take spy, to turn him over
"S'posin 'twar woman?
"Oh, Lord, Jakey, don't suppose any
such thing. I'd have to do my duty III
that case just the same as il she were
a man. What kind Of looking go
cart is that coming down the road:'
A horse was visible in the distance,
its long neck stretched out in front Of
its body, coming toward them at rapid
gait. The rattling of buggy which 1t
dragged reminded the colonel of the
band Of newly recruited regiment
Within sat q woman in a striped dress,