The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-11-28

until we heard the bugles OF the rest OF
our division. that all this time had been
rolling that blasted rear guard over on
us! And IL saved the fightl But the
next minute the Johnny Reds made a
last dash and cut me off-and there
Vastly c.. prisoneri Me that
had saved the flghtl"
A ripple of ironical applause went
round as Hooker gIoomily drained his
glass and then held up his hand In
scornful depreciation.
II said was a prisoner, gentlemen"
he went on bitterly, shut that amt
all. asked 20 see Johnston, told him
what had done. and demanded TO be
exchanged for n general officer. He
said: You be DID, then sent word
20 the division commander In chief, and
told him how i had saved Grey Oaks
when his brigadier ran away, and he
said:'You be id I've bin you be
d--ded' from the lowest non com. TO the
commander in chief. and when was at
lust exchanged was exchanged, gem
tlemen, for two mules and n broken
wagon. But I'm here, gentlemen, as
was thar"
"Why don't you see the president
about it?" asked bystander in affect
ed commiseration.
Mr.. Hooker stared contemptuously at
the suggestion, and expectorated his
scornful dissent. mot muchl" he said.
''But I'm going to see the man that
carries him and his cabinet In his
brooches poclxet--Senator Boompoint-
err"
"Boompointer's big man." contin-
ued his auditor, doubtfully. "Do you
know him?'
know him?" Mr.. Hooker laughed a
bitter sardonic laugh. swell, gentle
men. L amt the kind o. man TO go in for
family influence, but" he added with
gloomy elevation, "considerin' he's an
intimate relation of mine by marriage,
should say did"
Brant heard no more; the facing
around of his old companion toward
the bar gave him that opportunity ofes-
Gaping he had been waiting for. The
detection of Hooker and his peculiar in
yentions were too characteristic of him
to excite surprise, and, although they
no longer awakened his good-humored
tolerance, they were powerless to affect
him in his greater trouble. Only one
thing he learned, that Hooker knew
nothing Of his wife being i'm camp as
n spy. The incidentwouldh have been too
tempting TO escape his dramatic en-
Enlistment. And the aIlusion TO SEN
ntor mpointer--monstrous as IL
seemed in Hooker's mouth-gave him
grim temptation. He had heard of
Ioompointer's wonderful power; he be-
lieved that Susy would and could help
him, Clarence, whether she did or did
not help Hooker. But the next mo-
ment he dismissed the idea with q flush
ing cheek. How low had he already
sunk TO even think It'll
IL had been once or twice in his mind
to seek the president, and, under a
promise of secrecy, reveal part of his
story. He had heard many anecdotes
of his goodness of heart and generous
tolerance of all things-but with this
was joined--so said contemporaneous
hlstory-a fiippancy of speech and
brutality Of directness, from which
Clarences sensibility shrank Would
he see anything in his wife but com
mon spy on his army; would he see
anything in him but the weak victim.
like many others, of scheming wom-
an? Stories were current in camp aud
congress of the way that this grim hu-
morist had, with an opposite anecdotc
or a rugged illustration, brushed away
the most delicate sentiment or the
subtlest poetry, even as he exposed the.
sham of the Puritanic morality or OF
epicurcan ethics. Brant had even So
licitcd an audience, but had retired
awkwardly and with his confidence un-
spoken before the dark, humorous eyes
that seemed almost too tolerant of his
grievance. lie had been TO levees and
his heart had sunk equally before the
vulgar crowd who seemed TO regard this
man as their own buffoon, or the pom
pousness of position, learning and Dig
nifty which he seemed to delight to
shake and disturb.
One afternoon a few days later, in
sheer listlcssness of purpose, he found
himself again ut the white house. The
president was giving audience to a dep
utation Of fanatics who, with n pathetic
simplicity almost equal TO his own pa
thetic tolerance, was urging upon this
ruler of millions the policy OF an in
significant score, and Brant listened 90
his patient, practical response of facts
and logic, clothed in simple but sinewy
English, up To the inevitable climax
of humorous illustration, which the
young brigadier could now see was nee
cssary to relieve the grimness OF his
refusal. For the first time Brant felt
the courage TO address him, and re-
solved to wait until the deputation re-
tired. AS they left the gallery he lin,
gered In the antc-room for the presi-
dent TO appear. But MS he did not come,
afraid of losing his chances, he re-
turned TO the gallery. Alone in his pri-
vacy and shadow. the man he had just
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