The National tribune., 1897-12-09

GRANGE. Hardtack, pork, and coffee tasted
much better than he had ever known them.
Everybody noticed him and spoke pleas
antly to him. The other boys Of Co. Q called
out cheerily to him from their fires. Those
from the other companies would stroll over
, to take a look at him and Shorty, and his
comrades would point them out proudly as
fair specimens of Co. Q, and what it was
capable of doing when called upon in an
emergency.
The Captain spoke very cordially to him
and Shorty, the busy AdjLtant stopped ard
greeted them smilingly, and even the grave
Colonel singled them out for pleasant
Good morning" and an inquiry as to
whether they had everything they wanted.
1t did not seem to 81 that there was anything
more on earth Just then for which he could
ask.
The 200th Ind, having been at the head of
the column when it halted, was to take the
rear for that days march, and so remained
in camp for awhile to let the rest pass on
After getting things ready for the march ST
and Shorty took q stroll through the camp to
see what was to be seen. They came across
their prisoners seated around fire, under
guard.
How different they looked to what they
did the evening before, when the two part
ners encountered them in the depths of the
cedar brake Then they seemd like fierce
giants, capable of terrible things, such az
would make the heart quail. Now, power
less for harm, and awed by the presence of
multitudes of armed men in blue, filling the
country in every direction that they looked,
they appeared very commonplace, ignorant,
rough men, long-haired, staring-eyed, and
poorly-clad in coarse butternut-dyed home
spun, frayed and tattered.
Father gifts better men than them to work
on the farm for So q month" ST remarked to
Shorty, after heightened survey of them
Eight dollars month is Concressman's
wages to what they git for fghtin' for the
Southern Confederacy," answered Shorty 81
don't s'pose any one of 'em ever had eight
real dollars in his pocket in his life They
| say they're fightin' to keep US from takin'
their niggers away from 'em, and yit if
niggers wuz sellin' for 81 apiece not one of
'em could buy a six-months' old baby Let's
go up and talk to EN-"
q don't know bout that said ST. doubt
| fully. Seems to me l wouldn't be particu-
larly anxious to see men who'd taken me
prisoner and talked very cross about blOwin'
my blamed head off,"
20, that's all right" answered Shorty.
confidently. Words spoken in the heat of
debate, and so on. They won't lay them up
agin U.s. If they do, and want any satisfac-
ton, we can give it to 'em. / kin lick any
man in that crowd with my fists, and so kin
you. Well jest invite 'em to little argy-
ment with natures weapons, without no in
reference by the guard. Come on"
| The prisoners returned their greetings
rather pleasantly. They were SO dazed by
the host of strange faces that ST and Shorty
seemed in a measure like old acquaintance
| ''Had plenty to eat, boys ?" asked Shorty,
| Familiarity, seating himself on log beside
them, and passing his pipe and tobacco to
| the Sergeant
| "Plenty, thankee," said the Sergeant,
| taking the pipe and filling it. ''Moren We
uns we had sence we left home an monty
| good vittles, too. You Yanks sartinly live
| we'll, eff you uns don't do nothin' else"
Yes" said Shorty, with a glance at his
mud-stained garments, we're bound to live
high and dress well, even ii we don't lay up
| a cent"
9 You sartinly do have good cloze, too"
said the Sergeant, surveying the stout blue
| uniforms with admiration. "You'un's COM
mon soldiers We better cloze than our Off
GERS. We'uns 3 got hold o. some o. you uns'
Overcoats, and they wear like leather"
There's leather in Them" said Shorty
coin 8 q very smart man. He saw that this
war was costin' a heap of money, especially
for clothes. He got bright idee that by
soaking the clothes when they were new and
green in the tan-vats, jest after the leather
wuz taken out. they'd take up the strength
O. the leather out O. the juice, and wear
always. The idee worked bully, and now
| old Abe goes every morning to where they're
maxim clothes and sees that every stitch is
put to soak"
''N obody but Yankee'd thought O that"
said the rebel reflectively.
'You bet, assented Shorty. JEFF Davis'd
never think of it if he lived to be az old as
Methuselah. But that's only the beginning
| of Abe Lincoln's smartness."
Ties burned sight smarter man than
we'uns thought he WIZ when we begun the
war;" admitted the Sergeant But we'uns
I'll wollop him yit, in spite Of his smartness."
''We kin tell more about that q few
months later" returned Shorty. It's never
safe to count the game until the last hands
played. We hain't fairly begun to lead
trumps yit. But what are you felers fight
ing for, anyhow"
"We'uns foutin' for our liberty, and t.
LAep yeu'uns from takin' our niggezs away"