The times., 1897-09-19

Templnt camp scene of hustle and ac
tivity, when the face oil Toy, not above
eighteen years old. looked into one Of
the Company tents OF the Sixth Cavalry
and a voice inquired:
''Is this Johs GOruians tent, please?'
Seated Ga the ground inside, busy at
his revolver with screw driver, oiI-can
and bit OF rag, was Il man OF forty.
tanned aad brown his uniform showing
a score of grease spots and christians
He aooked up. suspended his work. and
queried ia answer:
..WcH, what if it is?"
"Im to stop with you, the captain says"
"Oh The captain says so! Well, the
captain may go to. He's hell on The
fight. but what hizness has he to send a
fresh fish around here without word
to me? You skate out o. thisl''
The boy drew back, but did not walk
away, and after three or four minutes
Gorman called out 10 him:
'W'J,at the devil are you standing there
for? Why don't you come in and snow
yerselr?
"Don't- don't be mad at me-" said the
boy, in Goaxing tones, as he entered the
tent. Il just got down here an hour ago.
and the captain said you had no chum. /
wish wish
'.Well I'll be cusscdl' growled the vet
eraR, as he Strengthened up and gave the
fresh fislr'' good looking over so
they've sent me baby TO chum with a
baby Jest off the grass OF his papa North
ern meadowl Why, you pale faced, lank-
bodied. young galoot. 1 hain't got ~ tins
To sing ye to sleep and feed ye on pap.
You jest got down and wish ye WIS hone
again, eh2 l don't wonder The recruiting
officer who passed you along ought % hey
sent yer baby clothes by XprcSs."
AS "a matter or fact the boy was pale
faced and slender, but he had a flashing
blue eye. determined mouth, an6 the red
blood Of inueIGtiou crept into his cheeks
ds he calmly surveyed the man before him.
Don't gimme any Sass, young cubl''
warned iorman, as he held UP finger.
I'm not going to-" vas the answer, but
youogglt to be Wiling 10 give me ashow -
Give ye a show -hahl Mebbe ye amt
TO blame but the idea or sendin' nuFsn'
the Johnny Rebsl They must be robbin'
the cradle and the grave IN your countrJ.
Give Sc a snow Why a week in camp
win send We IT, the hospital to die, let
alone any flgbtiu' Yer folks must hev
wanted to git rid of ye mighty had"
Il haye no mother or father" rcpli.d
the hoy.
aoh sc haven't? Did yer uncle coax
ye To ebns. and lie as to yer aee?''
My uncle used me like dog, and I
ran away nd enlisted and here ! am.
If you don't want me IN go back 10 the
captain"
SAY, hub" continued the veteran, as
Smile crepU over ais lace, dump Yer bag
gage down oyeF thar l didn't know We
was an orphan, a nd 1 like the way ye
speak up. Ye air't as big and stout as
re orter he. but mobile yen pull through
all o K. I never chummed with fresh
fish yit, ard boy at that, but VIII try
it once. What's yer name?'
Joseph Dixon.'
the? it's Joe, in course, and We kin call
me Jack. I'll talk more with ye later
on"
Ani ne evening, three days later, as
the veteran came off picket duty. he said:
we shall be movin' down to the frOat
in day or two more, and once we git thar
thar's sure to be Some fightin' I'm sorry
ye haven't more time to put inhere. Lands
alive, sonny, but when the old Sixth lines
up fur charge yer heart viii 60 beatin
Ii thousand times iniuitl l was so skeert
in ms fust fight that lost caTbiue, ,saber.
revolver, and al, and l didn't giU over
lookin' white fur month. I shan't ex
pecJ sc to do much fightin', but yc
mustn't fiun on me-"
y won't was the quiet reply
I've seer fellers shet their eyes tight
and their teeth hard, and never strike a
blow, hut they didn't funk. Reiu' W.
ar in the same set of fours and ye ar my
number three man, kin ride beside ye and
help ye out If We don't git too skeerJ
uii,bbe ye kin do "A leetle shoctin' with
yer revolver, bat l shan't look to see ye
do much damage TO anybody. Ye ar only
a hoy, Joe. but ye ar trooper and belong
to the old Sixth, and nobody in our regi-
ment ever flHnked Dye think we've got
the sand 70 go through d fight?'
Il shall ride alongside of YOU re-
piled the boy in even tones.
Because" continued Jack, insensibly
dropping his voice almost To d whisper
If ye felt any doubt about 1T thar's
ways o. dodgin fight. Remember, I
shaH't expect much o. ye III Yer fust,
hut don't funk. II chum OF uIine showed
the white feather l think I'd kill hir.,
even though he was only hoy"
Four days later they were at the front.
and three days after their arrival the
brigade was pushed forward to capture q
ford on the river. AS the column surung
out On its march an old trooper noticed the
white-faced boy, and the many evidences
of fresh fish" about him, and a second
glance told him that John German was
his mentor. In /. spirit of devlment the
trooper called out:
"Dtd ye git word that we was out on
a raid after nursin' bottIes?''
who We gabbin' at?'' growled German.
II SEE We brought the baby along 20
try the Bottles. Is it gal or a boy?'
How ye sellIn' yawp today?''
I'm tradin' even up fur rattlehcxesl''
Don't mind the slah-sided son of gun -
SAID the veteran 20 his boy chum. as he
crowded No. = out OF place to get along
side of hira. I'm bet he was in eamD
for SIX months before he even saw the
footprint of Johnny Reb, while YOU
hain't bin over two weeks from home.
How's yer feelin's, Joe?''
I'm all right, was the reply Do yo,,
think Wen key a fight9''
"Sartil to, my boy. Custer is Ieadin'.
and when he leads he's loukin' fur i
row Just keep cool, however. No use
worryin' before we've seen a reb."
At the ford the First and Seventh Regi.-
ments were dismounted ana pushed for.