The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-07-23
TWO ENLTSTMENTS.

they had lost the stride which had carried
/ them over many mile of Tennessee chad
roads, and that their backs were not 20
/ straight nor their waists so trim rs they
/ had been back in the Sixties
! B"t there we're northumberland Bcal
/ bore his years lightly. Pride and success
/ had kept the general trcct-he was used
to being observed, and it only served to
make his step flrmer and his smile more
serene
Old Dick Bradshaw had brushed his
faded blue cont and buttoned it tight to
his chin, to hide his frayed shirt front; he
had given his limp hat pull over his
eyes, as he had worn it between 1861 and
1868, and he walked with Il tremulous vet
assertive dignity, quite unlike his every.
day SLOUGH. These reunions were great
days for Dick-hc was never drunk until
evening, and he tasted again the ioy of
meeting other men as an equal
The ranks broke ut the gate of the fair
ground, and the old soldiers driftcd into
groups Dick met Cyrus McNally How.
dy do, Dickg" he said holding ont one of
his stubby hands, and taking Dicks stub
by one.
IErus was d master carpenter and was
Upheld by the consciousness of his snug
sum in the home bank, but on occasion ne
could afford to unbend.
"Oh, I'm fair TO middlinR," Bradshaw
replied. "How's that ball in your leg?"
1T don't trouble me much except in
wet weather." Cyrus said Are you'n
me the only ones of old Company c here
today?"
1.-THE generals around somewhere; he
was in the march," Dick answered. 81
guess we three are the only ones: C has
scattered and died more than any of the
others"
General Beal stopped in front of them.
Cyrus suddenly felt himself to be moth
ing but an insignificant country carpenter
with no words at command, and Dick
pulled his old blue coat closer at the neck.
Both had known this man since boyhood,
yet his success made them feel awkward
and constrained
"Ah, boys" the general said blandly,
" l IN glad to see you. We are the only
members of company C here Did you
come on the train, CyrusY'
When he had shaken hands with them,
he laid his arm over Dicks shoulder with
the familiarity of brother. Bradshaw
looked at him with "a twinkle at the back
OF his eye; ten days before the general had
passed him with a nod so cold that it was
little less than cut, and Dick knew well
enough that ten days hence the Same cold
greeting would be his portion. Still, this
present cordiality was sincere while it
lasted.
DO you remember the day we enlisted,
Dick!' the general asked. "You came
running into my Office to tell me you'd
joined, and | threw down my law books
and jumped out of the window to get &c
the enlisting ho0'h sooner?"
Don't r. Lick cried. And Cyru.
here had been kind hanging off, but
when he got the fever, he just scooted--
didn't you, Cy?'"
~ guess l did" 'McNally admitted,
with his deliberate smile. young bloods
impatient"
We three couldn't seem to get killed."
Dick said, land poor Billy Roberts went
down in the first skirmish. You know he
joiucd the same day we did"
Cyrus was the first to speak. 800 you
recollcct," he said pushing back his stiff
hat and rubbing his hand over his chin,
do you recollect the night the rebs got in
behind our linCs-it was week or two
before Chlckamauga? Dick, you was the
first lieutenant then and the general was
second.
My God" Dick cried, what q fool
was! Why didn't you fellows tell me was
going to pcrditon? Why didn't you tell me
that in 30 years I'd be bloated old loafeI
-that l would lose my rank and finish as
u private after being first lieutenant?"
But you werc"- the general began.
The other gave no heed. "Why didn't
you warn me when you saw the drink
getting hold on me?' He glared at his
two companions with fierce bloodshot
eyes, arraigning them for his ruin. "What
n chance | had | might "A been Colonel
bradshaw instead Of Iipsy Dick. had as
good start as anybody Why didn't you
boys warn me?'
General Deal looked him straight in the
eyes How much interference would YOU
have stood from u second licutenantP" he
asked. And how much from private,
even though he was your best friends
Would you have taken advice from us, even
though we'd been boys together and en-
listed from the same town."
That's so, Cyrus put in. "You wasn't
fellow to take advice, Dick"
That's true" Bradshaw said, brighten.
ing and feeling that unreasoning pride we
cherish for some of our faults. II wasn't
2 fellow to take advice. Just bound TO go
my own way if 1t was to the devil" he
"'hO VI, fcldpsInR lnGO MS uufK mOOu. ,
why don't you reform DickY" the gen.
'arl asked brisbly, Wed all be glad to
give you helping hand"
" ReformS" Dick echoed bitterly care
you the light of the county bar and yet ask
question like that? Reform ut 5Sl What
would you do with me after | was re.
'ormedg Neither You nor Cyrus would in.
Tite me to your table if | lived for 10
years on salt and wa,crr.t
This Is f6unlon and not temperance
meeting" Bradshaw intcrposed sardonic-
llly. How many of the regiment have
lied since last year, generaly"
Thirteen or fourteen, he replied sober,
y. 'We lose larger percentage every
'ear, Before long there will be only a
handful of the old One Hundred and Fiji
jieth left. -
Best regiment that ever marched from
Illinoy, Cyrus said with the conviction
Of 80 years in his voice
well I'm glad we've had talk to-