The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1897-03-10
GHPTAIN CLOSE
R/CAPTAIN CHARLES KING.
lcopsaisht, 1894 by J. B. Lippincott Col
V.-CONTINUEp.

The effect of this unexpected TRADE
was remarkable. The knot of civilian
listeners, who had come to get such fun
out of the situation as the circum'
stances would permit, and who had
been indulging in no little half-stitied
laughter, were evidently amazed at this
new side to the Yankee officers char
acter, and stood silent and decidedly ap
preciative listeners to his denunciation
of the luclIless Parmelee. The soldiers,
who had for some months been tasting
the comforts of military service under
civil control, and trudgirg all over
Chittomingo county day in and day out,
on the mysterious mission of serving
process" were evidently tickled that
their commander should at last have
seen for himself what they had more
than half suspected all along-that
Parmelee was an arrant coward, who
had held his position and made his
record for efficiency in enforcing the
laws only when a big squad of regulars
Was at his back.
AS for Lambert, whose sole knowl-
edge of affairs in the south was derived
from the accounts published in the
northern journals and inspired almost
without exception by "carpet-bag" poll
ticians, and who fully expected to find
himself pitted against determined ar
ray of eX-confederates engaged in the
slaughter of federal officials, white and
black, the young New Highlander be-
gan to look upon the whole affair as
another practical joke devised by his
new associates simply "to test his grit
or gullibility." This, at least, was his
first impression, until the sight of the
main body of the company swinging
into the square under command of the
first sergeant, and another look at
Closes burning brown eyes and Parme-
lees hangdog face convinc' Il him that
$50 far as tnoSl were. Gr.lcerned there
was no joke.
But how about the chuckling natives
now augmenting their number every
moment? Certainly there could be no
doubt as to the contempt they felt for
''the squire" as they facetiously termed
Parmelee, or the ridicule which Closes
appearance lad excited until he had
well-nigh finished his derunciation OF
the civil officer. Then for an instant
there was almost a ripple of applause
They watched him as, in his uncouth,
ill-ftting, unsoldierly garb, the com
mander strobe angrily back and began
searching the wall and window-shut-
tiers of the jail for signs of bullet marks
= Meantime. gradually recovering con-
fidence or hope, the besieged in the eel
lar of the Westinghouse began to par
ley. The bell ceased ringing, and hum
BILE voices were heard asking who were
outside. A brusque order in Closes
pruffest tones TO "Come up out of that
hole and account for your prisoners
seemed to cause unlimited joy. There
was sound of unbarring doors and
scrambling on wooden stairs, and pres
emily the portals opened an inch OF
two and cautious peeps were taken
The sight of the blue uniforms was
enough. The defenders, white and col
ored. to the number of six, dusty but
unin iured. came gladly forth into the
afternoon sunshine. "By CAD, fellows
we had hard work standin' off that
crowd till you come" began the fore
most another of the Parmelee type
sThere must ha' been half Chittomingc
coh,ntv in here, and the bullets flew
4 lie"
fs,,asere a guffaw of derisive laughter
from across the street, the crestfaller
face of Parmelee, and the quizzical grin
IN the sun-tanned features of the sol
diers. put sudden check to his flow OF
.,ords There stood Close, glowering al
him. ,.,,.
"Flew like what, you gibberin' idiot
Tho only bullet-hole in the hull square
tbat hasn't been here for six weeks is the
one in that wuthless mule there. 1or
dam towards ran for shelter an let
go nris'ners loose; that's plain rs
the nose on your face. l don't care
A.. the nris'ners-that's your business
NJ that I wants our mule. Lieut.
,,tertv he continued, addressing hi:
Y - iunior. I'm as ready as any mar
a. erht for the flag, but for six months
T,ve been sittin' here furnishin
,,osses 10 back up these fellers maxim
arrests all over the country, because
shar, was nv orders. / haven't seer
-.,-,,or abused. / haven't seen the
.sar,,, insulted. / haven't seen sIgr
- Lutlux: nothin' but some contra
I'll stills. I've obeyed orders an
Ia ,em 70 make arrests of people
-, personally know nothin' about
W. see for yourself they dasn't lift
and 70 hold 'em. I'm tired o Dackln
such a gang OF towards an ! uon
who knows IL. March the mer
i, 70 camp. sir. I'm goin' after tha
u Ile."
vi.
v,,s .he going down Of that even
snn Lieut.. Newton Lambert haC
s.,shad his first day of company duty
i The sunny south. and found himsel