The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-11-07

His name was on the MYSTERIOUS 30
William Smith. but the men OF I'm
pany b hailed him as Johnny raw
and fresh fish," and had no end Oh .un
at his expense. 1t was always . .nuo
with new recruits, especially II ths.e
was but one. II was a privilege OF the
old veterans to chaff and guy ana
fuse comradeship with him until ne n"o
passed through his first battle.
They were not ill-natured, Dut my
stood on their privilege. they nau g"
listed at the outbreak OF the wal, ~
matter whether imbued with patfio',sin
or carried away by excitement. ne iiau
remained at home until cities ana .owhs
and wards paid a bounty for recrui,s-
He might gain comradeship after awnie
but he must pay the penalty OF MS noiiie-
lingering first
Johnny Raw hadn't been with his regi-
ment a week when his company was
detailed for picket duty on the reeiheh'-
al front, and pushed out two miles from
camp. 1t was nothing new 10 the otner
mcn-it was new and strange 10 h'ih'
and they should have given MN SHOW.
When the guard was made up ana ne
was assigned to post No. 5. some OF the
veterans should have said 10 hiih'
Look here. Johnny Raw, your post
is within eighty rods OF the enemy and
though you want TO keep your eyes
open, there will be nothing to get rat
tied over. You will hear strange noises
in the quiet Of the night, but don't let
that upset you. Don't fire your mus
ket or raise an alarm unless you are
sure that men are moving about ~ II
be a lonely trick, but don't get 10 shaK-
ing over II"
But no one advised him thus. on
the contrary as he was making ready
TO go out. one of the men looked at MN
In a plying way and said;
Better say goodbye 10 us, Johnny
and write a farewell line 10 your WIFE
you'll be a dead man before your time
il outw
"Why-why should they Kill me?" ask
ed the recruit in reply.
ITO max, one Yankee less. You've got
the worst post of all. Last month the
bushwhackers killed four different men
on that post Better have a MT all OF a
sudden and get of the detail
Are there bushwhackers around?'
Lots Of 'em, and you'll get knife
into your back or I'm a liar. Goodbye.
Johnny Raw, Sorry to lose you, but
we'll have TO pull along some how
Johnny Raw was no coward. On the
contrary. he had the right sort OF ma
terial in him TO make a good fighter. IL
was latent and needed time to develop
but they were not giving him time. He
did not exactly believe the statements of
the veteran. but at ten o'clock at night
when he fell in with the relief to take
post No. D. his nerve was shaky 1t
seemed TO him that the guard was i'm
great hurry to get on and leave him to
his lonely vigil. and he eagerly listened
10 the retreating footsteps and shivered
a little when they could no longer be
81 no him
right and left was the forest and almost
al his feet was a brook which ran bah
bling away through the underground. IL
would have been a lonely spot without
the perils of war.
WHAT'S tkat?"
Johnny Raw had been leaning against
the big beech tree, on which some one
had cut a rude figure -. He started
up with fear I'm his heart as the NO
vember breeze came soughing through
the forest and whipped the branches
about and tore away the dying leaves.
He though It the sound of rushing foot
STEPS at first. and there was such lump
i'm his throat that his challenge could
not have teen heard ten feet away.
For the first time in lis life he found
his knees trembling and his teeth chat
tcrine with fear He could not define
tie danger. but he felt that ne was men
aced. They had not told him he must
remain on his feet. II they had he
would have been Obliged to sit down at
the foot Of the tree through weakness.
Eyes and ears were vigilant, however,
and as the minutes passed end no new
sound came TO threaten him his heart
ceased TO jump
Hustle, Rattle. Rustle,"
Johnny Raw was on his feet i'm an in
stant with hi musket thrown forward,
and could any one have seen his face
through the darkness they would have
found IL whittier than a dead mans.
The sentinel whom ne relieved should
have told him that 'possums and coons
would be moving about over the dead
leaves when things grew quiet but he
said not a word. That was what occa-
stoned the noise. but in the dead-like
silence between the gusts it sounded like
men advancing on their tp-toes.
At the end Of three or four minutes
Johnny Raw suspected the origin of the
sounds and heaved n sigh of relief. bu.
he had to acknowledge that his nerve
was going. When it comes to that,
man is not responsible for what hap
pens. Let him confess to himself that
he is afraid and fear will soon eat out
his heart.
BdDblta IdhUlts BdDDlts
1t was but the waters of the creek
as they rushed over impeding rocks. The
sounds had been In his ears when he
took the post. but only just now had he
separated them from other sounds. IL
was like three or four deep voices speak
ing together in undertones, and for mo-
ment he peered into the darkness and
felt sure that he saw human forms
crouching in the bushes a few feet be-
fore him. He opened his mouth 10 call
out, but no sound came from it, and of
a sudden his hands let go of his musket
and it fell across his toes.
God! but l am frightened" whisper
ed Johnny Raw, as he sank down and
pulled the cape Of his overc0at over his
head.
So he vas. C0mpanionship and excite
ment would have carried him through a
battle. The loneliness. the darkness,
and the unseen peris which he believed
menaced him, had broken him down in
half an hour. As he covered and trem-
bled there came a long-drawn wall and
the tree at his back swayed and COM
planned. With cry of alarm the man
leaped up and dashed into the bush to
his left. 1t was well that the bush
checked him, or he would have knocked
against the trees in his wild fright.
As he struggled 10 tear himself loose,
reason came TO his aid, and told him that
II was but a stronger gust of wind. The
half-bared limbs were swaying and toss
ing as he looked up. and the dead leaves
struck him on the face as they went
whirling through the woods 10 find a