Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-06-17

'nem farmers son, had been turned
over to company I'D" an hour or two
before il left camp to take its place
The picket line in front of the Thir
division.
Good thing for you boys" said a
good'natured sergeant, us he saw 10
their equipments. I'VE are out where
you'll see plenty of Johnnies before
sundown, and you'll get used TO the
ping of hot lead, Our last batch OF
fresh fish lay around camp three
months before they heard shot
fired"
The recruits smiled, and were pleased
as they fell in and marched away with
the veterans. 1t would do them credit
TO write home that they had been under
fire on the, first day of their arrival
Perhaps they would have Il chance at
game" before the day was over.
Company I'D" halted and erected its
tents at the reserve picket, half II mile
in rear of 1.-The 'front.'" and presently
the details were made up to relieve the
old pickets. There were two men 10
each post, and the new men were dis
,ributed with the old ms far as their
number went. Jason White, 81 years
old-jnst two weeks away from the
plow on his fathers farm-found him
self on post with sun-tanned veteran
who was serving out the last of his sec
ond year.
"My names Jim Tay,or," said the
veteran, as he leaned on his mushct
and gave his companion looking over.
''Nou size up pretty well, but one cant
allus tel. Last man broke in turned
out TO be he'll Of fighter, and If he
hadn't tried to stop solid shot he'd
hev bin IA sergeant by this time. What
made you en'ist?"
81 thought it was my duty" replied
White.
"Oh! see! You jest waited two
years and then felt 1t your duty to
come down here and lick the stunin'
out Of Lees army? II was awful good
Of you 10 think that wayl If you'll
only pitch in and finish things up this
week we'll all feel much obeeged to
you!"
Jason White looked at the o,d vet
eran in puzzled way, and was in
cined TO resent his sarcasm; but
while he was thinking it over the other
continued:
ITS my opinion that you made n
cussed fool o yerself by enlistin', and
that you don't know duty from a cab
bagehead. However, as you are here
it's fur me TO show ye the ropes. Did
ye ever sass anybody"
"I-expect have" stammered the
recruit.
well, that's good as fur as it goes.
If you've talked right up TO folks at
home an let 'em understand that you
was abe TO take keer of yerself, that's
u sign OF grit. Ever hev light?"
"Yes. two or three OF en-
Lick the other feicr?'
YES, sir"
"That's bettPr-that kind o. satisfies
me that you've got grit. When ye en-
listed it never occurred TO ye that ye
might git one o these things bored
through yer body, did it?'
And the veteran took musket bali
from his cartridge box, and reached
over and tapped the recruit on the
breast with il. The fresh fish" moved
back and turned pale, ana with grim
smile the other continued:
"Makes a hole in Il mans body al
most as big as yer fist, and he don't
git up and play Icap-frog afterwards,
either Did ye ever shoot a dog at
home?"
mo, sir"
"Wel.eI shot dog once, and I've
thought Of it good wuny times since
bein' down here. He was loolin' at re,
pitiful like, when pulled the trigger
and it's bin jest that way in the case
of two or three men. I've pulled trig-
per on em when could look right into
their eyes, and they was seemn' to ask
me to spare 'em. / thought if you had
killed dog it might come easier to
kill man, but mebbe you'll be all
right any way"
what do you mean by KILN a
mani" slowly asked the recruit, as he
leaned heavily against the beech tree
al his back.
"Say. but that's FUNNY" laughed the
veteran. "Killin' man? Why, what
the devil did you come down here fur?
Did ye expect TO swing hammock
under tree and smoke all day?"
"I-I came dsaSt to fight"
"Oh, We did! Vel, that means XIII
in somebody. guess. Lcastwise
vou'I find the Johnnies are KILN lots
Of us, and you've got to kill in return
II we wasn't out on the picket line
you'd bev waited and killed yer first
man in battle. but as it is yell git in
yer work weeks ahead. We shall be
ont here fur a week, and during that
time We orter pop over about four. ltI
all depend on yer nerve though
What's happened to make ye look SC
dcvilisb white around the gills"
"Nuthin'," was the brief reply as
tbe recruit set his jaws together ant
made a great effort TO brace up
"Nuthin', eh? Didn't know but "
wished ye was back home hoein' corr
obout this time. Now I'll explain things
10 you bit clearer. Thar's rebe
picket about opposite TO us, and ro
over n musket shot away. Thar are
two men, same MS us, and it's our biz
moss TO kill them and their bizness t'
lin us. jest so long as we stay hit
here they cant see us, but It's our duty
n crawl down and git a shot. The!
nav be crawlin' up on us at this very
mint. Ye see, the idea is to XII. on'
ran don count fur much, but If W.