The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-05-12

side, mt presently gone oud unit die a White
cloth TO q post ON de boreh. Dat viii pc a
sicknal to Poke Bolivar, who will pc Watching
vrom de hill mile ahead You will see him
gone in, ket off his horse unit ko into de
house. Py dis dime it will pc dark, OF nearly
so. You slip up as quietly rs you gan, rigid
Ply the house, hiding yourselfs behint de
lilacs. If de dogs run ut you payonet dem.
You gan look through de vinders, mt see me
| unit Bolivar sidding by de wire dalking, unit
| ketting ready to sdart for Tullahoma as
| soon as de niger who is cooking our subber
| in de kitchen oudside kets id ready unit We
eat id. You gan Wait dill you see US sit
down to cad subber. unit den chump u.s.
| Peter wait until We are bretty near through
| subber, for I'll pc very hungry, unit want all
| l gan ket to keep me up for my long ride.
| You run in mt order US to surrender. I'll
chump UP unit plaze afay NIT my revolver,
| but you needn't bay much attention TO me
only pc CAREFUL not to shood me. While you
are tending to Bolivar I'll ket on my horse
unit skip oud. You gan kill Bolivar, OF dake
him pack to CAMP NIT you, or do anything
dat you please, SO longs you keep him afay
from Tullahoma You understand, now?"
Perfectly" said Shorty Il think we
can manage it, and it looks like pretty good
arrangement. You are to git away, and
we're to git Mr.. Bolivar. Those two things
are settled. Any change in the evening"
program will depend on Mr.. Bolivar. If he
wants fight he kin git whole gobs of it.
Going over the plan again, to make sure
that the boys understood it, and cautioning
them once more as to the sanguinary char
acter of Polk Bolivar, Mr.. Rosenbaum start
ed for his horse. He had gone but little
ways when he came back with his face full
of concern.
&" I like you poys bedder az 1 gan dell
you" he said, taking their hands affection
ately, cunt L nefer would forgif myself if
| you got hurt. Do you think that two OF
| you'll pc APPLE to manage Poke Bolivar? If
you're nod sure I'll ket annoder man to help
you. / think / had pedder, anyfay."
20, go along with you," said Shorty,
scornfully. "Don't worry about us and Mr.
Bolivar I'd stack 81 Klegg up against any
man that ever wore gray in any sort OF a
scrimmage he could put up and I'm better
man than ST. You just favor us with meet
ing with Mr.. Bolivar, and then git out o the
way. If it wasn't for dividing up fair with
my partner here I'd go out by myself and
tackle Mr.. Bolivar. You carry out your share
of the plan, and don't worry about u.s."
ROsenbanm's countenance frightened. and
he fastened to mount and away The boys
shouldered their guns and started out for the
long walk. They followed Rosenbaum's di-
rections carefully, and arrived in sight of the
house, which they recognized at once, and got
into a position from which they could watch
its front. Presently they saw Rosenbaum
come riding along the road, and stop in front
of the house He tied his horse to a scraggy
locust tree went in and then reappeared, and
fastened the signal to post supporting the
roof of the porch.
| They had not long to wait for the answer.
Soon horseman was seen descending from
| the distant hill. AS he came nearer he was
anxiously scanned, and appeared a cavalier
so redoubtable as to fully justify Rosenbaum's
| apprehensions He was a tall, strongiy-built
| young man, who sat on his spirited horse
with easy and complete mastery of him.
Even at that distance it could be seen that he
was heavily armed
g Looks like a genuine fighter, and no
mistake" said 81, examining the caps on his
revolver. He'll be a stiff one to tackle"
I'VE must be mighty careful not to let
him get the drop on u.s., said Shorty. He
looks quicker'n lightnin,' and I've no doubt
that he kin shoot like Dan'l Boone. We
might drop him from here with our guns, :"
he added, suggestiyely.
NO" said ST, that wouldn't be fair.
And it wouldn't be the way Rosenbaum
wants it done. He's got his reasons for the
other way. Besides, I'd be great deal
better satisfied in my. mind, if l could have
it out with him, hand-to-hand. It'd sound
much better in the regiment"
Guess that's So" assented Shorty.
swell, let's sneak up to the house"
| When they got close to the house they saw
that it had been deserted; there were no dogs
or other domestic animals about, and this
allowed them to get under the shade of the
| Glacs without discovery. The only inmates
were Rosenbaum and Bolivar, who were
seated before fire, which ROsenbaum had
| built in the big fireplace in the main room.
| The negro was busy cooking supper In the
outbuilding which served as kitchen. The
| glass was broken out the window, and they
could hear the conversation between ROsen-
baum and Bolivar
| 1t appeared that Rosenbaum had been
making report of his recent doings, to
which Bolivar listened with a touch of
disdain mingled with suspicion.
| The negro brought in the supper, and the
men ate it sitting by the fire.
| ~ declare" said Bolivar stopping with
| piece OF bread and meat in one hand and
| lineup of coffee in the other, . that for
man who is devoted to the South you can
| to yourself and to them than any man l ever
knew. You never get hurt, and you never
| hurt any of them. That's queer thing for
| a soldier. War means hurting people. and
getting hurt yourself. 1t means taking every
chance to hurt some of the enemy. l never
miss any opportunity of killing Yankee,
no matter what l may be doing or what
| risk it is to me. Ican't help myself. When
ever / see Yankee in range let him have
| it. / never go near their lines without
killing at least One.o
| Shorty's thumb played little with his
gunlock, but ST restrained him with look.
"Vell," said Rosenbaum, 81 hates de
| enemy as paddy as any vun gan, but l alfays
| hat pizness more imbortant at de dime dan
killing men. 1 want to get through NIT What
| Ihaf to do, unit led odder men do de killing.
Deres enough chentlemen like you for dat
| work."
"No, there's not enough" said Bolivar
savagely. Its reasonable for you to say
so. Our enemies outnumber US everywhere.
1t is the duty of every true Southern man to
kill them off at every chance, like he would
| IA|--NSS