Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-04-23

can be helped. I've told her I've been
rested, but I can't just exactly tell her
what the major Of the Fifth wants of
me. Do you happen to know now?"
The simple earnestness of this rustic
won upon his more sophisticated guard
strangely. Corporal Greenleaf uncross-
ed and recrossed his military legs with
'deliberation, toyed meditatively with
the rowel of his huge spurs and nswer
ed confusedly: BLESSED if do. l reck-
on, however, it's safe to tell her that
you're in no danger Of being roasted
alive or passed through the sausage
grinder; not fat 'nough on your bones
for that"
"Thank you," said Seth, courteously
smiling a faint acceptance of the corpo-
RAILS broad personalities before resum-
ing the laborious undertaking Of writ
ing his mother the first letter he had
aver indited:
DEAR OLD MAMMY-Don't you go and get
scared now when I don't turn up about break
fast time. The Yankees out at S~essumsport
want me for something O. ruther, and I'm I'M
der Arrest. would have woke you up to tell
you all this by word er mouth, but I thought
you needed all the sleep you could git after
yestyday's scare. I don't see as anybody's got
much ag'inst me. I wisht they had more, but
I reckon they'll turn me loose when they find
out what mall game they've bagged. The fell
Ter that's watchin ne while I'm writin this
don't seem to think thar's anything very tur-
rifying ahead of me, SO you mustn't be cum
germ up anything dreadful. II ! amt back
home by IL o'clock, please tell Dolbear to be
sho' and hoe out the rest Of them turnips. l
had laid off to do it myself fust thing this
mornin, but these gents is SO pressin in their
invitation I'm 'bleeged to go with EN-.
P. S.-The above is a joke. With love to sis.
Your attached son, 8. D. MARTIN.
Pallid, breathless, terrified, with this
note f1uttering in her trembling hand,
Mrs. Martin burst into the room occu-
pied jointly by Liza and Mamie Colyer,
who were both startled into intense,
wide awakeness by her wailing cry.
eliza, oh, Liza, wake up, honey, and
give me some comfort. My hearts like
to break"
Liza, barefoot, rosy from slumber,
bright eyed and ~disheveled, was by her
side in a second.
"What is it, minnie? The smoke
house?"
"smokehousel Oh, my Lord, mol It's
your brother, your brother Seth. The
onlies' one l had left"
"Seth!"
"He's done took, honey. They've
rested him. The Yankees is got him
out at Sessumsport this ve'y minute,
and how do I know what they're doin
to him? And, oh, my Lawd, l just bet
anything it was them red stripes down
the side of his poor legs. He said them
stripes made him look like a major gen.
eral, and I reckon them fools thought
he was. Poor boy! And him never hay
ing a chance to shoot anything but beef
CATTLE"
She wiped her fast flowing tears on
the cuff of her gown sleeve and sighed
resignedly;
"You needn't say a word, Liza. It
was them red stripes. But when women
has to cut their men folks breeches
out'n old shawls it amt always easy to
tell where the stripes is goin to hit.
Oh, my Lawdl Now, girls, you know it
amt" and they mingled their tears to-
gether while casting about for words Of
comfort.
At the same moment out at Sessums-
port Seth was being ushered into the
presence of the man who had ordered
his arrest.
The whole business was b%ewildering
in the extreme; the startling sum
mons, breaking up the solemn silence
Of his sentinel watch; the long, trying
ride, with nothing more flexible to
steady himself by than the leather
strap about Corporal Greenleaf's ample
waist line; the unfamiliar aspect of
Sessumsport, seen by the gray light of
dawn, besprinkled with the white tents
Of an encamped brigade; the old court
house, transformed into military head
quarters, with the huge national flag
f1uttering Imply in the rain dampened
air; the room in Widow Morgan's cot
tage into which he was ushered by his
guard, with much show Of respect for
it's solitary occupant. That occupant,
rigidly erect i'll 'front.' of a table strewn
with maps and papers, turned toward
the door and rose as Corporal Greenleaf
saluted and informed him that his or
ders had been carried out to the letter.
"And yhere's your man, major"
waving his hand toward Seth with an
air Of not considering the game worth
the candle.
"You can 60, corporal, and put a
guard before the door. / am not to be
interrupted.
Then Major Martin of the Fifth made
a step toward the trembling, bewilder.
ed prisoner standing alone, where he
and Corporal Greenleaf had stood to-
gether a moment before. The Fedora
officer extended his hand. The rebt
prisoner did not notice it.
"Brother Seth, we meet again,
strangely"
The sound Of the old familiar voice,
rich, mellow, unchanged, completed
Seth's downfall.
He covered his pallid face with his
work hardened hands. His tall, gaunt
form quivered with the shock Of recog-
milton.
"Strong! Strong Martini Oh, my
God, boy, that I should live to see you
wearing that uniform
And tears trickled down his weather
stained cheeks
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