The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-06-16

tucked the paper away. Never Tined to.
Pap wuz agin hit Said nit made men law.
He got erlOng without readin'. and raised the
biggest family on Postum Crick. But thar's
a teller in my mess kin read everything but
the big words, and | like t. git paper for
him to read to the rest o. we'uns.'
:" Was your partner badly hurt by mines
shot ?" asked ST.
No. The bullet Just scraped the bone.
He'll be likely to have a stitch in his side fur
awhile, but he's very peart man, and WON'T
mind that Pm s'prised he didn't lay your
partner out. He's the best shot in our COM
pany."
Well, he was buckin agin mighty good
shot, and I'm surprised your partners alive.
L wouldn'tve given three cents for him when
Shorty draued down on him, but Shorty's
bin off duty for awhile, and his guns not in
the best order. Howsumever, I'm awful
glad that it come out as it did. His LIES
worth dozen rebels"
. The blazes you say. I'd have you know,
Yank, that one Conferderit is with whole
rijimint of Lincoln hirelings Zip
20, come Off-eome off-that's more o,
your old 6ve-to-one gas, " said ST, irritatingly,
. thought we'd walloped that dumbed nom
sense out o. your heads long ago. We've
showed right along that, man for man, we're
sight better'n you. We've always licked
you when we've had anything like fair
show. At Stone River you had easy two men
to our one, and yit we got away with you"
"'Taint so. It's lie. If hit wuzzent for
the Dutch and Irish you hire, you could't
fight we'uns at all"
Look here, reb, said 81, getting hot
around the ears, Pm neither Dutchman
nor an Irishman; we hsint a half dozen
in our company. I'm better man than
you've got in your regiment. Either me or
Shorty kin lick any man you put up, Co. q
kin lick your company single-handed and
easy, the 200th Injianny kin lick any regi-
ment in the rebel army. To prove it, kin
lick you right here"
He thrust the plug of tobacco into his
blouse pocket and began rolling up his
sleeves.
The rebel did not seem at all averse to the
trial, and squared off at him. Then Shorty
saw the belligerent attitude and yelled:
"Come, ST. Don't fight there. That's no
place. If you're goin' to fight, come up on
level ground, where it kin be fair and square.
Come up here, or we'll go over there"
80, come off" shouted the rebel on the
other side. Don't be a fool, Bill. Fist
fghtin' don't settle nothin' Come back
mere anu your gun Ii We WANT 10
But don't les fout no more to-day Thar's
plenty Of it for ter-morrer. Les keep quies
and peaceful now. want powerfully to take
a swim. Air you fellers agreed?"
Eyes; yes" shouted Shorty. "You
fellers keep to your side o. the river, and we
will to ours"
The agreement was carried into instantane-
Gus effect, and soon both sides of the stream
were filed with laughing, romping, splashing
men.
There was something very exhilarating in
the cool, clear mountain water of the stream.
The boys got to wrestling, and ST came off
in two or three bouts with his COM
rades.
"Coek-a-dOodle-doo,' he shouted, initiating
the crow of rooster. u kin duck any man
in the 20Oth Iniianny."
The challenge reached the ears of the rebel
with whom 81 had traded He was not salts
fed with the result of his conference.
" You kin crow over your fellers Yank, F."
he shouted; . but you dassent come to the
middle, an try me two falls Outen three"
81 Immediately made toward him. They
surveyed each other warily for minute to
get the advantages of the first clinch, when
veil came from the rebel side:
Scatter, COnfeds Hunt yer holes,
Yanksl The Kunnels a-comin'"
Both sides ran up their respective banks,
;natched up their guns, took their places be-
hind their trees, and opened a noisy bus
harmless fire.