The Portland daily press., 1898-03-03

"Marse Reggle's Nose. Him an me
went to the wars together? is had
plenty, folks. I is seen enough fghtin
an scratchin to do me for the res of
my days. I is mighty hongry. right now
though
Miss Melanie lifted her hand to COM
mand attention.
eve must have the courthouse bell
rung before we let this boy say another
word about the company. What he has
to tell belongs to every woman in the
town. Timothy, you go ring the bell,
and will run over to Mrs. Phipps' for
something for him to eat. %
Moses looked ruefully at his captors.
81 were on my way to find nanny
an Miss Marianne. want to tell them
bout Marse Reggie. toll em in the
company I'd come smack home, an got
a whole bag full of letters. Marse Reg
gle he couldn't write. I went to our ole
place fust. Nobody there didn't know
me. I'd like to fin my folks first. -
Miss Melanie was memorable.
''They will all be at the courthouse
They will be there by the time you have
been fed. Everybody understands that
when the courthouse bell rings fast
something of Importance has happened.
Julia, you go to Mrs. Phipps' for the
food. Ollie and I will stand guard. I'm
sure he will give us the slip if I take
my eye off him a minute.
Moses fatuous smile seemed to in
dorse her fears, but he was too tired
and hungry to care much what became
of him. SO he sat still while Julia walked
briskly in the direction OF Mrs. Phlpps'
house. She returned in an incredibly
short time with loaded platter and
Mrs. Phipps.
Moses was still munching his corn
bread and fried chicken with the avidity
of a starved animal when the court
house bell began to clang excitedly.
Miss Melanie looked at her captive i'm.
ploringly.
CHOW, my good boy, do please hurry
up. We are all dying to hear what you
have to tell us about Colonel Basoom's
men,
Moses gulped the remainder Of his
food with bullying eyes and got up to
follow Miss Melanie, who was speeding
down the street on flying feet.
By the time they reached it the old
courthouse was full Of anxious faced
women, who had already caught the ex-
citing rumor that somebody had arrived
who knew something about their loved
ones.
Nanny Jane and Uncle Toby were
among those who stood nearest to the
door. They had been fetched in haste
for purposes of Identification. The old
woman scanned her returned offspring
in a scornful silence before laying any
maternal claim to him.
eyes, that's Moses, my boy Moses,
which sent away from me God fear
in, self respectin boy in clean shirt
an breeches. Now he surely do look
like runaway niger, fresh from the
canebrake.
With the air of one preordained to de-
fend an entire corps Moses turned re-
buking eyes on her.
NANNY, that's the way the army
does all US soldiers. You all ought to
JUS see Mr.. Reggie.
Uncle Toby was no less scathing in
his final acceptance.
eyes, sir; there S no denyin that that
is Moses. But''-here he turned severe
ly on the returned native-"boy, you
sho'ly does look like the buzzards' been
peckin at you. wouldn't use you for
skeercrow in green pea time. No,
sir, I wouldn't
eff tits Moses, the right Moses, let
us hear from him. We don't care fig
for his clothes.
And Moses was hustled forward I'M
til he stood crouching like a frightened
hare in the middle of the platform, with
the Rev. Brownell and Miss Melanie
acting as custodians.
"Now, then, my boy,' said the rev.
erend gentleman sonorously, eve want
you to give us succinct account of ev-
erything that has happened to the sharp
shooters since they left Cloverdell. =
"Sah?" Moses rolled his eyes until
only the whites were visible.
"Tell us how you left the company"
said Miss Melanie, CURLY hustling the
Rev. Mr. Brownell into the background.
This second command appealed more
intelligently to the bewildered Moses
and received prompt if not satisfac-
tory reply.
"Ileft 'em just a-fghtin an a-scratch-
in an a-shootin each other like man
worn't of no more importance than
reedbird. is done got all want of it.
An when Marse Reggie were stuck in
the back
Toby jumped excitedly to his feet and
said:
"Now, Moses, know you is allyn.
Marse Reggie never were stuck in the
back. I know better. That boy wofn't
the one to turn his back"
Moses glanced in the direction of this
interruption,
"He worn't runnin, daddy; / never
said he were. His horse were shot under
him, an whilst he were down Marse
Yankee he plugged him in the back.
We was fightin all that day
'HOW much of if did Won do? Don't