The National tribune., 1898-05-12
ICoPYRIGHT.l
CHAPTER VIII-(continued).

CHATTER WILL c0hJthteG).
PATHETIC PARTING SCENEs-THE THREE
FRIENDS ENLIsT-THE CAPTAIN AND
THE COMPANY.
Though exhausted by the excitement
of the previous day and bis own mental
contentious, Walter rose early in the
morning to see the militia companies
leave for the scene of threatened hos
tilities. The scene was one of deep i'm
pressiveness.
The morning was gray and chilly.
1t would be hours before the sun rose
TO warm and light the aguish earth.
A rasping, cold wind blew off the Lake,
and made all who felt it very uncom-
Portable. The militiamen, neat and
tim in their snowy uniforms, were
standing around great fires, whose
CLEANS revealed stacks Of Furnished
muskets at little distance, with a
guard-erect, stiff, rigid as to features,
and resolute in step and grasp Of gun
pacing up and down. Visibly oppressed
by the momentousness of the step they
were taking, they talked in a constrained,
desultory way, with an occasional at
tempt at a labored joke, which only
provoked forced and rapidly-subsiding
laughter. At little distance stood the
officers, with tense, set faces, talking en-
couragingly to some weeping women.
A large crowd stood around looking on,
with sympathetic, serious expression, and
speaking together in undertones after
the manner of people at funerals.
Many went up to the men, handed them
little gifts of tobacco, cigars, books and
papers, TASKS of whisky, etc, shook
hands with them, and wished them safe
deliverance from the perils they were
about to encounter.
Presently a conductor, carrying a
lantern, came up to one of the officers,
and said with the mien and tone of a
man acting as master-of-ceremonies at
the execution:
Captain, we are ready to move out
now, as soon as you get your men
aboard"
Each of the sobbing women gave a
halfsuppressed shrek; each of the
officers took the one he was talking with
in his arms, and kissed her tenderly.
The Captain turned on his heel, drew
bis sword, and commanded:
"AHention, BATTALION
The men left the fires and formed in
line The other officers drew their
swords.
"Right dress! 'FRONT.'"
+" IdEe-ARMsi
Forward, file rigM!-MAReHl"
As the men tramped off into the cars,
the bystanders raised a cheer; several
large, dignifed gentlemen gathered
around the Captain, and one of them,
taking his hand, said in voice full of
emotion:
Well, good-by, Captain; God bless
you; | know you will do your duty !"
"God knows will try to" replied the
Captain firmly, as he hurried off after
his men.
the locomotive whistle gave the half
wailing shrek which is the Characters
tic note of the animal in the bleakness
of early morning, and the train moved
off amid the cheers of the spectators
and the audible sobs Of the women, who
were supported TO carriages waiting for
them
Walter WAS deeply moved, and his
resolution not little weakened by the
scene In the midst of the dreadful
realities Of war year later he used to
recall this episode with little Of con-
tempt, for he knew that three months
afterward every one Of those he saw 90
away came back safe and sound without
having even exchanged a shot with
the rebels. But at the time the danger
seemed as real and as near as it does to
a forlorn hope forming to assault the
imminent deadly breach.
Returning to bis boarding house, cup
of hot coffee and warm breakfast re-
stored bis spirits so that a half an hour
later he met Bronson and Karl in front
the Nears Office with a touch Of eager
ne in his manner as he announced:
Well, boys, I've decided to go with
yon. Where shall we enlist?"
As said last night" replied Bron-
son, g it doesn't matter much. The shak-
Ing Up of a campaign will soon tumble
everybody down to the same level. Let's
leave it to chance. I'll send note up