The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-05-19

h
they saw Susan standing among the
crowd with her boy in her arms Her
loving eyes recognized her husband in
stantly. She kissed their child and held
him up in her arms Bronson waved
his handkerchief, and Walter saw the
lines about his mouth set and his eyes
fill with tears. Then the houses shut
off the view.
1t was a noisy crowd on the cars.
Most of the boys seemed anxious to
drive away thoughts of the future by
such an incessant turmoil of voice and
body as would prevent themselves or
anyone else thinking. As long as day
light lasted they employed themselves
in responding Justify to the cheers of
the crowds who lined the road to see
the train pass. When darkness put an
end to this they sang songs, and joked,
and played tricks, until actual physical
exhaustion overlook them, when they
sank to sleep on the seats.
Sergeant O'Neil seemed to be at
tracted by something in Walter, Karl
and Bronson, and took one of the seats
with them. He looked on the ebulli-
tions of high spirits with the good
humored contempt of the old soldier
for the pranks Of untried recruits.
It's foine sperits the b'ys are in"
said he. "Well, the chances for fun
are so scarce in this wurrld that Oh
! l. lr of oil
that he has AS for mesilf, this isn't
wan NV me chances, and OIL save me
wind an me stringth for anuther tonne.
Let me, as an old sojer, give We, ez the
first lesson in sojering, the best lesson
that Olive larn't in moline: Git all the
Shape We can, whiniver We can, an lay
it up as sthore agin the day whin ye
can't get ez much ez we made. Good
night"
So saying, he adjusted his bundle be-
meath his head, and his long legs where
he could find space for them, and went
to sleep as promptly as if he had been
used to doing it at the word of COM
mand.
| His hearers regretted that they could
not follow his example, but their minds
were too full of what they had left be-
hind, and what was coming, to make that
possible Walter imagined that the
morning would usher them into the
dread presence Of real war, and his
mind was busy conjuring up the image
Of what this would be like, and in sum-
moning all IFS fortitude for use in the
emergency. Finally. however, tired
Nature yielded, and he fell in doze,
with troubled dreams. He had recently
read the history Of the British operations
in the Iberian, Peninsula, against Ma
| poleon, and "reminiscences of this took
shape in bis fsomnolent brain as actual
experiences in ahich he occupied po-
sition of painful prominence. He saw
himself placed III the front ranks of
column formed1to' assault a place that re-
sembled the description given Of St. Sc
bastian. Before him rolled a rapid
stream, upon the farther shore of which
rose a beetling rock, with one upon
another of yawhing batteries, until the
whole was crowned by great castle
with row after row of terrible cannon.
All the guns were double charged with
the dead lest missiles. Beside them were
heaps of hand-grenades and burning port
fires, and behind swarms of fierce enemies,
eagerly awaiting the signal to unloose
upon him these engines of destruction.
He could not encounter this array; he
must blench and shrek before them =
he did-and relentless officer had
clutched him to drag him forward to his
doom.
"Wake up, Walter-this is Bloom
ington. We must change cars here for
Springfield"
1t was Bronson, not an officer, who
had hold of his shoulder, but the vivid
realism of the dream made Walter
tremble for minutes after waking.
1t was long after daylight when the
train reached Springfield. The bright
sun of the day before had given way to
leaden skies, from which chilling driz-
zle dripped. Everybody was tired with
the long night ride, very hungry, and
very cross. Though they had been
ordered in such haste to Springfield, no
preparations had been made for them.
because in those early days of the war
no one knew what preparations to make
for incoming troops. Ordered off the
cars the boys lounged impatiently
around the tumbIe-down depot, while
Capt Moore went off after Instructions
as to what disposition to make of his
company. In the confusion that then
reigned in Springfield this was work
of magnitude If anybody knew where
the men should be sent, or where they
could get food, he had not yet come
down to the State House, and it was
hours before the Captain found anyone
to authoritatively direct him to march
his men out to Camp Yates-some miles
from the city, and get them food there.
In the MEANWHILE the men were get
ting more illThumored every minute.
They were so hungry that they would
have even eaten2with appetite the stock
of the railroad lunch stands, but others
who had arrived before them had de-