The National tribune., 1898-07-07

useful to me, and / want you to get in with
her. As soon as you read this | want 81 to
give her that pair Of horn combs gave him.
Do ii at once. Sincerely your friend,
LEVI ROSENBAUM."
ST knit his brows in perpexity and wen Ter
ment over this strange message. lie looked
at Shorty. but Shortys face was rs blank of
explanation rs his own. lie fumbled around
in his blouse pocket. drew forth the combs
and handed them to the woman Her dull
face lighted up visbly. She examined the
combs carefully, rs If fitting them to a de-
scTiption. and reaching in her bosom she
| pulled out another letter and handed it TO ST
Wien this was opened 81 read:
DEAR BoYs: Now you will understand
the comb business | wanted 10 make sure
that my letter reached the right men, and the
eonlbs were the only things / could think of
at the moment. Mrs Il. will prize them,
though size will never think of using them.
either ON herself or one OF her shock-headed
brats | want you to play it on her rs far as
your consciences will allow. Pretend that
You are awful sick of this Abolition war, and
tired fighting for the niger and all that stuff.
Make her the happiest woman in Tennessee
Nv giving iFI All lilc tDifCc YOU tstH lfait
That will fetch her quicker and surer than
anything else. Like most Southern women.
she is a coiiee-irin<er first and a rebel after
ward, and if some preacher would tell her
that heaven is place where she will get all
the Yankee coffee she can drink, she would 60
to church regularly for the rest OF her life
Tell her q lot of news-as much Of it true as
you can and think best; as much of it other
wise as you can invent. Follow her cauti-
ously when she leaves camp. Don't let her
see you do so. You win find that she will
lead you to nest of spies, and the place
where all the whisky is furnished TO sell in
camp. ] write you thus freely because | am
certain that this will get in your hands. |
know that your regiment is out here, because
/ have been watching it for week, with ref
erence to its being attacked. 1t won't be for
at least awhile for there's another hen on.
But make up to the old lady as much as your
consciences and stomachs will allow you. 1t
will be for the best interests of the service.
''Sincerely your friend,
| ''LEvI RosENBAUM"
| 81 wonder what game Levi is up to-" 81
said, rs he stood with the letter in his hand,
| and looked at the woman. ''Tll give her
all the coffee l can, and be very civil to her,
but that's as far as I'll 90. The oil rebel cat.
| I'll not lie to her for 40 Levi Rosenbaums"
''Weil. I WILL" said Shorty. You fix
her up with the coffee, and leave the rest to
me. / always had fancy for queer animals,
and run off from home once to travel with a
menagerie. I'd like to take her up North
and start side-show with her. The Queen
O the Raccoon Mountains, or the Champion
Snuf-Dipper o the Sequatchie Valley
| How'd that do for sign?'
"Well, 90 ahead,' said 81. ''But expect
no help from me-
Mr. Klegg, when / want your help in
courtin' lady I'll let you know" said
Shorty with dignity. 81 went back to the
tent 10 see about getting the coffee, and
! Shorty approached Mrs. Bolster with an
engaging expression on his countenance. She
was knocking the ashes out of her pipe.
Let me fill your pipe up again, Madam,
with something very choice, " said he, pull
ing out a plug OF bright natural leaf Here's
| some terbacker the like o. which you never
see in ali your born days. 1t was raised from
| seed stole from the private stock OF the High
muk-l-muk o. Turkey, brung aerost the
ocean i'll silver terbacker box for the use o.
| President Buchanan, and planted IN the new
o. the moon on piece o ground that never
| before had raised nothin' but roses and sweet
williams My oldest brother, who is a Sen
ator from Oshkosh, got just one plug OF 1t,
which he divided with me"
go, my is that true?" she gurgled.
"Its rs true as that you are a remarkably
fine-lookin' woman" he said with unblushing
countenance, as he began whiting of some
Of the tobacco to ell her pipe. : was struck
by your appearance as soon as saw you.
ALWAYS was very fond of the Southern ladies'"
Sot n, rxrt9 - ct,a asL-aI- :. thor,
what air yo'uns down here ioutin' we'uns
fur?"
''That's long story, m'm," answered
Shorty. at was trick o. the Abolition
politicians that got us into it. I'm awful
sick o. the war THAT we haint gone ahead and
knocked the heads often this whole crowd
instead o. layin' round here in camp for
months, he added as q mental reservation },
and wisht l was out of it latter we've hung
jeff Davis on sour-apple tree). Then
might settle down here and marry some nice
woman. YOU'RE a wilder, believe you
said"
eyes. I'm widder" she answered, taking
her pipe from her mouth, and giving him
what she intended for a languishing smile,
but which Shorty afterward said reminded
him of stln-crack in a mud fence. Yes,
Pm q widder. Bin SO for gwlne on SIX
months Sakes alive, but We do talk nice.
You air the best-lookin' Yankee I've ever
seed"
''Nothin' painfully bashful about her, y
thought Shorty. But 1 must be careful
not to let her get me near a Justice OF the
Peace She'd marry me before l could ketch
my breath Madam" he continued aloud.
"Yo' may call me Sophrony," she said,
with another cavernous smile.