The National tribune., 1899-07-20

this letter this afternoon. can't gil
another day off to work at it.D
Respected Miss Maria, what fine
writer you are. Yore handwritin' is the
most butiful | ever seen. Jeb Smith, OH
company clerk, thinks that he can sling ink
to beat old Spencerian System hisself, but
he amt once with you. 1de ruther see one
line ov your butiful ritin' than all that he
ever writ"
.o CThat's so," said Shorty al after judieially /
awful fancy curliques, and draw canary
bird without takin' his pen from the paper,
but he never writ my name a thouSandth
part as purity as Maria KIM
"And how koreckly you spell. line
something ov a speller myself, and can
mock out most ov the boys in the company
on Webster's Primary, but l amt to be
menshuned in the saim day with you.
with best respecks to your family, and
hoapin soon to here from you, l am very
respectfully, your friend,
W. L. Elliot,
Corpril, Company @, Two Hundredth
Iniianny Volintear Infantry"
By the time he had his letter finished, and
was wiping the sweat Of intense labor from
his brow, he heard the bugle sounding the
first call for dress parade. 81 must go and
begin my fatherly dooties to little Pete
Skidmore," he said, carefully sealing his
letter and sticking stamp on it, to mail at
goin' to be extry fatigue to be daddy to a
little cusS as lively as a schoolhouse flea
and COrpril of Co. Q, at the same time, bui
Pm goig to do it, if it breaks leg"
He was passing clump of barberry
bushes when he overheard Pete Skidmore's
voice inside:
"I'll bet $40 kin pick it out every time.
IN bet s25 l kin pick it out this time. Don't
tech the cards"
Il don't want to lose no more money on
baby bets" replied a tantalizing voice
I'll make it $40 or nothin'. Now, young
Ster, if y're mani
Shorty softly parted the bushes and
looked in. Two of the well-known sharp
ers who hung around the camps had enticed
little Pete in there, and to a game of three
card monte. They had iEtiamed his boyish
conceit by allowing him to pick out two
cards in succession. and win small bets.
Il hain't got but $40 left o my bounty and
first months pay" said little Pete irreso-
lutely, "and l wanted to send S35 of it home
to mother but PIP
you'll do nothin' o. the kind" shouted
Shorty, bursting through the bushes.
"You measly whelps, hain't you grain o
manhood left? Amt you ashamed to
that he wants to send to his widowed
mother?'
'Go off and tend to your own business,
if you know what's good for you, said the
larger OF the men threatenlngly. Keep
your spoon out o other folks Cruel. This
young man knows what he's about. He
kin take care O. himself. He amt no
chicken. You amt his guardeen."
NO he amt" said Pete Skidmore, whose
vanity was touched as well as his cupidity
aroused. "Mind your own business, Mis-
ter Elliott. You're only a Corpril anyway.
You hain't nothin' to do with me outside the
company. l kin take care o myself. I've
beat these men twice, and kin do it again"
Clear out, now, if you don want to git
hurt" said the larger man, moving his
hand toward his hip.
Shorty'S Tesponse was to kick over the
board on whiSh the cards were lying, and
knock the man Sprawlng with a back
handed blow. He made long pass at the
other man, who avoided it, and ran away
Shorty took Peee by the collar and drew
him out of the bushes, in spite of that
youngsters kicks and protestations.
He halted there, pulled out his pocket
knife, and iudiciAly selected hickory
limb, which he cut hnd carefully pruned.
"What're you gon' to do?' asked Pete
apprehensively,
I'm goin' to give you lesson on the
evils O gambin', Pete, especially when
you don't know how"
"But / did know how" persisted Pete
'T beat them fellers twice, and | could beat
them every time. | could see quicker'n
they could move their hands,"
"You little fool, you knowed about as
much about them cards as they know of
ice-water in the place where jeff Davis is
goin'. Pete, I'm goin' to be a second father
to you."
"Dod durn you, who asked you to be