The National tribune., 1899-03-09

pared Tor the men IN q rebel camp ny the
same people from whom he got the chickens
| Being conscientious, he tries to return the
team later. Rebel artillery frichtens the
horse, which demolishes the wagon. COM
pouy of Union cavalry relieves the Deacon Of
the horse and gives him n COW, which IS
claimed rs Gen. Rosecraiis's. The General
recognizes Mr.. klegg and consents to let 81
and Shorty 90 home with him, which they
do. Shorty gets a letter from a sweetheart
lie has never seen. The letter is read before
TIE family. and makes Shorty so ashamed
that he leaves secretly to return TO his regi-
ment, and wakes up at Jeflcrsonvllie, Ind.
shorty Has an Encounter With the Provost
Marshal.
Haut got no pass said Shorty, in re-
spouse 10 the demand Of the Proyost-Guard.
9 Bin home on :ck-furlough. Coin hack
! TO the front now. Left my papers at home.
Forgot EN-"
Heard all about lost and missing papers
before said tie Sergeant drily. Fall in
there, under guard, And lie motinned
Shorty 10 join the gang of straggler- and
Iunaways which had already been gathered
up
| look here. Sergeant" demonstrated
Shorty, "I don't belong in that pack o
silcll-scvcr invalids, and won't fall in with
}em. There's no yaller or cotton in me.
Pm straight goois. all woo', and indigo
dyed Pve bin promoted Corprii in my
company for GOOD conduct ut Chickanau-a.
I'm gon' back to my regiment o my own
accord, before ny times up and | propose
to - my own way. | won't go under
guard"
~In,x.
pass" said the Sergeant dccisvely. eff
You're soldier you know what orders are.
Oar orders are 10 arrest every man that can't
shaw a pass. and bring him up 10 Provost
Headquarters. Fall in there, without any
more words"
81 tell YOU I'm nst coiu back TO the rcgi-
.menl under c1ara." said Shorty resolutely.
I've 40 business to 20 back at al, now.
Ny furlGu.h amt up for two weeks more.
Pm goin back now Of my own free Will, and
in my own way. Go along with yeur old
"uard, and pick mp. Them deadheats and
snc.tl,s, that tlon't want to go back Mt all.
You' Il have p'crty O work with them, with
out pesicrin' me-"
. And | tell you you must 60, said the
Sergeant iriitably, and turning away, as if
to end the discussion. Williams, you and
Young bring him along"
''I'Il not cn a step under guard, and you
can't make me- answered Shorty furious
". snatciiing up the heavy poker from
the stove. You lunkheaded feathcr-hed
snldiers jest keep your distance, if you know
what's good for you. ] didn't come back
here from the front to be monkeyed
with by passel o. fellers that wear white
gloves and dresscoats, and eat soft bread.
Go Oft and tend your own bizniss, and I'll
tend to mine"
The Sergeant turned back and looked at
him attcntivcly.
See here" he said, after moments
pause. Don't yon belong to the 200th
Ind ?n
''You bet ] do. Best regiment in the
Army O tie Cumberland
:" You're the feiIer they call Shorty, of
Co o."
Shorty nodded assent.
. / thought I'd seen you somewhere, the
moment | laid ewes on you,' said the Ser
ecant in a friendly tone. But | couldn't
place goa. You've changed COOL deal
You're thinner'n a fisling-rod''
. Never had no meat to SPARE" acquiesced
Shorty, but Pm an Alderman now to what
! was six weeks ago Got welt on my head
al Chickamaugy, and then the camp fever at
Chatanoogy, which run me down till |
could've cfawled through q CREASED flute"
Well, IN jim EIkins. Used TO belong
to Co. "A, replied the Sergeant. 81 recol-
lect you re stealing the caboose door down
there at Murfreesioro Say, that was great.
How that conductor ripped and swore when
he found his doar was gone. | got an AK
from You. You never knew who took ii, did
you? Well, it was me. | wanted the AK.
but ! wanted still more to show you that
there was somebody in the camp Just rs slick
on the forage as you were. But | got paid
for it. The blamed old AK glanced one day,
while | was chopping, and whacked me on
the knee"
"a thief always gifts fetched up with,
said Shorty, in q tone of profound moraliZ-
n". '' But since it had to go Pm glad one
o our own boys got it, ] snatched another
ard a better one that night from the Ohio
boys. Pm awful sorry you got hurt. Was
it bad 2"
. Yes. The doctors thought I'd lose my
leg, and discharged me. But got well. and
as soon as they'd take me / re-enlistcd
Wish ! was back in the old regiment, though
Say. You Ii have to 20 to Headquarters with
me, because that's orders, but you Just walk
alongside o. me- l want to talk to yoa
about the boys"
As they walked along, the Sergeant found
an opportunity to say in low tone, so that
the rest could not hear.
''old Billings, who used to be Lieutenant
Colonel, is Provost Marshal. He's Lieuten-
ant-Colonel of our regiment. He'll be likely
to give you a great song and dance, especially
if he finds out that you belonged to the old
regiment. But don't let it sink too deep on
you. Pll stand by you, if there's anything
can do" -
Much Obliged" said Shorty, "but Pm
all right, and | oughtn't to need any stand
ing by from anybody. That old fy-up-the-
crick ought to beashamed to even speak to a
man who's bin fightin' at the front, while he
was playin' off around home"
: He'll have plenty to say all the same, 2"
returned the Sergeant. He's got one O.
these self-acting mouths, with perpetual
motion attachment. He don't do anything
but talk, and mostly bad. Blame him, it's
his fault that we're kept here, instead of