The National tribune., 1899-12-07

Do WITH THEM AIR SKUNKs?"
Have you any idee who them are?" s.
asked Basil Peters.
From this distance it looks like ole Joe
Johnston hisself. and lot o his big-bugs
That big, fat man looks like ole Bishop
Polk.who commands the corps they had
we'uns in" answered Peters. wish ter
the Lord Almighty l had gun as big as Z
log, that'd shoot that fur, AN blow the sancti-
moniOus ole varmint To damation, whar he
belongs. The devils fingers We bin itchin'
fur him this many day"
AS he spoke the group turned and began
moving back toward the protection of the
works from which they had emerged. Some
walked very fast, some actually ran. but
the large, fleshy man turned with delibera-
ton, and walked slowly.
A rifled cannon to the left and rear of Co.
Q cracked sharply, and shell went Screech-
ing over the little valley. 1t burst so near
the large, tleshy man that he disappeared
in its smoke, and when this raised he was
seen lying on the ground. A squad OF men
jumped over the works, picked him up and
carried him back.
A cheer ran along our lines. and ST and
Shorty looking i'll the direction of the bat
terry which had fired the well-aimed shot,
saw sitting on their horses near it, Gems.
Sherman and Thomas, with a portion of
their staff.
GLORY to God!" shouted Basil Peters.
springing up on the bank, and swinging
his hat. "Ole Parson Polk is gone. One
of our inimies is struck down by the hand O
the Lord, which aimed that cannon. Let
the good work go on, until the last one o
JEFF Davis's follorers is sent ter jine him.
"Hullo, Baz Peters. you're over thar
amongst the Yankees. are you. yo' cantin,
whinin', white-livered Lincolniter' yelled a
man in the rebel works. Il done tole 'em
fIst thing this mornin', when they missed
you, that thar's whar yo, wuz. Take that
for your nigger gizzard."
With that the speaker fired, and Peters
jumped down behind the bank and seized
"Yes, Wills Branham," he shouted back.
I'm hyah, an gwine ter stay. I'm at last
whar belong. You can't shoot no better n
yc' ever could, which wuz none. Take
that for your black rebel heart"
His shot was evidently more effective
than his opponents. for it was followed by
groan, at which Co. Q cheered.
Il got in even better shot on Wash
Stembell this mornin," Peters shouted.
"And Brice Wolf laid out Lie Willoughby.
They're both grub for buzzards to-day.
They won't go round conscriptin nobody
no more"
you Internal deserters," roared the voice
which ST and Shorty recognized as that of
the Colonel of the regiment, I'm coming
over there for you presently, and then I'll
hang you higher'n Haman."
Look ont fur your own skelp, Cunnel
Bill Gilmartin," Peters shouted defiantly.
Hits in more danger n our'n. We'uns
is comm arter your II mouty soon, an We'll
git hit too"
The mortal bitterness of the hatred be-
tween the Tennesseeans astOniShed even
the veterans, hardened TO violence and
bloody deeds.
The orders are" said the Orderly-Ser-
from, ff,o Of
front rank shall go back there little ways,
where they'll find some cuts of logs, which
the pioneers have sawed up. Each maE'll
get one of these, and roll it in front of him
over the works. Then the rear rank'll go
back and each man get cedar bush which
he'll find there, with Sharpened point.
TIE front rank will lie down snug behind
their logs and roll them across To the edge
of that abatiS. The rear rank will crawl
along behind, and when the line of logs is
formed they will each stick his cedar bush
down before the log of his front rank man.
Understand, all of you:'
Great scheme, that" said ST, approx
ingly, as he rolled his section of log over
the works in front, with Monty Scruggs
trailing the brush behind. Nov, mind
Monty, and keep keerfully in line behind
this backlog as push it forrard. and keep
your head down, and you'll be safe"
This is Birnam wood going to Dun
shame over agian." remarked Monty,
his Macbeth.
The rebels opened sharp fire as the logs
began rolling forward, but enough men had
been left in the works to reply sufficiently |
to disturb their aim, and the line rolled |
forward steadily with few casualties.
At the edge of the abatis the sections of
log were quickly arranged so as to afford |
a continuous protection. and the cedar
brush thrust down in front screened the |
men behind from the rebel sharpshooters. |
Well" said Shorty, contemplating the
result with satisfaction, 'the longer man |
lives the more, by Jehosephat, he finds |
out That's a new one on me. The man |
that thought that out had head as big |
as punkin, and plum full o brains. I'd |
like to exchange tin-types with him."
"Now," said ST, as he settled himself |
down behind his log, scanned his squad |
and cautiously worked little opening in
the cedar branches to see and shoot through |
I'D like to see any butternut Scalawag
so much as stick finger up over there
kin even pare his nails for him at this
distance
AS soon as the line settled down, and the
iring had died away, the Tennesseeans,
ed by Basil Peters, resumed their taunting
If their late companions. The bitterest
insults and foulest reproaches that tongue
could frame were hurled back and forth
across the narrow space between the two
ines.
Lord send that ole Cunnel Bill Gilmartin
will only stick his evil poll up Basil Peters
whispered to ST, after crawling up nigh
lim; "l'm layin' for him, the piZen yarmint.
He's jinerully mouty skeery erbout exposin'
lisself, but he'll do hit when he thinks
.quieted down. Leave him
er me: Don't nobody. shoot around here
lfore me. viii yo' do hit?"