The National tribune., 1899-03-09


sick mother TO 20 and visit her. None o.
your back talk. or r'll put the irons on you
.No.u to a third, lyon can't 90 back to
your boarding place for your things, not even
with guard. | know you. You'd give the
.tunrd tie slip before you went 10 rods. Let
vo lr things 60 Probably you stole 'em,
an way"
Lieut.. Col Billings's eye lighted on Shorty,
with an expression of having seen him some
where.
Where do you belong?" he asked Grossly.
Z" Co @. 20Oth Injianny Volunteer In
faDtTv' rcpled Shorty proudly.
Yes. | remember you row." said the
Provost Marshal savagely. You're one o.
them internal nieoer-thieye5 chat hrung dis
cyrace on the regiment You're one o them that
ria;ie it 81 notorious that decent men who
had Il respect for other peoples property was
glad to get out Of il"
. Your liar. " said Shortly hotly. Il You
didn't git on; o. the regiment bccau'eit stole
niggers That's only pretend. The rear
is full o. fellers like yon who pretend to be
sore on the niger question, rs IN excuse for
not Going to the frort Yon sneal.ed out o.
every fight the regiment went into You got
ont OF the regiment because it was too fond
of Goin' its duty p
''Shut up, you seoundrel! Buck-and-gag
him. men, reared Billings, rising and shak-
ing his fist ut him.
s'Stop that! You mustn't talk that way !"
said the Sergeant, going over to Shorty, and
shaking him roughly, while he whispered,
'Dan't make blamed fool o. yourself
Keep quiet"
II won't stop" said Shorty angrily; "I
won't let no man talk that way about the
2e0th Ind, no matter if he wears as many
leaves on his shoulders us there is on a beech
tree. I'd tell the Major-Generai that he lied
if he slandered the regiment, if | died for it
the next minnie"
81 order You to take him ont and buck-
and gag him." shouted the Provost Marshal.
The Sergeant caught Shorty by the shoulder,
and pushed him ont of the room, with much
apparent rougIness, but really using no more
force than world make a show, while mutter-
in. his adlurations to cool down.
''I spose I've got TO obey orders. and buck
and-oag yon," said the Sergeant ruetully. as
they were alone together in the room. :" 1t
goes against my grain, like the to0thache
I'd rather you'd buck -and-gag me. But you
are TO blame for it Yourself. You ought to
have more sense than lay it into Lieuten-
ant Colonel and Provost Marshal that way
But you did give it to him iine the old blow
hard and whisly-sucker Hes no more fit
for shouider-straps than heg is for a paper
collar Haven't heard anything for q long
time that tickled Inc so, even while | WAS
mad enough to pound you for having no
more sense. I've bin aching 10 talk that way
to him myself"
go ahead and obey yoar orders" said
Shorty. Don't mind me I'm williu' to
toL tra bnI NV x,iyf f.lty N
a whole weef. o. buckin'. il IL be some
thing to tell the boys When ! ct hack, that
saw old Billings swellin' around, aad told
him right before his own men just what we
think OF him Lord how it III tickle 'em I'll
forgit all about the buckin', but they won't
forgit that"
"Blamed if I'll do it." said the Sergeant
& He can take Off my stripes. aud be bleSt to
him. You said just what think, and what
we all think, and / ought to stand by you.
I've notion to go right back in the room
and tell him l won't do it, and pull off my
stripes and hand 'em to him, and tell him TO
take 'em and 90 to Halifax
Now, don't be a fool, Jim, " demonstrated
Shorty. "You won't help me, and you'll
git Yourself into trouble Somebody's got to
do it, and I'd rather it'd be you than some
body else. Go ahead and obey your orders
Git your rope and your stick and your bayo-
net
They're all here, " said the Sergeant, pro-
ducing them, with q regretful air. We've
plenty OF use for them as long as old Bill
lings is on deck. Say" said he, stopping as
a brighter look came into his face, ''I've got
an idea"
9 Hold on to it till you kin mark its ears,
SOS you'll know it agin for your property"
said Shorty aurcastically. GOOD idees are
skeerce and valuable" :"
g JEFF Wilson, the Generals Chief Clerk,
who belongs to my company" said the Ser
geant, : told me yesterday that they wanted
another Orderly, and to pick ont one for
him. I'll send note for him to detail you
right OFF,
He hastily scratched off the following note
on piece of wrapping paper, folded it up,
and sent secretly one of his boys on run
with it:
Dear JEFF: Found you a first class Order
ly. It's Dan Shorty, OF my old regiment
He's in Billingss clutches, and in trouble.
Send down detail at once for Dan Elliott,
Go. @, 290th Ind. Rush Yours. Jim."
:. Here. Sergeant, called cut the Provost
Marshal from the other room. what are you
looling around in there so long for?"
Somebody's been monkeyiug with my
th;sgs. .,ailcd back the Sergeant. IF they
don't lot 'em alone III scalp somebody"