The National tribune., 1899-11-02

lying around. There were cooking uten-
sils, some on the fire, with corn-pone and
meat in them; some where the imperative
orders to march found their owners with
their breakfasts half-devoured; there were
hats clumsily fashioned of wisps of long
| leaved pine sewed together; there were caps
which had been jaunty red-and-blue
"Zouaves" when their owners had mustered
around Nashville in 1861, but had been
faded and tarnished and frayed by the mud
and rain at Donelson, Shiloh and Stone
River, and by the dust and CRIME of Perry
willie and Chickamauga, until they had as
little semblance to their former perkiness
as the grim-visaged war had to the picnic
of capturing ungarrisoned forts and lolling
in pleasant Summer camps on the banks of
the Cumberland. There were coats of
many patterns and stages of dilapidation,
telling the same story of former finery,
draggled through the injurious CRIME of a
thousand camps and marches. There
were patched and threadbare blankets,
tramped-out boots and shoes, an occasional
book, many decks of cards, and so on.
Shorty came across new cedar canteen
with bright brass hoops. He slung it over
his shoulder, with the thought that it
would be a nice thing to send back to Maria
as a souvenir of the battle. She might hang
it up in her room, or make pin-cushion or
work-baSket out of it.
Presently he came to a box of shells,
which he picked up and carried back to the
tree. 1t was quite heavy, and when he set
it down again he felt thirsty. The canteen
occurred TO him. 1t was full. He raised it
TO his lips and took long swig.
Great Jehosephat," he gasped. his eyes
starting out with establishment. That
amt water. It's prime old applejack.
smoother'n butter, and smellin' sweeter'n
a rose. Best | ever tasted"
Shorty had been strictly abstinent since
his return from Indiana. The rigid views
Of the Klegg family as to liquor-drinking
had sunk deep into his heart, and somehow
whenever temptation came his way the
clear, far-Seeing eyes of Maria would inter
vene with such a reproachful glance that
the thought of yielding became repugnant
But the smooth, creamy applejack had
Slipped past his lips so unexpectedly that
it possessed him, before principle couid
raise an objection. Shorty was the kind of
a man to whom the first drink is the greatest
danger. After he had one almost any
thing was likely to happen.
Still. though his blood was already warm
ing with the exhilarating thrill, there were
some twinges of conscience.
Now, L mustn't take no more o that" he
said to himself. THAT one drink was good
and all right enough, because | really
when put the canteen to my lips. | could
swear that to Maria on stack o. Bibles
high as her dear head. God bless her!"
He began bustling about with more
activity, and giving his orders in a louder
voice. He saw Pete Skidmore pick up
what had been once militia officers gaudy
coat, and examine it curiously. He
shouted at him:
Here. drop that, drop that you little
brat. What d l tell you? That you
mustn't tetch a rag of anything you see in
here, except with the point o your bayonet
and with your bayonet on your gun. Drop
it, tell you"
why, what's the matter with that old
cOat? asked Pete in an injured tone, as
tonished at Shorty's vehemenee.
"Everything's the matter with it, and
enough to keep the Yankee graybacks off
you. If you git the rebel kind on you
angwintum won't save you"
Pete dropped the coat in alright.
, "And you, Sandy Baker" continued
Shorty in a yell, don't you walk through
them piles o brush and leaves, where the
rebels has bin sleepin'. You'll git covered
with rebel bugs, too. and Wen never git 'em
out o the company. How often we got
to tell you that?'
Yelling so much made him dry, and the
canteen hung so invitingly near his hand.
Il don't think another pull at that old
applejack III hurt me a mite. | really
didn't git a square drink the first time, be-
cause was choked off by astonishment at
findin it wasn't water. I'll just take enough
of swig to finish up that drink"
Jerusalem crickets." he exclaimed, wip-
ing his mouth, but that's good stuff.
Wonder if bein' in cedar makes it taste so
bang-up? Ii thought so I'd never drink
out o anything but cedar as longs lived.
Guess III keep this canteen to carry water
in. | kin send Maria"-
He stopped. He was not SO far gone as
to forget that any thought of Maria was
very Inappropriate to his present condition.
He started to clustering at the boys who
We're carrying in guns:
Here, how often have l got to caution
you galoots about bein' careful with them
guns? Don't let the muzzles pint at your
selves, nor anybody else. They're all
likely to be loaded. and go off any minute,
and blow some o. your cussed heads often
you. Don't slam em down that way. Be
careful with 'em, tell you. Ill come over