The National tribune., 1899-01-12
CUApTEE III.

When Sinns walked O'Neil the sun was
Shining brightly and the campfire was
smolder;ng as sullenly as ever.
O'Neil groaned as he realized his posi-
lion and looked down at his body arrayeo
IL, tI,a garments OF the foe. He felt as II
thev contaminated him as desertIon
would have done. Across the river ne
could see the Queen of the west lyihe
neacaflliiy nj anchor without a marx "
Shog. the terrible ordeal through "hiCi'
she had passed Looking TOWARDS tiie
peninsula above, he saw the smoke Gun
Ing liD over the trees from the campiiie1
and the boats of the Union army. 1hey
were Eve miles away. but they Seehieu
farther of than Europe. An, to be once
more in Co. AS camp -,
Behind him were the log huts ard the
shabby tents of the rebels Comp<iiiI,'
were drilling. At another point guard
InoIoting was going on with all the suited
ceremonial characteristic OF camp routll i'i
He saw a Sergeant-Major wearing a slls In
hat and black frock coat align the rasSei
files; saw slovenly Adiu,ant take COM
mand of the guard, and saw the pdhu
comDosed of two asthmatic fiferS ana tWo
baItinr dr,,mmers. beat off" from right to
left in wretched time, struggling to play
the Bonnie Blue Flag" and ne tuTneu
away in a fury, for the Wnole 'hiiiS
seemed an insulting mockeTy do
Simms and his comrades had maui AZ,
another unavailing search OF omen
clothes for something that would convict
him as sDy Now they marched MN up
TO Headquarters, informing the groups u
soldiers they passed that Inns mere q
Yankee spy we caught las nlght III
canoe in front of our post
And the groups threatened 10 antiIi-
nate the action of the court martial by
killing him then and there. oihiil,s
checked these demonstrations by I'M
pressing upon those making them the
:ldyisabiiity of having the Genera niIeI
view the prisoner O'Nell Strode Stufoii!
on. regarding the fellows with HIM as 700
coniernptible 10 receive ny attention from
AN 80 Male"
At i,nqth the Generals Headquarters
were reached. That gentleman'S morn
ing cocktail had produced its Ordinary
soothing effect. He was surrounoed by d
staff tf Young, slender, long haired men
wearing tight boots, who had evidently
assisted their chief in his matutlndi IL
nations as all were feeling pleasant
About them were private soldiers, VINO
maintained that subservicnt look always
worn by the poor whites OF the ooalI ~, III
the presence OF 1.-The gentlemen. Inc
faces of Sin,ms and his companions took
on the same expression the moment tney
entefed he Generals presence. Inc
Generals face assumed that AIR OF con
descending patronage one might imagine
mantled the features OF an old french
seigneur in cGnversing with his seris.
"th, boys" said he, as Simms and the
rest came 70 a halt and saluted, whom
have you got there"
an SPY SIR" said SlmmS, who pro-
ceedcd to relate the circumstances OF the
caNture. While lie Was telling the story
O'NAi stood ct parade rest, looking
strai\ Mt at the General, whose face some
how spemed strangely familiar.
sfN III man what nave YOU 10 cay
to this" he asked of O'Neil asa Simnls
finished his account of the capture OF the
0,Neil came 10 attention" and told his
story plainly and freely. 1t was now the
Generli's turn TO regard him with peculiar
Interest IS he concluded, the General
asked
NPatllericL o'Nale, soTr, is me name,
am the O'Nale's are the viry first fami-
lies in ouId Oirei4nd Nv the imirild Ole,
sorr said O'Neil with a dignihed com
posure-
you"
Say. t.ae best company IN the rgimint,
said G'Neil with proud dignity.
al thought So" said the General. Don't
vou remember me7 ! was First Lieuten-
ami in Co. c for q short time. :"
e.Inaade OF do. since We spake w it.
We wcrr Wild us only little while"
al resigned TO come home 10 my planta-
tion. I'll talk with you after while. Ser
geant, to nc1-commIssioned oiflcer,..
"taLe charge of this man; treat linn well;
see that he wants nothing.
..1.i'm a I,iftinant in the United States
saryicc, sorr, SAID o'Nen.
81 leg your pardon, Lieut.. O'Neil ] viii
see vgII again this afternoon.