The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1899-01-26
CHAPTER LV.

The quarters in which O'Neil was con-
fined. under the surveillance of a guard
was not at all uncomfortable If Only il
had been his own flag that waved over
him he would have found it an agreeable
change from the mud-bound tents of the
First regiment. The high and well drained
ground upon which the rebel camp was
situated was much more desirable place
OF residence than the malarious morasses
In which the Army of the Tennessee were
walloWlng. He was in a log hut un-
foored, with no more pretentious window
than a hole cut in the side, and closed
by shutter swinging on rude hinges.
There was no firel lace, but a pile of
chunks were burnt on the ground in
front of the door.
A bedstead was made by driving a
forked stick into the ground in one corner
OF the calm, and laying upon it one end
of a pole, the other resting in space
between two logs. The log in the opposite
wall supported a platform of clapboards,
upon which La strata OF dry leaves,
that served "a mattress. Some strips
OF gally-colored carpet taken from pub
lie hall for the use of the army, ard lined
with muslin, as substitute for blankets.
lay upon the I ayes.
ONtil sat by the fire and ate heartily
the IA ion OF cornbread and boiled beef
that had been given him. He borrowed a
pipe Id some tobacco from the guard
and taxing a long, meditative smoke
thought over all that had occurred be-
tween himself and the General He made
no mistake in his analysis OF the Iatfer's
motives and ideas He knew that cray
ing for distinction and promotion led him
10 project some SNOWY cash ar ainst
Grants lines, and would set peotIe TO
tai ing OF the holiness and daring an
dacity OF the man who planned and exc
cuted it. He thought O'NeiI might he
useful to him, with the contemnf,,ons
opinion of the morals and PRINCIPLES of
enlisted men common among the officers
OF the eli Regular Army, and he i'm
agined he could bend or break the pris-
oner to suit his purpose.
O. Neil pondered and arrived at the con-
clusi IN Il at
"Ci IL i,t consint an fall in wild his
plans I'LL he lays hisseI woide opin, an
Oh foind out wot he's driyin at: thin ON
do iist as some good saint will suggest ter
me as best fur the honor av the flag"
Fatigue and excitement oyercame him.
ne handed the Pipe TO the guard, and
craving INTO the Ieafy bed soon sounded
has individual tattoo for the right with a
mighty snore. Nature needed so much
Tecuperatlon that the sun was two bours
high when he awoke. He looked ont
across the river to where his comrades Law.
and sighed in his soul TO be with them.
"Oi wander what the divil they re doin'
over there" he said TO himself as he
turned away from a scrutiny of all that
was visible OF the Union camp. at
1ist be me luck afther layin' 'roun in
thin God-forsaken quagmires all Winter
wid sorra thing haprir in, ter hev the
biggest KIN NV al expedition go out the
minnit Oh NJ az frorl camp.
Another a IN OF cornbrc al and beef
the latter raw This timerLa1 been laid
tnsice OF his door, ard as he was broiling
his beef by hcl ilg it over the Goals on
she end Of stick, the General came up
en root ONeil instantly came TO "at-
tent bn" and al tied with the stiff co,,r-
tesy OF the Reg Lar Army
The General seemed pleased with the
cerenonious greeting, which he met with
rarely among his undiscillined followers