The National tribune., 1899-01-19

mark that yen hev to call in the sarvices
NV a bigger squad then We hev arOun'
now. Ye'd betther turn out yer ri mint. -
Were quite sufficient, assure you,
said the Lieutenant. Men, put him in the
guardhouse."
/ The guard stepped forward to obey the
order but O'Neil was too quick for them.
! He planted himself between them and
| the stack Of guns, and Selling musket,
| threatened 10 bayonet the first man who
came a step nearer They stopped. The
/ Lieutenant drew his sword, but il was a
! feeble toy in opposition TO a bayonet
welded by a determined man who knew
how and was going to use 1t. They
/ looked to the sentinel in front, but the
deSperadoeS inside were keenly alive to
what was going on, and were anxious TO
! take advantage of any distraction of his
attention.
The Lieutenant hesitated in great per-
plexIty. He did not want to let this man
! DEFY him, and yet, he did not want to
bring on a conflict, that would in the end
conquer the stubborn fellow, but would
cost more than il was worth.
"Oi Civ ye fair warnin, said O'Neii, as
he saw the officer hesitate, that Oil
submit qui tly to any arrest sui abls fur
till OF die in me tracks before OH allow
yes 10 disiioner me conlmi sion by placin'
NV me on a Ii il vii tim thaves.'
why, whats the rOI:? What's the mat
| Ter thtTtch! Sdll dflOjIeT voice. 1Ecy
| all looked up and saw that the General
and part OF his staff had ridden up, un-
! noticed, in the coniuaiJn The rebels
! saiuted. O Neil dropped the butt OF his
musllet on the ground, and saiuting with
/ his right hand, said Stii1iy:
Me name > L)oti1int O Neil sor."
'0h. yes; beg pardon; forgot. Well !,
! Lieut.. O'Neil, what's the cause OF all
| this demonstration
Why, sor, these hlaggards wants to
trate me rank wild disrespect, an Oil
! not stan il, Sor."
is that so. Well. that's a serious mat
ter. We wont discuss that question now
want To see you at Headquarters. Lieu
| tenant, bring Lieut.. O'Neil down to my
| tent IN hall an hour. In the meantime,
treat him with the respect due an officer"
ONeIl saluted and the General rode
| away, and returning his musket to the
stack took his seat on the log i'll obedi-
ence To a gesture from the officer Of the
! guard. The rebels clustered around and
regarded him with irrepreSsibIe curiosity.
o Neil was taken to Headquarters, and
upon entering the tent found the General
alone. The latter directed the guards To
Withdraw and leave the prisoner with him
Then he directed his servant to bring III
| something To drink. The negro soon came
| IN with a tray, upon which were bottles,
glasses, a bowl Of sugar and a pitcher of
water. The General poured out drink
! for himself and one for O'Neil, keeping
( up "a running fire upon the age and ex-
cellence Of the liquor.
With all his show OF cOrdiality. O'Neil
noticed he was not asked to sit down
and the Generals bearing towards him
was as in the old days when one was an
officer and the other only an emil stcd man
| y NeIIs character and services had
| brought him so much consideration from
the officers Of his own regiment and
| brigade that he felt he had Il ri Int in the
/ exclusive caste of an officer and a gentle
man, and IL angercd him that thi should
not be recognized by everyone. and es =
pcciaily b. one whom he held as an
enemy OF his country. O'Ncil swallowed
! his GrJg IN silence, and tried To do the
same with his iHdi matt m.
Well my man., said the General at
length, and ONeil crimsoned at the re-
| sumption Of the oil style OF address
| Wen, my man. I'm sorry TO see you
taxing up arms on the wrong side"
! The flag seems To be the same wan
you an Oh sarvcd together under tin
years aeone,' sail O'Neil composedly
DIVE followed the flag, an a sofer can t
go iur wrong as does thet."
1t may have been the whisky,-it was
not his first glass, but the General
lace grew red. The flag has been prosti-
tuted by falling into the hands OF bad
men, who are using ii TO destroy their
country, and this takes away all obliga-
tIons to serve il. I'VE are fighting for our
liberty and independence, and this is a
cause that never appealed to Irishmen in