The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-05-02

you.
The boys saluted and disappeared.
The colonel walked home and told the
story to his wife, who nearly cried over
it. The colonel was we'll pleased. If
that was the temper of the children,
what would not the men do2
Jakin and Lew entered the boys bar
rack room with great stateliness and
refused to hold any conversation with
their comrades for at least ten minutes
Then. bursting with pride, Jakin drawl-
ed: "I've bin intervooin the colonel
Good old beggar is the colonel. Says I
to i'm. Colonel, says I, let me go to
the front along O the regiment To
the front you shall go. says e, IAN I
only wish there was more like you
among the dirty little devils that bang
the bloomin drums. Kidd, if you throw
your 'couterments at me for tellin you
the truth to your own advantage your
legs'll swell. {"
None the less, there was battle
royal in the oarrack room, for the boys
were consumed with envy and hate,
and neither Jakin nor Lew behaved in
conciliatory wise.
s'I'm goin out to say adoo to my
girl, . said Lew to cap the climax.
"Don't none o. you touch my kit. be-
cause it's wanted for. active service me
bein specially invited to go by the colo
nell
He strolled forth and whistled in the
clump of trees at the back of the mar
ried quarters till Girls came to him,
and, the preliminary kisses being given
and taken, Lew began to explain the
situation.
'sI'm goin TO the front with the regi-
ment, :" he said valiantly.
Piggy, you re little liar" said
Girls. but her heart misgave her. for
Lew was not in the habit Of lying.
s'Liar yourself, Girls" said Lew.
slipping an arm roand her. "I'm goin.
When the reg ment marches out, you'll
see me with 'em, all gallant an gay.
Give us another kiss. Girls. on the
strength of it,"
eff you'd on'y a-staid at the depot.
where you ought to ha' bin. you
could get as many of 'em as-as you
dam please. whimpered Girls. putting
up her mouth.
''It's ard, Girls. grant you it's ard.
But what man to do2 If I'd a-staid
at the depot, you wouldn't think any
thing O. me.
Like as not, but I'd ave you with
me. Piggy. An all the thinkin in the
world isn't like kissin"
'sAn all the kissin in the world ism t
like 'avin medal to wear on the front
O. your coat.
ssYou won't get no medal.
sob, yus. l shall, though. Me an
Jakin are the only acting drummers
that II be took along ALI the rest is full
men. an We'll get our medals with
them"
sThey might ha' taken anybody but
you. Piggy. You'll get killed-you' re
SO venturesome. Stay with me, Piggy,
darlin, down at the depot. an I'll love
you true forever"
"Ain't you goin to do thatn now. Crisa
You said you was.
90 course am, but the other more
comfortable Wait till you We growed a
bit. Piggy. You aren't no taller than
me now.
GIVE bin in the army for two years,
an I'm not goin to get out of chanst
O. seein service, an don't you try to
make me do so. I'll come back, Girls, an
when take on as man I'll marry you
marry you when I'm lance %
promise. Piggyf'
Lew reflected on the future as arrang-
ed by Jakin short time previously,
but Girls mouth was very near to his
own.
81 promise, s'elp me Gawdl" said
he.
Girls slid an arm round his neck
81 won't old you back no more, Pig
gy. Go away an get your medal, an l II
make you new button bag as nice as
/ know how, she whispered.
.'Put some O. your air into it, Girls,
an I'll keep it in my pocket SO long
I'm alive.
Then Girls wept anew, and the inter
view ended. Public feeling among the
drummer boys rose to fever pitch. and
the lives of Jakin and Lew became un-
enviable. Not only had they been per-
mitted to enlist two years before the
regulation boys age-14-but, bv
virtue, it seemed. Of their extreme
youth. they were allowed to go to the
front which thing had not happened
to acting drummers within the knowl-
edge of boy. The band which was to
accompany the regiment had been cut
down to the regulation 30 men, the
surplus returning to the ranks. Jakin
and Lew were attached to the band az
supernumeraries, though they would
much have preferred being company
buglers
..Don't matter much" said Jakin
after the medical inspection. "Be
thankful that we're lowed to go at all.
The doctor e said that if we could
stand what we took from the bazaar SER
geant's son we'd stand pretty nigh
anything. /"
(Which we will. said Lew, looking
tenderly at the ragged and ill made
housewife that Girls had given him with