The National tribune., 1899-06-08

GREAT JEuosEPHAT," GAsPED SHORTY
fast of ham and eggs and trimmings, and I'll
settle for IT."
Good mornin', Kunnel. When d you git
down here" said voice at his elbow.
Hello, Groundhog, is that your said Bill
ings, turning around. Just the man wanted
to see Finish your breakfast and come out
here. Iwant to talk to yol
We'll" answered Grounding, wiping his
mouth, I'm through The feller that runs this
SIcbang aint made nOthin' often me, kin tell
YOU It's the first square meal I've had for a
week, and T. We ct until there amt crack left in
side o me that skeeter could git his bill in. |
laid out 10 git the wuth o my money, and |
done it, Whatre you doin' down here in this
hole? Amt Injanny good enough for your
"lnjianny'S good enough on general prin-
cipcS, but just now there's too much Abolition
malaria there for me. The Lincoln sairaps' We
got the swing on me, and thought I'd take a
change Uf air I've come down here to see
il there weren't some chances TO make good
turn, and I've done very well so far. I've
done little in cattle, and got some cotton
through the enough at least TO pay my
board and railroad fare But think the big
gest thing is in recruits, and Pve got scheme
which | may let you into. You know there
are lot Of agents down here from the New
England States trying to git niggers TO fill up
their quotas, and they are paying big money
for recruits Can't you go ont and gether up
a lot o. niggers that We kin sell 'em?'
Sure" said Grounding confidently. "Kin
git all you want, if you'll pay for en-. But
what's this gang you We got with your
20, they're a batch for that blasted Abolition
outfit, the 200th Inianny. Them two ornery
galootS, ST and Shorty, whose necks ought We
broke when ! was with the regiment, have
brung 'em down. They're not goin' to git to
the 20Oth Injianny, if kin help it, though.
First place, til give old McBiddle that Aboli-
ton varmint enough to git him mustered as
Colonel. He helped ouSt me. and have it in
for him. He was recommended for promotion
for gittin' his arm shot off at Chickamauga.
Wisht it'd bin his cussed head"
But what re you goin' to do with the gang?'
Groundhog inquired.
20, there are two or three men around here
that kin sell EN- to for big money. fought to
make clean thousand off EN- if | make a
cent"
How muchll git out o that?' inquired
Grounding anXlouSly.
well, You aint entitled to nothin' by rights.
I've hived this crowd all by myself, and kin
work 'em all right But if you'll come along
and make any affidavits that we may need, I'll
give you sawbuck. But on the nigger lay
I'll stand in even with you, hall and half. You
run EN- in, and II place en- and we'll whack
up"
"Taint enough answered Groundhog
angrily. Look here, Jeff Billings | know
you of old. You've played off on me before,
and won't stand no more OF it. Jest bekase
CnIn,,al
teamstcr you've played the high and mighty
with me. I'm jest as good as You are, any day.
wouldn't give howl in the iafernal regions
for your promises. You come down now with
500 in greenbacks, and I'll go along and help
you all | kin. Ifyou DON'T
IF | don't whatll you do, you low-lived
whelp?" said Billings, in his usual brow beat
ing manner. Il only let you into this as a
favor, because I've knowed you before You
haint brains enough to make picayune your
self, and haint no gratitude when some one
else makes it for you. Git out o here; I'm
ashamed to be seen speakin' to NANCY
hound like you. Git out O here before kick
you out. Don't you dare speak to one O. them
| boys, or ever to me agin. Ii you do L mash
YOU Git out"
| ST and Shorty's dismay when they returned
and found their squad entirely disappeared
was overwhelming. They stood and gazed
at one another for minute in specchleSs alarm
and wondcrment.
Great goodness" gasped 81 at length,
they can't have gone far They must be
somewhere around"
Don't know about that" said Shorty de-
spairingly. We've bin gone some little time
and they re quicls-footed little rascals."
what fools We wuz TO both go off and leave
EN-" murmured 81 in deep contrition. "Whai
| fools we wuz."
"No use o cryin' over split milk" answered
Shorty. THE thing to do now is to find EN-,
which is very much like hintin' needle in q
haystack. You stay here, on the chance o
their comm back, and L II take circle around
there to the left, and look for EN-. Ii don't
| find 'em I'll come back and wei go down to
| the Provo-Marshar S."
Goodness, I'd rather be shot than 90 back to
the riiimint without EN-" groaned 81. How
kin | ever face the Colonel and the rest O the
boys2"
Leaving 81 gazing anxiously in every d.
rection for some clewto his missing youngsters