The National tribune., 1899-07-13

than to be slobbered over by anybody else in
the world. Wisht knowed Jest how much
o the kind remembrance was Maria'S, and
if it differed in any way from her mothers
and sister's%
The next evening the Orderly-Sergeant
handed Shorty badly-thumb-marked and
blotted yellow envelope, on which was
scrawled in very schoolish hand:
ITO Mister Corpril Elliott,
Go. Q, Two Hundred Injianny Volunteers,
"Chattynoogy, lose"
Opening it he read:
Mister Shortee
U ar Frawd!I That's what U arl!l
Whairz mi Gunn??????
U ar a long-shanked, brick-topt Frawd &
promis- -brakerii!
Whairz mi Gunn???
U hav now bin away hole month, & l
haint seen no Gunni
Awl the boiz is maxim fun ov Me, bekaws
I blowed around bout the Gum waz going
2 git. & didn't git none.
Whairz mi Gunn???
likked Ans. Beechum till he hollered
nuff, for teezin Me bout mi Gum. That's
pulled the other boiz.
But l want mi Gum!
Ihave just lots & Gobs tell U, bout what
Maria's bin sayin bout yore saffron head
but shant write word till git mi GunnI
l wont tell U how the girls is pleggin her
81
II U doant send mi Gum rite of lie tel
Maria everything no.
tel u now, lie spile yore fun
Oniess at once U send mi Gum.
SAMUEL WoGGLEs.
The reception Of this perturbed Shorty
to his depths. He had not forgotten his
promise to Sammy-merely postponed its
execution under the pressure of other en-
grossments. He reproached himself for
not remembering how eagerly the boy had
been looking forward to a possession which
would make him the envy of the other boys
really hated by them for his towering,and
undeserved fortune.
"And Maria and the girls is talkin' about
me-" he communed with himself II
knowed that my left ear hadn't bin burnin'
ever since we crossed the Ohio River for
nothin'. / thought it was because it'd gotso
tender layin' on pliers that the blankets
chafed it. Now | understand it. And l
can't hear nothin' of what they've bin
sayin' till git that gun to Sammy. I'll
start 1t to him this day, if it takes leg
I'd intended TO go over to the camp O. the
Maumee Muskrats to-day, on missionary
tower with them new tricks | hrung back
with me, but I'll put in the time gittin'
Sammy's gun and shippin' it to him.
Wonder where kin pick up a rebel musket
and trlmminST
Shorty did not find this so easy as he had
anticipated. Generally, rebel guns had
been a drug in the market. They could be
found lying around camp almost anywhere,
and were used for any purpose to which
they could be applied-poles to hang ket-
ties on over the fire, tent-Sticks, reYetments
to hold the dirt back, or any other use. But
under the rigid system now prevailing in
camps everything had to be
accounted for, and every gun sufficiently
to be worth sending to Sammy
had been gathered up and stored away in a
large shed. Shorty went down there and
the armory. There. were
plenty Of guns in there, any one of which
would make Sammy's heart leap for Joy,
and render him the object of the burning
envy of all the boys for miles around. But
there were guards pacing around, and they
looked watehful. Still, if the night were
dark he might slip in and steal one. But
somehow since he had known Maria there
had risen in his mind repugnance to that
way OF procuring things. 1t was not in |
accordance with Klegg ideas. He sat |
down and pondered on other methods. He |
went over and talked to the Sergeant in |
charge, an old acquaintance, but the Ser |
geant was obdurate.
account" said the Sergeant firmly. MY |
in charge of 'em, and he's put me |
in charge. He knows he can trust me, and |
| know that he can. He don't know how
many guns and bayonetS and cartridge
boxes there are, but do. for counted them
first thing when come on. l Idon't propose
that he shall have to have any shortage
charged against him when he comes to
settle his accounts. don't know whether
they've got an account of the things at /
but they're likely to have,
and Pm not taking any risks. Pm looking |
out for rIy Captain"
But suppose l pay you the value OF the
blamed old blunderbuSS" said Shorty as a |
desperate resort, for it was the first time |
that he had ever thought of a rebel gun
having money value.
Il wouldn't take It," replied the Sergeant |
First place, haint no idea what they're
worth. Next place, if had. wouldn't
Caps accounts. Thirdly, II 1 took the
money I'd like as not set into a game O.
poker tonight and lose 1t, and then where'd |.