The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1899-08-05
The Making Of a Soldier.
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could be learned
AS a matter of fact, the homesick boy
had narrow escape from capture, but
the danger had no sooner passed than
he found his opportunity to desert.
Throwing away his gun and accouter-
ments, he headed for the Federal lines,
and, having reached them, he set to
work to dodge pickets and sentries.
When morning came he was clear of
those who would have halted him.
With three months pay in his pocket
he stood a good chance, and two weeks
later, dressed as q citizen, and after a
dozen close shaves, he found himself
within mile of home. Up to that mo-
ment, when a turn of the highway
gave him view of the old homestead,
he had been consumed with Impotence
to reach the farmhouse. OF a sudden
he felt dissatisfied and began to won
der and reflect. He had departed amid
the waving Of flags and the cheers of
hundreds. He was sneaking home as a
deserter, almost lodging the cows and
sheep In the fields. A loss of self-re-
spect came to him and he heartily
wished himself back at the front. He
would go on, though.
He was penniless and way-worn and
he wanted sympathy. Perhaps, after
a stay of a week he would go back to
the army. When he told father and
mother how he had been abused they
would not blame hlm-would not call
it case of desertion. 1t was shutdown
when the boy approached the barn
across the fields. He caught sight of
his mother at the kitchen door and he
heard the father in the barn. From
the hour he deserted up to this he had
pictured to himself how he would rush
into the house and take the old folks by
surprise, but now he changed the pro-
gram. He went skulking along the
fence until he reached the barn, and
there was shame in his face as he en-
tered and stood before his father.
When the old man heard a step he
looked up and stood leaning on the
pitchfork in his hands. He saw his son
William before him. The boy had been
heard of last 1T the front. He was here
and in citizens attire, and he had no
shout of greeting. If it had been a
case of furlough he would have been
in uniform. and some news would have
come in advance. Ideas passed through
Farmer Hopkins brain like flashes of
lightning, and after a long minute his
face grew stern, his eyes had cold
look in them, and the watching son
realized that the truth was known.
"Well?' hoarsely queried the father,
with stern-set face.
"They-they didn't use me right
down there!' almost walled the boy
in reply.
"And so We ran awayT
'Yes. 1t wasn't exactly deserving,
but"
But ye sneaked off like a cur, never
mindin' the disgrace sure to follerr'
For half a minute they looked into
each others eyes. The boys knees grew
weak and his face went white. and the
face in front of him was so hard and
cold that he wondered if he had ever
seen 1t before. BY and by the father
sternly said:
stranger, / take 1t from yer bein'
here that ye'd like supper and lodgin's,
but l must tell We that we can't ac-
commodatew
The boy felt chill pass over him.
THAT is" continued the father, "on-
less We was goin' right back to the army
to do yer duty as soldier, and to stay
until honorably discharged. l wouldn t
let a deserter share the pen with my
hogsl Better come a leetle further
into the barn while we talk and If yer
moth-I mean if my old woman comes
out We kin get into the oat bin!'
The deserter instinctively moved for
ward few feet, and as he did so he
heard his mothers voice singing a
hymn.
1--WE got son down at the front"
said the farmer in a voice which trem-
bled a little. His names William
Hopkins, and he's in company G of
the Sixteenth. If We was goin' down
I'd send word to him. I'd send word
that he was expected to be a man
among men. and to come home with a
record as good as the rest. I'd hev We
also say to him that if he deserted his
colors he'd never call this place home
agin.> Did We say We was goin' right
back to the front?
The son nodded his head.
"And to stay there till the end Of the
WARP"
Another nod.
'Wall, then, shall hev to do sun
thin fur We. I'll go into the house and