The National tribune., 1900-05-24

: thcket, to give way to joyful feeling Owe
beng at length across the Macon Railroad
They felt that they had entered upon th'
last half of their long journey, and haC
between them and the Union lines less
difficulties and dangers than they had en-
oountered so far. In spite of the darB
clouds and the drenched earth, the outlook
seemed very bright.
A deep gully ran down from higher
ground. This was heavily 5ordered or
both sides with young locusts, and 81 LED
his squad up it to the hill beyond. The
clouds cleared away as the sun was setting
and looking out from behind the cover OF
the. giant trunk of a live-oak, ST could
plainly see the railroad, bridge, and then
would-be pursuers, now all across the creek
and forming line to beat through the
woods in search of them.
Il kin see another crick about half-a-
mile further ou," said Shorty. They d
a had us dead TO rights if We d stayed on
that side. They'll git them two goober-
grabbers sure S little apples"
Well" said ST, with tone of satisfac-
ton, "itll take 'em all evening, and prob
ably all night. to find out we amt there.
| That's good deal o country for that crowd
to skirmish over. If they don't ketch them
about us until they have gone through
that whole neck O woods-mebbe not until
| tomorrow morning. In the meanwhile
We'll be huntin' the north star, and putin
sacred soil between them and u.s."
"Everybody's over there" said Shorty.
Lets pike ahead awhile yit. There's a good
deal o go left in US, and les use it up.
| Every mile that we kin make now counts.
The crest of the hill trended northward
and was thickly covered with woods,
through which, however, they could walk
with comparative ease while the light
lasted. But in spite of Sis eagerness TO
| get ahead he began to feel very hungry.
! he had had nothing to eat since morning,
! and not very satisfactory meal them
He knew that the rest must be even hun
! grler-they always were, and with their
! hunger would come weakness and inability
| TO march. Something must be done to get
food, and at once What should it be?
From the top OF the hill he could see farms
and farmhouses in the distance, and there
was food; but none of his old foraging
| tricks would avail now. when his main
| object in life was TO keep out Of sight.
When he realized that he was hungry,
| he became all at once very hungry
famished. He looked back and saw that
| the boys faces We're pinched and wan, and
| that they we're following him with an effort.
| Poor little Pete could hardly drag one foot
after another. He began looking around
for the wild fruits which are always de-
light to boy in, the Northern woods, but
the Georgia woods are destitute OF these.
No huckleberries, raspberries, blackberries,
or the luscious May apples were to be
found.
He finally saw a cornfield at little dis
tance, which it seemed that lie could ap-
proach without much danger OF being seen,
as il was now growing quite dark.
He halted the boys under the shadow Of
the trees, while he and Shorty slipped
forward.
They found the little ears of corn-a
single one to, stalk-were in the milk.
"Purty slim kind o feed for hard march
in" said 81. as he and Shorty gathered
their arms full Of the ears. But it'll have
to do until we kin git something better.
! wish we had a little salt and a fire. We
could make a toleraple meal"
Might as we'll wish for whole com
missary train, while you're about it"
grumbled Shorty.
They carried their loads back to the
boys, and Shorty irreyerentiy whistled the
cavalry feed call, as he dumped his on the
ground, and 81 called TO the rest to come
up and lay hold. Hungry as the boys
were, they looked with dismay at the unin-
Ylting spread.
Never heard before of anything but
coOns eating green corn in the ear, said
Harry Joslyn, as he peeled off the husk
and surveyed the rows of milk-white grains.
Don't seem human"
I've heard" remarked Ali Russell,
taking a preliminary nibble, that green
corn iii the ear gives horses collie. My, it
tastes worse'n the wall-paste L once ct
when WIS Il lllle klUs
Eat hearty, boys. Fill up on it," ad-
jured ST, gnawing away vigorously on an
ear, for good example. My rule in life
is when you can't get what you like, like
what you kin git. | always was fond o
roastin ears about this time o. year. We
kin git along without havin' 'em roasted
or havin' salt and butter on 'em. We kin
eat the salt and butter some other time"
"Yes, fill up on it, boys" echoed Shorty,
doing his share by way of example.
We've got to have something to travel on
till we kin find something better The
more o this you eat the more chance youu
have O gittin' something good"
Il begin to understand Nebuchadnezzar'S
feelings when he was turned out to grass"
murmured Monty Scruggs. Il wonder if
we keep this up, if our hair will grow like
eagles feathers, and our nails like birds
claws?"
In spite of their hunger, and the reasons
they had for eating, they made but a meager
meal and left large portion of the ears
untouched. Still, they felt a little strength
ened, and resumed their journey with
spirit.
MY idee is" said ST to Shorty, by wav
of consultation, that we want to bear
generally to the northwest. We crossed
that road runnin' from Macon good deal
east of the town. We want to bear around
to the left until we come to the railroad
running south from Atanty to Macon.
|
that it'll take us back to Atlanty.
Don't know about workin' over too
clost to that railroad" responded Shorty
obviously.
Il believe we'll come out better by keen
in as due north as we kin. The last bows
that came iniy AudersonVilie said that our
army was workin' over toward the east of
Atlanty, to a place called Decatur. We
may hit 'em straight by bearin off 10 the
east, and comm in from that direction.
We may run right into 'em somewhere
maxim one of old Uncle Billy's flank move
mentS." E.E
Great Scott, if we only could" said ST.
so transported at the thought that ne
abandoned his notwithstanding, and fegan
heading due north. IF we could only run
right into the old Fourteenth Corps, and
see the old Acorn flag flying from Gen
Davis's Headquarters on hill, and see the
division flags ON other hills in fro-t, and
find the 2O0th lnUanny coming through the
woods, with Co. q thrown out as skirmish-
ers, and Cap. Mcliillicuddy i'll command
but he must be u Major by this time
Wouldn't it be just too grand to hear his
voice ringin through the woods, as he
sung out, Forward on the right. Keep
your distances. Don't hudt.le up and
then" -
"Si," admohisRed Shorty, that green
corn's went to your head. We amt twithin
70 miles O. Sherman yit, and the whole
rebel army's betwixt us and him, not to say
pothip' 0f about "a million citizapS. opJ