The National tribune., 1900-06-07


| dead men, and prisoners, and banks o red
| mud. He needn't bother bout what it'll
profit us. That's our lookout. Well, you
kin stay, 81, and listen to the sermon. and
| find out whether Sherman's took Atlanty,
| or Grant Richmond. I'm going to pirout
around on the other side, and see what
chance there is there for grub. The boys
| are simply starving, and / feel as holler
| as stOve-pipe."
Its basket meeting" said 81 to him
self after the sermon was well under
way, as couple of old negroes drove I'D
with some ancient carryalls, from which
they proceeded to take various supplies of
food and deposit them under the trees
He had noticed before that many of the
people had brought bags probably contain
ing food on their horses. 1T won't never
do to let Shorty and the boys see this.
It'll make 'em plum crazy. 1 must move
EN- over somewhere else"
! There ain't sign of chance around
there" said Shorty, coming up at the mo-
ment If anything it's worse than it is
on this side. L just can't stand it to see
Pete sittin' up there cryin' because he's
so hungry. I'm goin' to rush down there
and grab some o that stuff, no matter
what the consequences"
For the Lords sake, don't, Shorty"
said 81, with all the earnestness he
could put into his voice, and graspinc
his partners arm. It'll spile all. There's
able-bodied men enough there to lick us in
minute, and then we're done for.'
His remonstrance might not have
availed had it not been reinforced by the
arrival of squad of conscripters, who at
that time made it a point to be present at
all public gatherings. The people cener-
ally welcomed them, for they were all dis
abled soldiers well known in the neigh
b0rhoof. and invited them to join in and
snare their food, to which the conscripters
were quite willing. But two of the
younger wives, with babes in their arms.
screamed when they saw the squad ride
up and their husbands lost all appetite
for their food.
Come, Reub and Vance," said the Of
hcer In command, you'll both have to go
along with us. We'uns done come over
hyah particularly fer you'ns. Yo're well
enough o. yer wounds ter go back, and
the army's powerfully in need of every
man. Men much wuss off than yo.uns'ye
had ter go, and youns've had a long spell
at home"
Shorty saw, with dismay, that, what
ever the effect of the visit of the con-
scripters on the appetites of the congrega-
ton; their own We're of saw-mill vigor.
There won't be no corr. left" he whis-
pered to 81. Them whelps acts if they
hadn't had anything to eat for a year.
They're even cracking the chicken bones
and sucking the marrow out l hate to
see men make hogs o themselves and not
know how to act at table,
The wives of the men ordered to the
front made pitiful pleas to the officer in
command, but the utmost concession they
could obtain was that their husbands
might be allowed to take them home. but
must report at the railroad station in the
morning and join the others being sent
forward.
The joy of the meeting had faded for
-hn1 1rtn
wives. They bade a sorrowful adieu to
their brethren and sisters of the church,
the men mounted their horses, took their
wives, each holding a babe in her arms,
behind them. and slowly wended home
ward. while the conscripters rode off in
search of fresh victims.
The bell tolled again, with a heart
breaking infection in it this time, it |
seemed. and the congregation gathered
again i'll the church for the second service.
Ehe spoilers are come upon all high |
places through the Wilderness" announced |
the preacher. reSuming his sermon
'Si.' said Shorty there's no use talk |
in. The only thing to do is to jump
them bosses and light out acrost the val |
ley. The boys is crazy with hunger, and |
weak and timber as wet rags. If we wait |
till night they won't be able to march a |
mile. We never kin git them acrost that
valley walkin'. Besides, it amt stealing
the hosses. It's only borryin' 'em. Well |
let the hosses go after we git acrost the
valley into the woods, and they'll be
picked up and returned to the owners For
my own part, amt so blasted squeamish
about takin' rebel hosses, wherever you
find 'em. But you always was different"
We'll" said 81, overpersuaded, '.let's
do it. But only take mems hosses. Leave
the wOmen's alone, as far as you kin. I'll
take that bay, which belongs to the
preacher, who's been lambasting the
Union and preaching straight treason in
there right along. You take that roam.
He belongs to n fellow that think is one
D the deacons, and saw him when them
women was pleading for their husbands.
winkin' to that Lootenant not to let mn
on 'em. Bring down the boys, and let
us pick out the six next best hosses, and
assign EN- to 'em, so S there won't be any
left that kin overtakc u.s."
This occupied but minute or two.
1t was now more than an hour past
noon, and the sun was beginning his
downward course.
Hadn't We better wait n few min
utes? inquired Shorty, until they git 4
more interested in the sermon?"
They're probably more interested now
han they will be later on answered 81.
But if we wait 4 quarter of an hour or
SO the leading men will be asleep. They
It enough to make em drowsy. That'iI /.
give us five or six hours of daylight Wit,
10 git acrost the valley and into them
woods, That is. if we have luck. There's