The National tribune., 1900-10-04
An order to Gostraight to the Front.
,ss9s, by hepublishers of THE NATIONAL


that he might read more distinctly, see
what the war correspondent Of the journal
at Chattanoogy has to suy."
+. He proceeded to read slowly and labor
iously, for reading aloud with facility was
not farm product in 1ndiana:
| "Of course, it is a profound military
secret, not to be divulged under the pains
of Military Commission, and a sentence
| of hard labor at the Dry TOrtugas, yet
every bird that sings through the bright
Autumn air seems to say that mighty
movement is impending, which must have
| the most important consequences. Any
day may see it lanched. 1t is useless to
deny or even attempt to conceal this. The
| incessant rush toward Sherman of re-
cruits, convalescents and re-enlisted vet
Grams, the rolling down hitherward of a
great Mississippi River of field supplies,
the pr shing to the rear of the sick, wound
| ed and disabled, and all the impedimentS
of an army, can only mean one thing, and
means that so clearly that the wayfaring
| man, though he be fool, need not err
therein. Add to this, they say that Sher-
man is acting crazier every day, and when
| sherman begins to act real crazy some
| thing is going to drop, and drop very hard.
The burning interest is as to what object
i've he is going to lanch his mighty army.
a very large proportion of the wise ones
| around the various headquarters and the
camp-hrcS are without Il doubt that after
few manuvers to mislead the enemy he
will suddenly turn, whirl up the Tennes-
| see Valley into Virginia, and bolt
| in through the back-door on Richmond.
This would be an exploit quite character
istic of him, and well worthy of his ge-
MUS. 1t certainly would make a grand
| finish for the rebellion, to strangle it in
its capital, in the awful grasp of the two
great armies. Others think, with equal
confidence, that Mobile is the point aimed
| at and their VipWg oinni hv E'or-
raguts victory, and the naval activity in
| that region. This would be q repetition
of the New Orleans and Mississippi River
tactics, and cut the so-called Southern
| Confederacy in two, in a most vital part,
shearing off from it the great States of
Alabama and Mississippi, with their corn
fields, their limitless supplies of cattle, the
| important seaport of Mobile, through
which they get arms and ammunition in
| enormous quantities, in return for cotton,
and destroying the immense ordnance fac
| tories at Selma and elsewhere. There are
others who do not share these viws as to
| tn probable destination of the movement,
but point knowingly to Augusta, Ga, the
mouth of the ChattahoOche, and other like
| ly points Of landing heavily on the Con-
| federacy's vitals.
who of these is right time alone can
| determine, and it cannot be long time,
| either. We can be only certain of one
|
has had all the rest that it needs, and
all that anybody wants, and that it is
| bound to make a great deal of import
| ant history before the Christmas snow
| fiics.'
I've been expecting something o that
kind every day." remarked the Deacon.
Il didn't think that Sherman was the
man to lay off for the Winter at the be-
ginning o September
We ought to be in that, Shorty" re-
marked Si,.eagerly.
I'VE certainly ought, ST. returned his
| partner, with a look on his face as if they
should start at once.
What's that? What's thatp asked
Maria, sharply. Il thought you got q
furlough for 80 days. You haint been
home over week"
Our furlOughs count from the time we
| started" answered 81, 'and we must be
back in camp the day they're up. More'n
half our times already gone"
How ridiculous" snapped Maria
When you got 80 days furlough it meant
full month at home. That's common
sense, and the only way to look at it,
Girls can't understand military regu-
lations," responded 81, with something of
his oldtime boyish assumption of unfail-
ing superiority to girls ideas There's
no use o your trying, Maria. You'll do
better with that croehet-reccipt l saw you
cut out of the Baptist Herald-'knit 9,
purl; turn over, knit 2, and repeat That's
nearer your level"
Shorty was astonished and angry that
81 should speak so depreciatingly to so
wonderful a woman
You're right, Miss Maria" he sided
with her. Thirty days means 30 days
the world over--in the army and out of
it. But it includes coming and going, and
break-downs, and the guerrillas throwing
the train Off the track, and bridges, and
all such. We ought to start back the
next day after Sis wedding"
Mrs. Klegg said nothing, but her face
grew unutterably sad, and her gentle
eyes filled with tears.
What nonsensew snapped Maria, who
saw her plans tumbling. whats the
need o your hurrying back? Haint you
done enough? Let somebody else have
a chance You aint called upon to put
down the rebellion all by yourselves.
They've got plenty without you. Nobodys
calling for you particularly. Wait till
| they've all done as much as you have"
Shorty shrank before her words, but he
murmured. "Its likely to be the grand
finish, and we want awfully to be in at
the finish"
Indeed we do" echoed 81, resolutely.
"And we aint going to miss it for moth
ing''
Just like men," said Maria, scornfully.
"Never know when they're well off AL
ways want to be flying off after some
thing else. Here, n month or so ago you
were starving to death in Andcrsonyille,
and having all sorts o. dreadful times
Now you can't be content with good
things when you have 'em for the ask
ing. I've no patience with such men,"
Il think myself you might stay your
| leave out" said the Deacon. with the
corn and apples, | haint had no time to
visit with you. Then 81 should stay at
| home awhile with his wife. 'Taint Scrip
tural to go right Off. The Bible says that
| after a young man has taken wife ne
must not go to war for the space of one
year, but stay at home and comfort her."
THAT, may be, may've been all right
for them old Bible times" said 81, reso-
| lutely, when they didn't have no 2OOth
Injianny, with everyone jumping into line
when the bugle blowed. They didn't have
no Col McGillicudsly in them days who
| wanted every one o. bis boys trotting
right along after him wherever he went"
And when~ the; walls O. Jericho go
down we want to be there to see 'em fall"
| echoed Shorty, grinning at the thought
| that he had Bible allusion to match
the Deacon's. "And we want to charge
| right into the town before them dumbed
Maumee Muskrats steal it blind, and
leave nothing to eat. We want to hoist
| the old 2OOth Injianny's flag on the court
house before they do theirs. They played
hot frIa i