The National tribune., 1900-06-28

absolutely nc chance. The Lieutenant had
properly estimated the look that 81 had
| turned upon him, and stepped back to
where his revolver would have full play,
keeping his weapon cooked, and his eyes
OH every movement of 81 and Shorty.
| Its no use; no way" thought 81. He'd
drop me the first step, and then probably
shoot Shorty. What'd become o the boys
| theni"
mo, Yank: thars no use o kickin'. I've
done got yo' TO sho'," said the Lieutenant
with grin, reading Sis thoughts. ''Yo're
done cotched on a barbed hook, an can't
| even wriggle. 4o're Sargent, L see. Git
yer men up an together, fer we must
| mosey right smart, now"
Some o the boys amt able to walk
said 81, the first thought.
well, they've done got ter walk. no
matter whether they y'uns's able ter or not, F"
said the Lieutenant, determinedly. "At
least ter the big road. Likely proddin'
them with sabers may change they SIS
mind as to their strength ter walk They
'uns walked up hyah. They kin sartiniy
walk down agin. Git 'em together an
les start"
Shorty got Pete on his shoulders, 81
helped Gid Mackall to his feet, and put
his arm around his neck and directed
Harry Joslyn and Alf Russell to help
Monty Scruggs as much as possible.
Sandy Baker cut stick and hobbled
along IN the rear.
''That wuz monty cute trick O. yo'
Yanks, a-hidin' up thar 'mongst the
Harpster harnts," said the Lieutenant. as
he marched alongside of Shorty down the
hill. "Nobody'd ever thought o lookin
fer you'uns thar in the livin' world. No,
body round hyah'd go up thar fur a heap
in bushel- of silver dollars. I'd never've
got my men tive went up thar, even in
daylight if they'd lived in these parts
They'uns all come from down in the
Ogeechee country. / wouldn't've went up
thar my own self, il hit hadn't bin par
fickly cl'ar day, an l wuz dead sot on git
tin some fellers that deserted from the
company that | used ter belong ter. They
uns have been hidin' out ever sence, and
We licked off several squads sent arter
they unS and'ye sent me all sorts o sassy
messages. Eve done looked for they'uns
every whar else, 'cept in the HarpSter
tract, an then made up my mind ter
s'arch them woods fer they'uns. But I
didn't want ter single mite, l tell yer.
I've mouty leetle ole woman's foolshness
in me. l kin hear owls hoot 'ithout helm
skeered; but all the same thar's lots In
harnts. No good comes from projeckin'
around with 'em onless q man has rayle
bZnisS thar he is breedin' trouble fer his
self. No good kin come of hit"
Wish to the Lord you'd've waited an
other day to hunt for your deserters," said
81, bitterly. "We'd've bin with Sherman
tomorrow"
'Mebbe you would, an then agin, meb-
be yo' wouldn't" answered the Lieuten-
ant. You had bout as much chance O.
gittin' ter Sherman as yo' had o flyin'
like a turkey -buzzard. Deed if yo' wuz a
turkey -buzzard yo'd have all the chance
thar is of gittin' ter him. Ole Sherman's
done gone up-deadern a door-nail. Head
blOwed clean often him. Ole Jack Hood
Texas Hood-he tuck command of our
army more'n two weeks ago, instid of Joe
Johnston, and the fust thing he did wuz
ter march right Outen our works, and drap
on Ole Sherman when he wuz at dinner,
and nacherully bust him wide open. He
the biggest Yankee Jineruls, an more'n
10000 o. their men, an run the rest back
over the Chattahoochee, whar they are
now Jist breakin' their necks ter git ter
the Ohio River Yo' see yo' don't see no
buzzards round hyah. Kase why: they've
they're so full o dead Yankee that not
one o they'uns kin fly, or even raise often
the ground"
'Where'd all this take place?' inquired
81, anxious to get all the news he could
and digest it for himself.
20, up thar in front Of Atlanty. The
furse begun just in front of our works. At
first pop we killed one O. the biggest o. the
Yankee Jineruls, man named McPher-
son. who the Yanks think is bigger man
than Ole Sherman hisself; an then we
killed Pap Thomas, an Logan, an heap
more whose names 1 disremember, an
finally come on Ole Sherman hisself. an
killed him. They say Jinerul Hood fired !
the cannon which killed Sherman-done
hit ter pay Sherman fer shootin' Bishop |
Polk last Spring. He knowed Sherman !
well-used ter go ter school ter him. an |
could tell him as fur as he could see the
ole nigger-thief."
Sure you killed Gen. Thomas?" asked |
81, with sickening sensation at his
heart.
20, yes, sho' as pickles grow on cow
cumber vines. / done seed a man yister-
day what seed man in Atlanty who had
his watch. He said the people up in Kahn
tucky an Tennessee was KILN the Yam
KEGS as they was runnin' fer the Ohio
River"
20, come off. What're you givin' US?
said Shorty, angrily. You hain't
whipped one side of old Sherman, and
haint run him nowhere. Why, yesterday,
we saw Our cavalry come out from that