The National tribune., 1900-06-07

YOU ANT WHAT MIGHT BE CALLED
poison had gotten into the wounds, and
| his cOuntcnance was so puffed up that he
could scarcely open his eyes. Shorty was
similarly affected, and several Of the
others were scarcely better off.
| Tubing his eyes as open as he could
get them,. 81 slipped cautiously forward to
| the edge of the woods to reconnoiter.
| The sound of cracked iron bell toll
ing the call to church fell upon his ears
Sunday had been so long forgotten thing
that this reminder Of the holy day startled
| him.
1T must be Sunday in Injiany, too"
he thought, and with the thought rushed
up swiftly pictures of his father, mother,
sisters, Annabel and the neighbors meet
ing on that warm Sabbath morning under
the wanuts and the taIip trees in front
of the dear little Baptist Church on the
banks of Beanblossom Creek, near the
| Wabash. The misery of his situation
came strongly upon him. Would he ever
| see that church and his loved ones again?
When he came to where the cedars be-
gan to thin out he saw, but few hundred
| feet away, a log church, standing in n
scattering grove of oaks and pines. PeO-
pie were coming up, on horseback, fire.
quently riding double, with the wife or
daughter seated behind the husband or
| father. Sometimes the man carried q
child in his arms; sometimes the mother
| had Il baby i'll hers. Old men and women
amhled up sedately on horses long past
! Their youthful prime, a few young and
| middle-aged men. all in rebel uniforms,
and all showing some evidence of severe
wounds, arrived on younger animals, and
buxom, roistering girls, generally in laugh
ing, chattering bevies, swept up on spir-
were in the assemblage, and large pro-
portion of these were in mourning.
As they dismounted they tied their
horses to the trees, and stood about, eX-
changing greetings and gossip, until the
end of the ringing should give the signal
to enter the church.
Beyond the church spread wide, I'M
dulating valley, cleared of its forest
growth, fenced into fields, and dotted with
farm houses. 1t was by far the finest and
richest part of Georgia they had yet seen,
and resembled the Blue Grass region of
Kentucky.
Looks some like the Wabash Valley"
remarked Shorty, who had come up be
side 81. "A poor counterfeit, not calcu-
lated to deceive, as the bank detectors
say"
Yes; but wish it didn't so much. Wish
it had more cover in it. No chance to git
up to any o them houses, and git some
thing to eat. And it lays right acrost our
way to them mountains. How are we
ever goin' to git over it without bein'
seenW
Say, 81, I'm hungry enough TO chance
anything. How would it do to wait un
til the sermons well under way, jump on
We'd gain them woods over yonder and
the hills before they could git their wits
together and take after u.s."
Wouldn't think of it," said 81, decis-
lively. 'Ihat'd be hoss-Steain' and grand
larceny, and in broad daylight, on Sun
II ra,rpin' aud flurrh nnnnla
Besides, it'd stir up the whole country,
as it ought to-citiZens as well as sol
diers.''
We'll, I shouldn't think that man
with such q mug on him as you've got
This mornin would hesitate at anything
wouldn't trust IL man lOokn' as you do |
now with Il meal o vittels for his stary
in grandmother. I'd take in the 64- |
Founders at night, if knowed you We're
around"
You amt what might be called cir
Gus beauty yourself" said ST, holding open |
his eyes with his fingers, to take a good |
survey of his partner. Your face looks |
even worse'n mine feels. An Injianny |
Constable who wouldn't arrest that phiz |
on suspicion wouldn't be thought worth |
his salt"
''Then let's act up to our mugs. If |
we've got the name, let's have the game |
Let's jump on them hOsses. and light out |
You take that roam down there under that |
scrub pine. I'll take that bay by the oak |
Let the rest mount them young fillies OF |
the girls"
No" said 81, firmly. "rm ugly
enough, 1 know, to steal clothes off line
at night, and roh meat-houses, but it |
haint struck in yit SOS l kin git above !
petty larceny, and so days in Jail. l may
come to penitentiary offenses in time, but
amt quite up to 'em yit. If it wasn't |
Sunday, and broad daylight, and that
preacher in there givin' out the openin'
hymn, | might feel different"
81 leaned against the cedar, and lis
tened to the volume of song which welled
out of the church, and he seemed to for
get for the moment that there was any
such thing as hunger and sorrow and
prison escapes in the woodworking but
another little country church 'up in Gods
country" hundreds of miles away by the
map, but as remote as il on the other side
of the globe, in the existing conditions.
. "Well, l like singn' as wells the next
ing him for few minutes, but l never
/ listen to music / want my belly full.
can't stand that yOwling now. I'm goin'
over here to. the other side to see if l
can't see a house that promises some
chance for grub
He was gone some time, but came back
again as the singing ceased, and the
preacher started to give out his text, to
find 81 still leaning against the tree listen
ing raptly.
Il can't see a ghost of a chance,"-
began. "All them houses stand out in
the open like these, and