The National tribune., 1900-05-03

the stairway, to which the column OF in
mates was steered after meals. After
breakfast loitered about the hall. just
then work-party, with shovels and pick
axes, came through the hall, out into the
office. and through that to the street. The
detail was a large one, and the Sergeant in
charge had the head of his column out on
the sidewalk before the rear had left the hall
AS they passed me noticed one man with
neither pick nor shovel. AS luck would
have it a pick leaned against the wall near
the hall door: Picking it up l rushed
through the Office with it and caught the
man without an implement Just as he
reached the outside. Gruffly accosting
him l said: Here, man, what made you
drop your pick?" Then putting it in his
hand walked out the door just as though
l belonged to the detail.
A JovIAL ACQUAINTANCE
Following the party little way toward
the river, / failed to turn the corner they did
and retraced my steps, intending to go to
the St Cloud Hotel and see if | could find
an officer to receipt for me. just after turn
ing the Zollicoffer corner stopped near the
curbing, and looked about to see if an officer
was in sight. Then there was a collision
with my caboose and went into the gutter:
| was mad, and quickly pulled myself
together to resent the attack, whatever it
had been, and there stood DIR. Persons,
c"SeOH Vi my JeSluielt, ciluChIiB III d
way peculiarly his own, asking what l was
doing there, and my resentment immedi-
ately vanished.
The Doctor was portly man, genial and
kind-hearted. Like many of his profession
he had assumed rough gruffness to cloak
his real feelings. Highly sympathetic,
this cloak had carried him through so
many scenes of sorrow and suffering during
his long career in active practice that it
had become second nature to him.
Business of importance had called him
back to Wisconsin, but though his leave
had not yet expired he knew the Atlanta
campaign was on the docket, and was
anxious to get with his boys, as he called
us, before they should need his services.
This was the first had seen of him since |
was in hospital at Huntsville. He wore
civilians clothes, and so | had not recog
nized him until after he had taken his
number nine boot away from me, and this
is the greeting got from him:
What fool notion brought you back
here, Mat? l thought when we left you at
Huntsville your toes would soon be turned
up. Then when we heard of your dis
charge we thought we had got rid of you
for good; but here you are again, and Just
had TO kick you TO keep from swearing when
| saw you standing there gazing at va
cancy."
Dear old Doctor. knew him too well
to take offense, and was rs tickled as Il boy
Win pan VI iNNtOp Dcoi'o " o''
again and TO inquire about the regiment.
j told him my situation, and he said,
Come on; will receipt for you just as soon
as would for any other donkey.
We vert into the office, and going up to
the chief clerk told him had brought an
get out?" he asked. | told him. He
laughed and said: THAT was pretty slick,
wasn't it," / told him | did not like his
hotel and was bound TO give him the slip
and go To the front, where VIC could sleepand
get something to eat once i'll while.
Maj. Persons said he was anxious to get
TO the regiment and was going to take me
with him so would not get lost and locked
up again, and it was too much OF n bother
for officers to be eternaliy hunting for and
getting me out of a scrape.
From this on ! shall keep close to my
diary, for this time | kept one. ! thought
then it was a model Of completeness, but
memory skips backward across the vista
of 35 years and finds much lacking. How
ever, with all its lapses from completeness,
l know what | find there is reliable because
written on the scene of operations, day by
day, and find great comfort in its peruSal.
1t tells me the Doctor and left Nashville,
Monday, May 2, 1864, and reached Chatta-
nooga the next day about noon. Here
struck breakers again, for the Doctor told
me the advance had been made and strict
orders had been issued allowing no one but
Surgeons and officers belonging to com
mands in that advance to go to the front.
you will have to stay here, Mat, and
will see what ! can do for you," said he,
when l strongly murmurcd against the
hitch in our arrangements.
Francis Salter was Medical Director. and
had his quarters in house n short distance
up the hill ON which Hospital No. 1 was
located. DIR. Persons told him of my situ-
alton and how lie would like to find some
place for me. Dr. Salter inquired of him
as to my qualifications, and he told him /
had seen hard service and was a good all