Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-11-07


rior officer warmly, saying enthusias-
tically that he was proud to have be-
longed to the old company. The cap
tain was busy with some political
friends and he responded to the enthu-
siastic greeting in q busy mans way.
HE could not quite conceal his an
noyance at being interrupted, but salu
perfunctorily that he was very glad TO
see any member of the old company,
dropped the subject, and turned TO re-
sumo his conversation with his political
friends. The private hung around as
though he would like to have little
more talk, and finally the captain turn
ed to him with show of cordially and
asked few stereotyped questions,
winding up with, How is the world
using gu? What are you doing nowT
The member of the old company looked
up surprised, realized at once that he
had not been recognized, and said with
smile, L am trying TO be Governor.
of Ohio"
That reminds me-, said the Major,
''of a story they used to tell of old Gov.
Tod of war times There was a pri-
vate in one of the Ohio regiments who
exhibited great courage and dash at
the battle of Corinth. AS the lines
came to close quarters the Confederate
color bearer was shot dead and fell
with the flag under him. A young man
in the Union regiment sprang forward,
tore the flag from the Confederate's
hands, stained as it was with the dead
mans blood, and started back at his
own regiment He was the mark at
once for a hundred rifles, and before
he reached his own line fell fiat on the
captured Confederate flag.
There was stormy, furious fight
about him, but he held on to the flag,
and, although he had three serious
wounds, he carried back the colors
stained with the blood of the Confeder-
ate color-bearer and himself The
newspapers got hold of the story, en-
largcd upon the incident, and made a
touching appeal for the sorely wound
ed man, who was slowly dying in
hospital. Gov. Tod read the reports,
and, moved by fine spirit of friendli-
ness toward the private soldier, sent
the dying private a commission as
captain.
I'm the course of months the man,
whose case had been regarded as hope
less, recoyered-or recovered sufficient
~ to be sent home on furlough. He still
had the Governors commission and his
note of warm consratulation, and it
occurred to him that it would be only
right to call upon Gov. Tod and thank
him for his kindness and for the com
mission which had up to this time been
of no benefit to him in the matter of
service or pay.
HE went into the executive office.
believing in his heart II at the Gov
ernor would in some way recognize
him. His case was so exceptional that
T. seemed to him only natural that the
Governor should spring up when he
entered the door and greet him with
outstretched hands. The Governor did
nothing of the kind. He was engaged
In earnest conversation with three
members of Congress- and he turned
impatiently toward the man, who came
in with a painful limp. to say: Well,
sir, what can | do for your The gal
liant fellow, who had been coddled and
praised for six months, stood for
minute abashed and indignant Then
he burst out with: Why, Gov. Tod,
am the man who captured the rebel
flag at Corinth, to whom you sent
captains commission The Governor
looked the man 3ver and said on i'm.
pulse, Is it possible? Lord bless you,
man. | thought you were in heaven
long ago"
This came like wet blanket to the
poor fellow, who had expected a warm
greeting from the soldiers friend. He
showed his disappointment so keenly.
he looked so grieved and crushed, the
Governor jumped up, went to him. and
spoke words of appreciation and praise
that made amends for his careless
speech. He asked at once if the cap
tain had been assigned TO any com
mand. The private with a captains
commission said he had not, and he
asked the Governors intervention, The
Governor intervened, but the War De
partment WIS against him, and the
man who captured the rebel flag at
CoriHth was discharged from the ser.
vice as private holding the Governors
commission as a captain"
THE most interesting phase OF the
encampment to me-" said the Colonel,
was the close fellow shipping of old
comrades, representing all shades and
grades of American life Scholarly. arts.
tocra tic. l-groomed men of affairs.
and men who have won repUta+loEs in
public life and have made money in
business life. college professors. and
lawyers We're taking pride in the COM
partnership of men who came from the
isolated farms of the West or from the
workshops, all Of them forgetting en-
wire nmeBts and present associations for
the comradeship Of tie old army
There were hundreds of genuine Tn
Gle Josh Whitcombs in tine city. men
whose individuality had been sharpen
cd into quaint eccentricity by hard
struggles on the frontier. | was pres
ent one evening at a gathering Of hard
fighters, and among them no one was
treated with more Difference than Tn
Gle Josh from Southwestern Kansas.
One Of our leading lawyers, in immaeu-
late dress. standing by the old home
spun fellow. said: Uncle that is the
most interesting thing that you have