The National tribune., 1900-02-15

4
skill with which he downnd other mon who
felt that they were also considerable terrOrs
in their way. and resented his assumption
of the premiership. One after another of
these had Yielded to Shorty's superior
,treIgth and Science" aud become his
ldmirer. aud an outspokcn advocate Of the
theory that he could whip anything in the
divison. IL not the whole army" To this
the w'lo'e rHa nent loyally subscribed. and
Il was making its way through the brigade
and division
The more public outbreaks with their
defiance of his officers had ceased long ago.
when after . particularly cantankerouS
Dne for which Shorty had done penancc by
several dlyS of hard labor on the roads and
the parad ground. after which Capt. Nc
Giliicuddy had quietly taken him to his
tent, and in a manly. sympathetic. half
humorous way which at once won Shorty'S s
heart. had said:
Elliott, | want little private talk with
YOU. don't know of better soldier i'm the
company or the regiment than you are,
when you are all right, nor tougher nut tc
crack, when you are off your base. quite
sympathize with you in your uncomfortable
desire at times to take hold of the company
or the regiment and run it yourself I'm
quite sure never quite run the company UP
to my own satisfaction, and Pm equally
sure the Colonel feels the same way about
get even worse dissatisfied with it than we
are. All the same, President Lincoln ap-
pointed the Colonel to run the regiment and
me the company, and we've got to wiggle
them along until he makes change I'm
fortunately, any failures or shortcomings
in me don't hurt me so much rs it hurts the
company. The Captain is not of much
consequence, but the company is every
thing. He is only one man; the company
is 100 men. There may be one Captain to-
day, and another tomorrow; but the COM
pany remains. You may not like me par
ticuarly we'll That is matter of taste
about which there can be no argument.
But submit that it is not fair thing to the
rest of the company to carry out your per-
sonal prejudices to the discomfort and detri-
ment of your 90 comrades. Don't YOU
think so, yoursclf?'
After a little reflection Shorty had an
swered frankly:
Cap, your right can't say that I've
been stuck on you. Neither have bin, so
to speak, sour on YOU. I've just felt at
times that You was putin on few more
scollops than any free-born American citi-
zen ought TO stand, and I've kicked. ac-
cordin' to the Declaration of Independence,
which SAYS that every man has the right to
life. liberty and the pursuit o. happiness.
But see now. Taint neither you nor me,
but the company that's the main thing.
y y %.
Here's my hand on it,"
Thenceforth there was not a stronger up-
holder of discipline i'll Co. Q than Shorty.
as several entirely tOo-fresh recruits found
to their cost.
All the same, everyone knew Shorty's
tornado-like temper when aroused, and his
consuming hatred of the rebels ST had
fearfully expected the direst outbreak when
the rebel Sergeant attempted to tie Shorty's
hands-poSsibly resistance that would
only end i'll his death. ST, who had a
resolution of iron, was less volcanic in
temper than his partner. and would sui
lenly submit, when submission was in
eritable. Sis wrath would give little out
ward sign, while burning none the less
fiercely inside, as he waited for the inevit-
able turn i'll the tide when it could take bit
ter satisfaction.
But even Shorty's flaming temper had to
recognize and yield to the cruel despotism
of deadly force which reigned over Ander-
sonville Such thing as pity, mercy,
reason, manly consideration. seemed to be
entirely absent from the minds of the off
GERS and guards about the prison. They
were absolutely destitute of all the ordinary
sentiments of humanity which can be ap-
pealed to even among SavageS. The words
constantly on the lips of the officers were,
"If they don't mind you at once, shoot
EN-" and the dull, ineXpressibly stupid
guards had no other thought than to shoot
at once, whenever they thought orders were
disobeyed or about to be disobeyed There
was "A startling absence of any conception
of moral responsibility or compunction
about shooting down men. Apparently
they had no idea that shooting man mea mt
any more than shooting a wild animal
The guards. drawn from the remote country
districts. and inconceivably Ignorant had
been brought to regard yankees" as in the
same category with Indians, bears, wolves.
painters" and rattlesnakeS. They were
as afraid of the Union soldiers as of danger
Gus beasts, and their first convulsive
thought at any moment that a prisoner
turned toward them, or even spoke, was to
shoot. They were in state of nervous
dread of what the terrible Yankee might do
to them. Reason, expostulation, persua-
sion, were rs useless ON them as upon
pack of wolves.
"We've got to stand it. Shorty" said 81
warningly. Take it, and say nothin'
Don't, for Gods sake, do or say anything
It'll hurt the boys, who can't help them
selves, and it won't do no good. This aint
our day. But ours III come and that soon.
Wait for it."
He set an example by putting out his own
hands to be tied.
"I'Il do it," said Shorty, making a pass
able imitation of Sis calmness. Its only
lent Well pay it back with interest be-
fore the snow flies. Eve taken an ambro-
type in my mind of every one o these rebel
hyenas, an sooner or later I'll give 'em
their come-upance in way that I'll make
old Nick have to put 'em three in bed to
lodge 'em."
"You said you'd give me $40 if done
went easy on you," said the rebel Sergeant,