The National tribune., 1900-05-03

"THE JUDGE EXPRESSED HIS GRE
NORI
to rush back, limping and bowling, to their
masters.
The men got down off their horses, and
examined the dogs.
"Must've struck nest O. porcupines in
thar" said the elder. Looks like it, though
mouths. Mebbe porcupines don't throw
their quills at this season o. the year:
Thar'S alters bin some porcupineS round
that island. Dogs seem to be hurt awful
bad, and I'm afeared that ole Major IL lose
that thar foot. We'd better take them
home, and nuss 'em little"
You're good for something, after all,
ST remarked to the crackers, as the hunters
went off with their dogs. Il shant forget
that"
"Old trick" said Gabe. 'Nothin' like a
honey-locuSt branch ter manage hound.
He's 'feareder than death o them. They
We spilled more good dogs nor ary other
scalawags right fer fox-huntin' in Sum-
mer. No gentlemen ever hunts foxes in
hot weather. It's not right, an orter be
agin the law. But if we hadn't stopped
them dogs they'd "a found us, sho' pop"
During the afternoon, ST and Shorty
made their way TO the farther side of the
swamp, and spent hours in careful study
Of the country in front. The land was
become more rolling, with the higher parts
rather more thickly covered with timber
than the country behind. and the lower
parts cleared and fenced into fields.
Immediately in front Of where the boys
stood ran what was evidently the big
road" the main highway of the section.
Its dust bore the marks of considerable
travel, and was plentifully cut with wheel
tracks.
they saw negro ride by, evidently
coming from mill, as he had a sack of meal
on the pommel of his tattered saddle
Shorty had half-a-mind to improve such a
favorable opportunity to raid the enemy's
communications, and secure provisions,
but he decided that as they had enough to
last until the morrow, it would be better to
let the negro go on unmolested. Then
came one who was evidently the country
doctor, pacing along In haste to answer
some call Of distress.
A little later came posse of conscripters
with a gang of forlorn-looking conscripts
they had gathered up from the small farms
of the surrounding country. Looking at
them, ST felt a deeper pity than he ever
felt before for any body in the rebel ranks:
1t was so clear that the men had no sort of
liking or desire for the deadly work they
were being forced into. Most of them We're
much beyond the age at which men are
generally exempted from service in the
field, and all looked utterly broken, sham
bling and spiritless. They had never had
much ambition, force, or vitality, and
poor living, insufficient clothing and
shelter, and unsanitary habits had Sapped
their constitutions, and made them seem
far older than men elsewhere OF the same
years. Some We're rheumatic, one had but
a single eye, another had stiffened hand,
and all were round-shouidered and hollow
chested. Despite the constant abusive
urgings of the guards. who We're generally
rebel soldiers disabled for active service,
and put at this duty while they were con-
valescing, the squad could be only gotten
to move forward at an aggravatingly slow
pace over the hot road, and they wanted
pearance of water. Then they would
groan over their aches and pains, the heat
of the day, the fatigue of travel, and the
way that things would go to wrack and
ruin at their homes during their absence.
One of these halts was made at gum
spring" within a rod of q dense paw-paw
thcket, i'll which ST and Shorty had con-
cealed themselves on the approach Of the
conscripters.
Great Jehosephat," said Shorty, as the
squad toiled on, "is that crop worth the
gathering? Looks like the rakings out O.
some poor-house hospital. Wouldn't want
to command crowd o. that kind I'd
duinine and blue mass, aSsafetida and
salts and SIENNA that there wouldn't be no
room for rations and ammunition"
But you stand them iellers behind
works" said ST, "and they lin be made to
shoot just as good as well men. Them
whelps may be as ignorant as hogs about
everything else, but they kin handle a gun,
as we seen around Andersonville."
Il tried to ketch the name of that feller
who was in command of the squad" said
Shorty, "thinkin' it might be useful to us
tonight, as last night. But l couldn't
quite git it. / only heard 'em speak to him
or of him once, and then it sounded like
.Cuddle." "
SOUNDED same way to me-" said ST,
"and | was in hopes that they'd say some
thing about their regiment, but they
ddn t. Hello, here comes somebody on
hoSsback."
The newcomer, who came from the
in which the squad had gone,
bore the look of a prosperous citizen in his
face and mount. His horse shifted the
water, and stopped to drink. The rider
dropped the reins, raised his hat, and
mOpped his broad, smoothly-shaven face
and bald forehead.
Another horseman, of similar appear
ance, came up the road from the opposite
direction, and greeted the first efTusivcly,
styling him Judge Lumpkin." The
Judge expressed his great pleasure at
meeting ''Biajah NorbtTy," and the Subse
quent inquiries developed the facts that
both their families were in good health.
Judge Lumpkin's being on the Little
Ocmulgee, and Maj, Norbury's on the
Palmetto; that their stock was all coming
on nicely, but that the cotton and corn