The National tribune., 1900-07-26

found itself fairly inside the line of Union
soldiers
What in the worlds the matter
Pete" exclaimed 81, forgetting his OWE
cxutation in alarm over the boy. rs
your sores hurting you so bad?'
mo, dod-durn it." blubbered Pete, an.
CRY at himself for giving way to his emo
tions; ''they aint hurting me a bit. durn
EN-; but I'm so busting with feeling good
that I've got the tooth-ache all over me-
and can't help bellcring like a little fool
| Poor sick, wOrn-out Gid Mackall, who
had put forth his last atom of strength to
cross the lines, lay fiat on the ground, and
| surrendered to uncomfortable weeping.
| There were plenty of tears, too, in the
eyes of Si and the others.
Say, partner" said 81 to a soldier who
strolled up, cant you give us something
to eat and a piece o soap?"
| Like awfully well to give you some
thing TO eat" answered the man cordially,
but it's strictly agin orders. Nobody
must give you nothing until the Surgeon
| sees you. So many o. the boys have died
| from over-eatin' that the orders S iron
clad. Tell You what I'll do, though. I'll
walk over there by that tree and drop my
haversack. It's got my three days ra-
tionS. If you find it and steal it | aint
| to blame. There's n lot o burned thieves
| around here | don't think you'll hurt
yourselves with all you'll git in there.
You'll find a chunk o soap, too
But what'Il you do, if we take your
grub" asked 81.
20, don't mind me. | don't look like n
man that'd staryc in this country, do /:
| Anyhow, | kin afford to miss Il meal or
two for sich men as you are"
81 hastcned to the haversack, and found
| in it enough hardtack to give each of the
cantccn full Of cold coffee, and some fried
pork. He portioned out the meat among
| the boys as accurately as if compound
ing a prescription, and gave each exactly
the same part of q tinfull Of the cold cof-
fee.
Gid Mackall stopped crying, and sat up.
New physical vigor seemed to permeate
every one of them.
Great Scott murmured 81, chow
much better grub they're issuing now than
they used to- This seems to me to taste
better'n anything even that mother ever
cooked
And this soap, too" gazing admiringly
at chunk of yellow rosin soap, wrapped
in piece Of newspaper. Now there's
something that'll catch hold o the dirt
and take it off, and make IL man feel like
a white man and Christian. IL | had my
way I'd make every, rebel, as soonS We
ketched him, take al good scourin' with
that soap. Thatd come nearer reform
ing him than all the oaths of allegiance
you could cram down his throat. A good
wash with this'll heal up the boys sores
in short order. and I'll 20 right away and
git it to theIn. wonder why in the
world Shorty. don't come along! Where
kin he be-
He looked around anxiously among the
incoming prisoners for his partner. a
commotion, with loud talking by the rebel
through, attracted his attention. He dis
tinguiShed the voice of the Lieutenant
who commanded their train, saying:
My injinecrs 5. done gone. and | believe
he sneaked through with the prisoners =
Il tell you, nobody went through here"
responded the Union officer somewhat IT.
ritably, but those whose names we
checked off They were all soldiers, and
identified by their companies, regiments
and places Of capture"
He's done gone in thar, and | know
hit" persisted the Lieutenant. ''Thar's
Scme skulduggery. some low-lived Yankee
trick. and | know hit. l won't stand
hit"
"Tbere's been nothing if the kind an
swered the Union officer, with dignity,
''and yOu shall not use such language TO
me, sir"
Lieut.. Turlcy," demonstrated the rebel
officer in charge, .'be careful as to what
you are saying. These are honorable gen
tIcmen, and are conducting the exchange
in strict accordance with the cartel You
must not make charges that you cannot
sustain"
I'm not maxim no charges" reiterated
the Lieutenant, a little calmcr, but still
firm. I'm only sayin' that my injineer's
gone, an he mustve got through the lines
somehow. I've had my men out huntin'
cycrywhar for him. an I've done bin along
hn lin. n pnD rlS myself an cant find
hide nor hair o him. I've tied up an
licked both the niggcrs that wuz on the
injne with him, an they at last done tole
me that he's bin hdin' Yankee clothes in
his box. an s no doubt sneaked through
with the prisoners. They done seed him
Yankee prisoners in the fust kyar, an he's
likely done slpt i'll with they'uns."
Il don't see how he could have got
through here said the rebel officer. Its
been broad daylight; we've watched every
man that went through, he's answered to
his name. and to his company and regi-
mcnt There's been nobody who looked
like an engineer gone through. I'm sure
of that
but he mustve went in thar" per-
sisted the Lieutenant. He done had to
20 in thar. He couldn't We went any
whIr else. I've done hunted up an down
cyerywhar fur him.
L your engineer HOW,
exclaimed the Union officer, pointing to a
commotion toward the rear of the column,
where Shorty was struggling with couple
OF rebel guards, who We're striving to drag
him out Of the line.
keep your dirty clamps often me, you
rebel whelps," he shouted, ''or I'll bust
your knob like Il rotten punkin. I'm Il
Union soldier, | tell you. and I've got a
right to be in the line. This s my place,
| tell you. Git away from here before
smash you into .butchcring day offal."
He launched his mighty fist at the rebel
who had caught t-hoiI of him in a way that
made that worthy release his hold and
jump back out Of danger. Shorty turned
and struck nj the other, who also re-
treated out of arms length. A couple
of other guards came running to their
comrades assistance, and instinctively all
cooked their guns
Hold on, there; don't you dare shoot,
YOU rebels shouted a Union Sergeant.
bringing his gun down, and there was
much ominous, clicking Of gun-locks along
the Union line.
stop. men," warned the Union officer.
BE careful. This is u flag of truce, re-
member
But they shan't shoot down our men
in our sight, if there's 40 flags of truce"
murmured the-maa.- We'll waltz over
there and clean out that whole gang in
Il holy minute"
Hold on, there" called out the rebe,
| officer. Lieutenant make your men put