The National tribune., 1900-04-26
Another Night and Day on the Road to
Sherman ard Liberty.

| '.-.'4-i'+4'+'NNl iN l'tNAA
| environment Of enemies, and Duoyaut win
the feeling that they were going directly
| toward our lines. the boys pressed ON
| eagerly and Unrestlngly, though. the
| burden Of the food supplied by BENJAMIN
grew quite Onerous as the miles fell behind.
| Swan to gracious" mUrmured Monty
Scruggs shifting the bag from one shoulder
TO the other. I'm ashamed to think how
little sympathy or pity I've ever had 1Cr q
mule. never had any idea as to what
1t meant TO bring our ratlons along 10 MS.
| After this. whenever | see a mule I'm gong
to. take off my hat 10 him, and say nice
things about his folks"
| "'Tafnt moren half as tough on mules
as it is on us" said Ali Russell, running
as usual to physiological considerations.
They've got four legs to carry with, where
we've only got two And he changed
the sack of pones and ash-cakes TO an
! easier position.
| Well" contributed Harry Joslyn, I'm
glad haint got four legs. If they all got
as tired at once as the two | now have,
| I'd die right then and there.
In the division of the packages Of food.
| Gid MackallS epicurean propensitles had
led him to select and lay hold Of an iron
pot which smelt as if it contained an old
fashioned boiled dinner"
| DAT dar's some bacon an cOllards my
\ ole woman WIZ gittin' me fer my own
supper" Benjamin Franklin had explained,
'but she reckoned dat you d need hit wuss n
we done, fer yo' must hab sOmeiin ter
stick ter yo' ribs, in de long journey yo's
a-gwine. Me an ray ole womans power
ful fond OBJ bacon an collards, ourselves,
but we's wilin ter glib hit up fer MasSa
Linkum's men. Take hit erlong, an
my blessin' wild hit"
(Collards"-corrupted from coiewort-
| it may be explained, is course KIND Of
cabbage, of which the negroes and poor
whites of the South are very fond. 1t
t,It In
fat, old bacon, making a very substantial
dish for field hands)
| Bacon and collards," repeated Gid
| Mackarl; what in the world can that be:
l never knew anything to smell SO ike
corned beef and cabbage. 1t is as sweet
smelling as bush of roses"
| Further consideration was cut off by the
word to march, and Gid trudged along
with his pot. 1t grew very heavy as the
miles heightened out, and the bail cut
Gid's hand, but he wrapped some leaves
around it, and went on without murmur,
solacing himself with the thought ne would
have something of extraordinary goodness
when they stopped to rest.
When they reached the road they took
| up the order -of-march, with ST walking
some distance ahead, and Shorty as far
in the rear of the squad, to keep sharp
lookout and hearing for travellers, CON
scripters, and pickcts. After they had gone
| two or three miles, and their senses were
growing keener to everything around,
a light breeze waited the Odor OF the Kettle
back 10 Shortys nostrils. He stopped
| 81 with rasplng hiss.
| Whats the matter" 81 whispered back.
full"
II don't see no house." said ST, trying
to pierce the darkness on either side, with
"A strong glance. Il don't hear no dogs
| nor chickens, neither. Where is it,"
| COO II aitbar I1Jt | lin gfTnait II
| They're cookin' omething-cOrn-beef and
cabbage, it seems to me. Smells awful
| good and natural. Smells like your house
up on the Wabash. Smells just like your
dinners up there used to-"
| 81 turned and walked back toward his
partner. Just then Il puff Of air carried
| the odor Of Gid's kettle to him.
| "I'hat's So," said ST. "COrned-beef an
cabbage, sure's you're alive. But where
in the worlds the house?"
Seems to be right over there, some
where" said Shorty, pointing in the direc-
can't see nothin."
| They walked over to the windward Of
Gid, to study the horizon. and the smell
ceased. leaving them worse puzzled than
ever. They gave it up finally. and started
ahead, only to stop little later, and as
another zephyr, springing up, carried the
fragrance back TO Shorty.
Cant see no sign of house anywhere S
round" said the puzzled ST. Cant hear
none o the eternal dogs barkin', nc
hosses stompin', no hogs gruntin', nc
chickens CROWN or cacklin Where kin
it be?"
Lets go ahead, anyway" said Shorty
desperately. after vainiy straining his
eyes and ears in every direction. May
be some layersout are cookin' somewhere,
with their fire hid. But they ought to
hide that smell. Seems to me that it'd
| ,aanb to AtIaDtvv
They pushed on rapidly over the soft
sand for several miles more, occasionally
haunted by the smell Of boiled cabbage.
Il declare, cookin' cabbage goes further
in Georgy than i ever knowed it, remarked
ST, as they stopped to rest and reconnoiter
acre farm up on the Wabash, but this seems
to be reachin' all over the country. Wonder
where it kin be. Sometimes we seem tC
be gittin' closer to it, and then further
away. Hello, it's right here"
gotten the full benefit of the odor. Say
Gid, what've you got there?"
Dunno" answered the boy. "That
old darky give me pot-full O. stuff he
called bacon and collards.' 1t smells
mighty good, but strong. enough to almos
knock my cap off. My mouths beeI
watering to taste it. But it's terribly
heavy, and has almost pulled my arms
out of joint"
"Humph," said 81, investigating tn,
kettle as well as he could in the darkness
at seems to be a reger pot o. pork anC
cabbage Wen go right ahead to tina
bunch Of brush we see there, and eat it
It'lI be easier carryin' that way. and it's
about time for snack, anyway"
They reached the dense thicket of ;
swamp through which "A creek meandered
and sitting down at its edge rested, and
dipped out with their hands and devoureC
the contents of the iron pot
Great Jehosephat, how good that
tastes" said Shorty, getting out liberia
share for Pete, and filing up the gourC
with the broth There, Pete, eat anC
drink every mite o that. Fill yourself
clean up to the chin. It's the best kind o
stuff to travel on, and you can't have toe
much of it, That's the first thing we've
had since we We're captured that tasteC
Christian like.
Hist" said 81, who would not allow
even the delights of the flesh-pots to catch
him off guard. There's somebody comm
up the road. Crawl into the brush, and
keep quiet"
81 and Shorty listened intently, anC
when the party came across a stretch OF
hard, sounding clay, ST, reading the
sounds, whispered to Shorty:
Some on foot and some on horseback
Likely squad Of conscrpters, with re
cruits they've run down. Officer in from
ridin' PAGER that walks tired. Come
a long way, probably
Right" assented Shorty.
~ T.