The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-01-24
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Veteran
The Boys Get the Cattle into Camp.

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and Sandy felt that prudence dictated
their keeping Abcdnego out of sight and
action, a good wnile ut least, after receiY-
ing Sis positive orders to take him off and
| kill him. 1t was the first time that they
| had thought of disobeying 81, but their
| boylsh hearts went out to the vagrant
mule, and, boy-like. the more trouble he
made the better they liked him. They
kept themselves well to the rear during the
day, exploring the corn-fields by which
| they passed for overlooked ears and blades
| for forage for their steeds. When the col
! umn halted at shutdown they took their
animals into n little sheltered nook of ce-
dars, where they carefully tethered them,
and lay down before them the substantial
provision which they had accumulated.
They hid their saddles brides and other
traps under the cedars. and then went for
ward to join the other boys.
As the evening approached 81 had en-
| tered a steep-walled cove, of fair size,
which offered all the requirements for a
good stopping place for the night. There
was plenty of water and grass, with some
| fields of corn. The sides were high and
steep, and the only egress from the gap
was Mt the farther end, through which the
| creek made its way. In the center stood
| what had been q comfortable hewed-log
| house, before the turmoil of war had
driven the owner away. Shad, who had
taken a deeper interest in cattle-driving
since he found himself with 30 more head
| than at starting, assisted 81 i'll the process
of rounding-up. 10 Wheeler, who had ap-
parently had quite enough of travel and
| adventure for the day, yielded readily to the
suggestion of Sis horse closing in upon
| his left, turned from the road into the
| fields and after little circuit came to
a willing halt in the stable-yard, as if it
offered the home he had been seeking.
Taking, with soulful eyes, his customary
thoughtful survey of the darkling hori-
| zon, his knees bent, and his Ranches sud-
denly came to the ground. He gave the
same far-sounding sigh over the hopeless
| limitations of n steers existence, and then
philosophicaly devoted himself to the
sensuOus enjoyment of his cud. The rest
Of the drove YEARLY followed his exam
pie, and soon were punched up close
around the house. Shad carefully count
ed them, with little swelling of the
heart, MS he made sure of having $50, and
entered the sitting-room of the house,
where 81, Shorty, Jake Dye and some of
the others were starting a blazing fire in
the great black cavern at the end of the
house by means of tickful of straw which
had been emptied on the floor, at the mi
grafton of the family, and boards torn
from the "dressers" and cupboards around
the room.
I'VE must have something more sub
stantial than these boards" remarked
Shorty. Il think / noticed a smoke-house
standing as ! came in. I'll 20 out and tear
it down. It'll furnish us enough to keep
up fire all night"
Il wouldn't do anything to make a
noise" objected Shad. 1T might scare
the cattle. You know how fearful they
are
.Eh? What's that, Shad?" asked 81,
looking at him in SUNRISE
Il mean that men who have 10000 or
$4,000 worth of Government property in
charge cannot be too careful. And here
we've picked up $1,000 or $1,000 worth
more, and that doesn't grow on every
bush. / tell you"
once, Shad! / haint been able to get you
to take no interest in the drove at all so
far
I've been doing a good job of able-bod-
led thinking this afternoon. never before
thought of the close relations between cat
tie and money-and big lots of it,"
CLOSE relations?" echoed the more ag-
ricultural So, in wonderment. '.Why,
they're twins, and if anything cattles the
best o the two. I'd heap rather have
n steer than $50 in notes of an Illinois
bank. He's heap safer to hold He
can't be counterfeited, and his president
and cashier amt liable to skip out be-
twixt two days with all his insides."
That's So" admitted Shad. But I'd
never thought of it before I'd only thought
of cattle as COW you had to go after
when you wanted to stay with the boys
and play tOwn-ball, and which broke down
the fence at night and spoiled the gar
den, and gave milk that you could buy
from the neighbors at FIVE cents q quart"
well, they're also stack of steaks
thatl cost you % cents pound in the
market and the things that grow the stuff
for your SO boots" added 81.
That's all true; but it's just come 10
me. I've been thinking over what Shorty
said last night. If we bring $4,000 or
$4,000 worth of mighty skittish and losa-
BILE property through this tangle of noun
tains all right, we're probably only doing
our plain duty and what's expected of us,
but I'll look out that they'll never shove
such job as this on us again. Why, this
drove's worth more than the Lorena, with
all her load. That was plain sailing, and
easy in comparison. All we had to do
was to stick to the boat, push her along,
and fight off ali Corners. No particular
credit in that. 1t was our little biz. But
if we not only bring through all that we
were intrusted with. but increase it by
$1,000 or $4,000 worth, old Sherman ought
to be tickled to death. 1 don't want any
thing for myself, except certificate of
SOOu cOHQuct ana NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., but he
ought to do the handsome thing by you
and Shorty and Jake. He ought to at
least give you commissions"
Don't want one" said ST, decisively
We've got the best officers in the army
in the 200th Injianny, and | wouldn't
want to take the job away from one of
them, even if | was suited for an officer,
which / amt"
Same here" echoed Shorty, who had
come in with load of the sm0ke-house
logs. I'm Third COrpril now, in Co. o.
200th Injianny Volunteer Infantry and
that's good enough for any reasonable
man."
ME, too" echoed Jake Dye. "I'm Sec
ond Sergeant now, and can be Orderly
whenever I'll take it. But I'd rather
somebody else'd call the roll and make
details / get as much cussing as / can
stand in my present place"
They are wanting good nOn-commis-
stoned officers to take commissions in col
ored regiments" suggested Shad. 'Sher-
man ought Mt least to make 81 a Captain
or Major in one of those regiments, and
Shorty and Jake First Lieutenants."
mo Captaincy of contrabands for me-"
answered ST. ''Rather be file-closer of
Co. Q than command regiment of woolly- |
heads"
Same here echoed Shorty. prefer
chevrons to shoulder-straps every day. |
Don't catch on your overcoat."
Don't know about that" said Jake. |
1--WE often thought it'd be lots o. fun TO |
take 100 field hands and drill 'em into
first-class soldiers, and smash with 'em |