The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-01-24

get Mt the hay and fodder piles. the men
on guard would rush out with clubs and
| stones to drive them off, Sis men would
attempt TO defend the steers while driy-
ing them hack, and there were free fights
going on all along the lines between tho
| lnuie-Suardians and the cattle guards 81.
| Shad, Shorty and Jake Dye wore them
selves out trying to keep the peace and
gather their cattle together. After an
hour or two of this they got their drove
past the mulecorrals. and into little hol-
low, where they paused to rest, get din
ner and take counsel.
| This is n pretty how-d'ye-do,' sail
Shad, disgustedly, Ito be treated this way.
after bringing $1,000 worth of fresh beef
that no one expected into camp. IL old
| W illiam Tecumseh only knew about this
ne d make somebody's ears rings. I'm 60
ing to march this drove right I'D to his
headquarters, and tell him the whole story
and show him the cattle. I'll bet"-
n Wild rush and clatter interrupted him.
| The cattle had caught sight of or smelled
the forage pile of cavalry regiment in
camp half-mile to the right and rushed
for it in a bovine torrent. 81 jumped on
his horse and. followed by the others.
dashed after to stop and turn them The
IcavalTymen saw the danger to their much
priced forage, and swarmed out to defend
IT. Their horses at the picket-ine began
neighing. plunging and kicking. and some.
officer of the Day, with his broad sash
OF Office prominent, galloped down, to stop
his men. and head off the Corners, and col
lded with Shad plunging forward to round
back the leading steer. The two horses
ana the steer went down in a mix, and
the ioiowlng horses, steers, infantry and
cavalry turmoiled together in a mad con-
fusion of oaths, yclls. bellows. bad tenn
per, horns, hoOfs, arms and legs. One Of
tne forage guards, in order to put in the
tlhle, snatched up a carbine and shot one
OF the steers, and another guard ran madly
about striking with his saber everything
and everybody in his reach
III and Shorty managed to retain their
seats and their presence of mind One
dragged Shad out, and the other the Off
Ger of the Day.
w nat do you mean, you scoundrels. by
trying to rush my forage pile with your
internal cattle? yelled the latter. as soon
out his saber
You yaller-legged idiot, couldn't you
see that | was trying to head off the
rush yelled Shad, with equal cordiality.
Have some sense, If cavalryman can.
and call your men off,"
Come, come, now" said ST. THAT'S
no way to talk tO-One another Cool down
both of you, and help guile this ruction.''
Ihey did so, and after some effort the
, tangle was Strengthened out Shad gath
cred up his men and cattle and went back
TO the road, while the cavalry camp sub
sided into its accustomed order.
We've got to get these dumbed brutes
something to eat" said ST. as they moved
down the road, before We can take them
anywhere. or do anything with them. Let's
turn down that hOller there and take them
outside the lines, and find place where
they can Craze and give us time to think,
They turned TO the left and proceeded
To 4alpE.rr =
ed officer at the head of the squad who
had been observing them from a distant
Knoll, SailOped down, and put himself
across their path.
Halt, there" he commanded. "Wbo
are you, and where are you going with
those cattle:'
Shad started to explain to him. but he
broke in with an expression of absolute
incredulity. "Your story won't 90 for a
minute" he said. I've been watching
you for some time, and know what you're
up to. You've stolen those cattle and are
trying to run them off. 'Twon't work, nv
fine fellow. That games been played too
often lately"
Now, don't be a measly fool" said
Shad, savagely. We're no cattle-thieves,
land you ought TO have sense enough to
know it. We're all straight soldiers be-
longing to different regiments here in this
army, and were going to them, as soon
/
They're hungry now, and unmanageable,
and as soon as we can Craze them little
while we're going to hunt up the proper
officer and turn them over to him.
Likely story sneered the other.
You've brought them straight away from.
the cattle corrals. I've been watching
| you. I'm Provost Marshal of this dfyi-
sion. You just stop those cattle right here
and turn them over to me. I'll take charge
OF them, and take you up to headquarters.
You're caught. this time, my daddy bucks"
We'll do nothing of the kind said
Shorty. You can't play that trick on us.
You're trying to steal these cattle Yourself
We've seen fellows play provost guard
before. We're no recruits. You skip out
of here, and tend to your own business
Wen attend to ours. Git out, or we'll
make YOU
Call up the reserve, Riley" said the
officer to the bugler. \ cavalry company
seemed to spring out of the ground in an
swer to the call.
Now. gentlemen said the officer, with
fine irony, as the cavalry galloped up,
will you favor me with some more OF
your sass, or will you quietly turn back
into the road, and mosey along according
| to orders?''
You've got the call on u.s." answered
Shad. But we demand to be taken
straight to Gen. Sherman's headquarters
He knows us, he gave me my orders, and
| he'll understand this matter at once"
| Very nice, and very modest" answered
the officer. But this isn't Gen. Sher-
mans day for receiving cattle-thieves He
only receives them Wednesdays and Sat
urdays. This is his day for blOckade-run-
ners and quininesmugglers. You'll have
to be satisfied by being received by another
| General - the Provost Marshal General.
He's very sOciable sort of a man. He'll
talk to you quite freely. Forward. march,"
| The sky had been overcast FIR some
| time. and now it began cold, cherries
drizzle, which suited with the crashing
hopes of the boys. With their hungry,
sullen cattle they began plodding along the
chafed road, which became sea of mud
as soon as the rain began.
1t was two long, weary miles to the
Provost Marshal's headquarters. On the
way they came to a cOmfortable-looking
double-pen house of hewed logs, with
wide porch in front.
That's Gen. Sherman's headquarters
today" said the officer. Too bad he isn't
holding his regular cattle-thieYes' leyee
today. There he is, now, walking up on
the porch
I'm going to speak to him, all the
same" said Shad.
You'd better no-," answered the offi-
Ger. you'll wish you hadn't. Better save
your eloGuence for the Provost Marshall
-, oil 80 II tI,o,,n