The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-09-19
CHAPTER III.
A DEFiNlTl. OBJl.C !.

This was my complaint us l paced
my room one morning shortly after the
accidental reopening Of my wound. My |
impatience was not without cause. I |
had gone south, as l have said, with
two objects-to find my enemy and to
gather information. l had failed in
finding my enemy, but had gained a
complete knowledge Of the points cs-
sential to the capture Of north Ala
bama and was carrying it to the gen.
eral on the day l was shot. 1t had oc
Cured to me before setting out that,
after finishing my military mission,
might still wish to continue my search
for my enemy. Besides, there were
other contingencies, such as arrest or
Illness, which needed to be provided
FOR. had therefore arranged that the
generals favorite scout should be Mt
Huntsville on the morning of the 1st
OF April to receive any communication
l might find 1t necessary to transmit
II | were prevented from meeting him.
l was to send Il messenger and had de.
Vised code Of signals by which he
might be recognized. The appointed
day was drawing near, l was not able
to keep my appointment, and there was
no one at hand to whom l could IN
trust the message.
ch6fed till had exhausted my small
store OF strength. then threw myself
on my couch. Little Ethel came In
and. like soft ray Of sunlight break.
Ing through stormclouds, turned my
thoughts into gentler channels She
held In her hand bouquet OF flowers
which. 1t was easy to SEQ, she intended
for me, but needed encouragement to
offer. l finally induced her to do so
and TO admit that she had been out n
long While looking for them for me rs.
pecially. I tried to unlooscn her
tongue. to Induce her to contidr In me.
but In spite Of all could do she re-.
malned shy, and there was ever present
that awe she had shown before Of one
who had taken a life
why do you look at me in that wav?"
l asked.
She made no reply, casting down her
eyls at my brown hand. which held her
dimpled fingers.
You mustn't dread me because am
obliged to fight" l continued "'rhcSu
are wartimes. There are great many
soldiers In the land who think nothing
or killing one another"
Don't they" She raised her eyes,
wide open with surprise.
"Of course war is cruel, but-but It
calls out much that Is noble"
when they kill each other?"
mt puZZling questions to come
from such untutorcd lips! was east
ing about for some explanatory reply
when n sudden interruption relieved
my embarrassment. \ negro boy dash
ca into the room. through 1t and out
of another door. He WAS followed by
the white boy had noticed on the day
or my arrival. who was screaming:
"Doggone yo', Znc: III break every
hone In yo' consarned black body"
The words were scarcely out when
he shot through the door by which the
fugitive Ind vanished. Little Ethel
looked after him with frightened eyes.
evidently dreading n catastrophe.
who's that?" asked.
Buck"
"Your brotherT
Yes"
Don't be alarmed. That's only q
boys passion. 1t won't amount to any
thing"
''He says such dreadful words"
That's habit. He doesn't mean any
thing by 1t. But It's habit that should
be broken"
I soon got her quieted, and she pratt
tied about her dolls. her playhouses,
some pet rabbits and nook In the gar
den where she kept them. How singu-,
lar that war. which absorbed all aboue
her. should have no place In her mind
Amid all tho turmoil, the rumbling OF
cannon the tramp Of men and horses,
bushwhacking, skirmshing. battles,
this innocent little maid was strangely
out Of place. Her mother came In pres.
emily and took her away. fearing that
she would annoy me. was loath to
part with her. No healing balm had
been applied to my wound so soothing,
30 grateful, as was her prattlc to my
fevered brain and chilled heart.
They had scarcely left me when
Buck stalked into tho room. his boyish
face as free from passion NJ II he had
Aever been ruffled. IIe had made sew
'fal attempts to visit me, notwithstand- |
ng that he had been forbidden the
room. Seeing the coast clear, he slip
red In unannounced and began O fire of
questions.
"DOes 1t hurt2'
"My arm? Yes, 1t hurts some"
"I'm glad yo' plunked him."
"Why do you sympathize with me in
tead Of the other2 You have only seen
40 few times''
This was too much for him to cx- 1
lain. could se.' that he had concciv-
d an admiration for me, but he could
ot tell why.
what did lie try to kill yo' fo'T' he
sked. 8
"Well. perhaps It was because my ex.
tence annoyed him." {
what did yo' want to kill him fo'2" {
II found 1t jnconvenient to have him
footing at me-" b
"pd like to shoot a man. l shot q e
bbit once. but that's purity small
lme. Pop. he won't let me have @ O.
IN yet He snys I may have one 81