Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1901-04-25

square until 4 o,clock!"
what time is it?' replied the eau.
tious Confederate. ".All our expensive
gold watches is bein repaired at Chick.
amauga."
AT this taunt Conner showed his
teeth. but Alden laid one hand on bis
arm and sang out: ITS 9 o'clock, Rich.
mond time. Sherman has just tele.
graphed us from your st%atehouse."
"Waal. in that case this crool war is
over" replied the Confederate sharp.
shooter. "We'll be easy on old Sher.
man.
"see here" cried Alden. SIS it a
truce until 4 o'clock?"
"All right! Your word, Yankw!
you have it" q@:. ~
Done" said the Confederate, coolly
rising to his feet and strolling down to
the river bank, both hands in his pock-
cts. > 49,
Alden ard Conner crawled out Of
their ill smelling dust wallow, leaving
their rifles behind them.
"Whew! It's hot, Johnny" said AL
den pleasantly. He pulled out a stain
ed pipe, blew into the stem, polished
the bowl with his sleeve and sucked
w%istfully at the end. Then he went
and sat down beside Conner, who had
improvised a fishing pole from his ram
rod, a bit of string and a rusty hook.
The Confederate rifeman also sat
down on his side of the stream, putting
luxuriously on a fragrant corncob pipe.
Presently the Confederate raised his
head an. looked across at Alden.
whats yewr name, sonny?' he ask
ed.
"Alden," replied the young fellow
briefly.
mines Craig" observed the Confed-
crate. whats yewr regimentT'
1.-TWO Hundred Sixtieth New York.
What's yours, Mr.. CraigW
"%Ninety-third Maryland, Mr.. alden"
"Quit that THROWN sticks in the wa
ter" growled Conner. iHow do you
s'pose I'm goin to catch anything"
Alden tossed his stick back into the
brush heap and laughed.
"How's your tobacco, Craig?" he call
ed out,
"Bully! How's yewr coffee N tack,
Alden?'
"First rate!!" replied the youth.
After a silence he said, us 1t a go?"
You bet" said Craig, fumbling in
his pocket. He produced a heavy twist
Of Virginia tobacco, laid it on a log,
hacked off about three inches with his
sheath knife and folded it up in a big
green sycamore leaf. This again he
rolled into a %cornhusk, weighted with
a pebble; then stepping back he hurled
it into the air, saying. Deal squar,
Yankrw, zaza,
The tobacco fell ut Alden's feet. He
picked it up, measured it carefully with
his claspknifc and called out: 'Thtee
and three-quarters, Craig. What DO you
want, hard tack or coffee?'
"Tack," replied Craig. Don't stint!'
Alden laid out two biscuits. AS he
was about to hack a quarter from the
third he happened to glance over the
creek at his enemy. There was no mis-
taking the expression on his face
Starvation was stamped on every fea'
ture.
When Craig caught Alden's eye, be
spat with elaborate care, whistled {
bar Of the "Bonny Blue Flag and pre-
tended to yawn.
Alden hesitated, glanced at Conner
then placed three whole biscuits in the
cornhusk, added a pinch of coffee ant
tossed the parcel over to Craig.
That Craig longed to fling himself
to Alden. who was watching his face
But he didn't. He strolled leisurely
down the bank, picked up the parcel
weighed it critically before opening i
and finally sat down to examine the
contents. When he saw that the thirC
cracker was whole and that Il pinch Of
coffee had been added, he paused in hi.
on the bank, head bent. Presently ht
looked up and asked Alden if he hat
made a mistake. The young fellow
shook his head and drew a long puff O
smoke from his pipe, watching it cur
out Of his nose with interest.
"Then I'm obliged to yew. Alden
said Craig. "'Low I'll eat a snack t.
see it amt pizened."
He filled his lean jaws with the dry
biscuit. then scooped up a tin cup full
of water from the muddy river and Sc
the rest of the cracker to soak.
"Good?" queried Alden.
"Fair." drawled Craig. boiling an I'm
chewed segment and choking a little
"How's the twist?"
Zine" said Alden. Tastes like sta
bic sweepings."
They smiled at each other across thu
stream.
"Sa-a-y," drawled Craig, with hi:
mouth full. when yew're out of twis
jest yew sing out. sonny"
"All right replied Alden. He stretch
ed back in the shadow Of a sycamor,
and watched Craig with pleasant eyes.
Presently Conner had n bite ant
jerked his line into the air.
Look here" said Craig. that ain
no way fob to ketch 'redhorse.' Yev
want Il cartridge on fob a sinker. son