The National tribune., 1901-07-11

butts of the guns. But 81 had
forgotten the ink-making qualities of the
maple, and was Mortified by finding the
rice turned black as it boiled. There were
few moments of awe-struck silence, but
81 examined the improvised mortar again,
and decided that it was sure-enough maple
and nothing poisonous.
It'll be nothin worse than sucking your
pens when you used to go to school, boys,
he assured them.
You can just chaw a little blotting
paper afterward and you'll be all right, "
Shorty added.
Co. A, Co. Q's rival in all things, was
still more unfortunate. They cut down a
young pine tree to make the trough, but
after laborious pounding, found that they
had been pounding the rice and chaff into
stiff paste with the turpentine and rosin
exuding from the green wood, and so had
| lost their rations entirely.
The other companies took a choice of
evils, and borrowed Co. Q's trough, pre-
ferrins to be poisoned rather than starved.
The Colonel came wandering down,
| overlooking with interest the labors of the
| men IN getting supper, and noting the
success Of the devices for hulIing the rice.
As he reached 81 he remarked:
THAT was very brilliant operation of
yours, today, Sergeant, and the regiment
ply of food. We certainly needed it, and
l am sure the boys will work out some
way to make the rice palatable. 1t is all
right, as food, and as there is plenty of it
down In this country, We can manage to
live on it for while, if we should miss
connection with our ships. Plenty of ra-
tions have been sent to meet us, but they
may not be where we come out, and our
friends, the enemy, may interpose obsta-
clos tn Out AZ all We
be prepared for emergencies, and we must
| rely on the rice plantations to help US out.
l have been talking to the General to
have you sent over to the right, toward
the sea, to try to make our way to the
coast, to listen for the signal guns of our
ships, and endeavor to get into communi-
cation with them. | think it will be done.
But that's further along. Just now have
some internal troubles of my own. That
cleaned rice you brought me is beautiful,
and L thank you again for it. Aunt Min
erva Ann Is treasure, and the best cook
L believe in the division, if not the Corps
But she has her peculiarfties. One of
them is that she does not know anything
about rice, and resents being taught She
has prejudice against it because she has
heard 1t was the food of the 'low-country
niggers, whom she despises as being about
on the level with the beasts of the field,
and to have anything to do with it would
reduce her to their level. I'm as hungry
as the rest of you, but she is in the sulks,
and will absolutely not touch the rice"
"Confound her cranky stubbornness,"
said Si, but then rejecting how much be
owed to Aunt Minerva's courage and firm
ness he added, Il think / can bring her
around, Colonel. I'm her oldest friend in
the regiment I'll go up and see her.
Il wish you would" said the Colonel.
for I'm getting hungrier every minute,
and there's absolutely nothing but that
rice"
81 found Aunt Minerva Ann seated in
a hickory rocking chair, taken from some
house, and one of the most valued of the
possessions of the time when she could
call herself and anything else her very
own. 1t went along in the headquarters
wagon, no matter what else was left Seat
ed in 1t, as she had often seen her mistress
at home, she felt that she was really an
independent woman, and the queen of all
around her. Her black brow was cor
rugated with unshakable determination.
and with one leg thrown over the other,
she rocked back and forth and crooned:
Oars home in Hebben, what a joy
full thought,
AS de pore man tolls in his weary lot"
sure sign that there was a lot of sullen
thunder in her atmosphere. Around her
were the fire burning under the kettles
1uH OF wafer, ana the scorned rice, spread
out on a piece of shelter-tent
why, Aunty, what's the matter? Why
amt you cooking supperf" ST exclaimed.
cheerfully. mot sick, are your
mo, not mite SICK" answered she.
"Jes' mad, dat's all. Dey 'spects me, de
chief cook lady OBJ de rijimint t go Z
work an cook up lot OBJ hog-feed Det's
a insult, SO hit is. Nobody eats rice but
hogs an dem low-down swamp niggers,
who isn't much better. Den dey axes me |
t cook dat stuff fer de Cunnel OBJ de |
rijiment. Nebber do hit longs l lib. |
Wouldn't dirty my kittles wild hit. Neb-