The National tribune., 1901-09-19

10 them like an old friend. Here they
had done picket duty on many u Ions
night. There many pleasant evening
had been passed around that charred ole
stump, against which the camp fires haC
cheerily burned. Along that smooth, hare
road many foOt-race had been run, oil
many a wrestling match had been con
summated. Between those little drains
and ridges they had often soundly slept
and those unromantic heaps which at one
time were considered an ''illigaDt' chin
ney, in our NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. estimation
could they speak, what stories they might
| tell of adventure, personal or romantic
told by our gossiping lads of a Winter
| night as they sat around the cheerful fire
that blazed therein! The soldiers life
may not be conducive to the development
| of the gentler feelings of our nature. But
this we do know: we have seen strong,
cold-hearted men moved by such scenes
as we have feebly attempted to portray,
and the recurrence of so many familiar
places made it seem as though the mission
OF the Army of the Potomac was indeed
circumscribed-as though their battles
and bivouacs were to be fought and made
in the selfsame area. In a word, Virgil
MIA and its vicinity was the great book
which they had long perused, the chapters
of which were indelibly impressed on their
memory, and every passage was to them
as familiar as song.
Our boys, as they trudged along, pointed
out well-known spots; and then came
some way associated with them.
Jimmie, dye remember when we was
here, when the Kurnel aXed me what |
had sich dirty muSket for, and | showed
him me shovel, an ses |, 'kurnel, maybe
the guns a bit dirty, but this showers
purity well polished cause I'd bin workin'
at that there fort for fortnight; an the
Kurnel laughed, an ses he to the Captin,
as they went away, P'raps, Captin, that's
more in his line
"Oh, yes; | remember that well, Tim,"
returned Jimmie, with a broad grin; but
ould Mike the Corpler kOt the kurnel as
fine as ever he war kot in his life. Mike
pass, what had no business to. The kur-
mel herd it, and when he sees the Corpler
he aXed him What for he done thatF
Mike said, cause he thought it war all
right Ses the Kurnel, We'll, you're a
purity feller! What COMPOUNDED fool made
you a Corpler? 'Shure, Kurnel,' seq
Mike, it was yourself" Roars of laugh
ter followed this narration; then Jimmie
resumed the conversation. God be wild
them times; poor Nike was a Quare fel-
low. 1t war q shame he war killed the
way he was. We war gOin' through the
wood at Malvern, jist out from the field,
when we seed wounded reb setting fore
nenst a tree. Give us a drink of water
ses he. Ould Mike stopped and give him
a drink out of his canteen, while we went
on. Purity soon we herd a shot, and
looked back and seed poor Mike fall. The
cOwardiy snake had shot him after drink
in his water. Charley Willis run back
an dashed the butt of his musket on the
rascals head, an settled him, the bruteI
Arrah, some of them war great Williams,
Tim"
"They war, indeed Didn't meself see
'em proddin' the wounded with their bay
onets, an robbn' 'em afore they were
dead!" Here Jimmie pulled ont his old
black pipe, and, Selling n Grand from the
fire by the roadside, hastily lit it, and was
about TO proceed with the conversation.
"Whistw said Tim, with a nudge OF the
elbow, as Jimmie was about to speak;
heres the PurfessOr3 Well have some
fun wild the quare divil, for he's mighty
grand whin he wants TO be-"
The Professor" who has been intro
duced to our readers, now Appeared
the perspiration pouring off his brow; and
bending beneath the weight of well-filled
knapsack, he presented the appearance of
one laboring under sore afiliction.
We'll, me man O wax" quOth Tim,
yes looks tired an purity well played
outn'
ITS not exhausted, nayther is it debili-
tated, | am; nor is this perspiration ex-
humeu from my HesH Dy tne uHaccuS-
toned exercise of my fermoral muscles;
but | am greatly exercised by the rapa
ciOus villainy of a dishonest soger, whose
audacious immortality has eliminated in
the appropriation Of my frying-pan!'
Jimmie and Tim seemed stunned for a
by the Professors" eloquence;
he latter at last recovered himself, and
said: at must be quare frying-pan; if
yer phase. let's look at it."
Haven't | explained to We, in the clear
est terrums, words, and expressions, that