The National tribune., 1901-09-26

which the Wisconsin, and the dispute ex-
tended to the spectators.
The alligators suddenly widened the cir
Gle they were making, and the excited
on-lookers rushed back to avoid blows
from their awful tails.
AT that uniucky juncture Pete came
pacing up, excited lest he lose all the fun.
nego. just on the balance, and over he
went, scattering Pete and his bag of let
tiers all over the battle-ground.
There was a yell of dismay from all
sides as they saw the catastrophe.
Abednego was on his feet like q flash,
and in another he had delivered n kick
with his unerring aim that tumbled over
one of the alligators.
Desperately alarmed about the letters,
Shorty snatched a gun from the hand of
a relieved guard, who had been drawn
thither by. the cheering, and succeeded
in planting a shot on the other reptile
which had the same effect as Abednego'S
kick. Shuck Dilworth snatched away
another gun, and shot the first reptile.
The heavy bullets at short range stunned
the alligators into slowing down, and a
few more quieted them until it was safe
to approach and bayonet them in the
places which Patsy pointed out.
'All bets are off" announced Shuck
and Shorty, owing to the fight having
been stopped by the referees. 1t inter
fered with a United States mail train
Lucky we done so. as it would'Ye been as
easy as counting the teeth on buzZ-Saw
rs to keep track of them yarmints.'
They proceeded to carefully gather mp
the letters. The first one that Shorty
picked up caused his heart to at first stand
still. and then to swell out till it seemed
there was not room enough for it inside
his ribs. for it was pOstmarked Bean
blossom Greek, Ind" and plainly directed
in Maria's handwriting:
Corporal VIM. D. Elliott.
go. Q, 200th Indiana Infantry, Vols,
Fourteenth Corps,
''Sherman's Army"
"Pete, you little scamp" he muttered
into his bosom, ''how did you dare risk
these things this way? L ought to skin
you alive"
'AII this fuss about some measly love
LETTERS grumbled Pete. You don't
think nothing of the lick that Abednego
got-poor Teller. And you wouldn't have
got no letters at all, if he hadn't saved my
life and them, by kicking that yarmint
stiff. That's all the thanks We get, when
we're trying to do our duty"
And Pete went over to rub Abednego's
legs, and condole with him.
Shorty was so thrilled by finding still
another letter from Maria that he forgot
Pete. Then he came across several for
81, and with this his interest in the rest
waned.
SANDY" he commanded sharply, you
help Pete gather up those letters and get
'em to headquarters in a mighty hurry
If you amt livelier than fleas you'll stand
good chance o. being tied up by the
thumbs, as you ought to be. Stir your
selvesr'
There's some letters for you. ST." said
Shorty, handing them to his partner with
his left hand. His right was inside his
blouse, holding with tight grip and con-
cealed from the worlds rude gaze the two
precious missives.
Sis heart lifted into his throat as he
clumSily shufiled them over, and saw,
among those from his father, mother, and
sisters, several pink-tinted envelopes di-
rected in Annabels girlish script. He
drank in every line and curve of the dear
handwriting, which seemed TO cling and
Irvine around the tcndrils of his heart.
He could not decide which to open first,
and as he hesitated the Orderly Sergeant
called out sharply: Fall in for roll-eall,
Co. O." an order that veterans promptly
obey, as if by instinct. As the Orderly
concluded and turned to report TO the
Captain, Pete came down from headquar
tiers with the mail for the company, and
tears in his eyes.
Il never got such a combing down in
my life." he complained to the boys on
the left of the company, "as the Adju-
tant gave me. He was madder'n n wet
hen, over me and Sandy going over to that
alligator fight, and threatened to buck
and-gag me. Ali about waiting few
minutes for a handful of girls letters.
The letters'd keep, but the fight had to
come off. l never saw such a place to
impose ON boy as the army is. p