Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-10-03


like tiger walking back and forth
within the limits Of its inclosure"
This was my complaint as l paced
my room one morning shortly after the
accidental reopening Of my wound. Ny
impatience was not without cause.
had gone south, as l have said, with
two objects-to find my enemy and to
gather information. I had failed in
finding my enemy, but had gained a
complete knowledge Of the points es-
sential to the capture of north Ala
bama and was carrying it to the gen
eral on the day was shot. 1t had oc-
Cured to me before setting out that,
after finishing my military mission, 1
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 fayorite scout should be at
Huntsville on the morning Of the LIST
Of April to receive any communication
might find it necessary to transmit.
If 1 were prevented from meeting him,
l was to send q messenger and had de-
vised code Of signals by which he
might be recognized. The appointed
day was drawing near, was not able
tokeep my appointment, and there was
no one at hand to whom I could in
trust the message.
chafed 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 see, she intended
for me, but needed encouragement to
offer. finally induced her to do so
and to admit that she had been out q
long while looking for them for me es-
pecially. I tried to unloosen her
tongue, to induce her to confide in me,
but in spite of all could do she re-
NAMED shy. and there was ever present
that awe she had shown before of one
who had taken life.
why do you look at me in that way 2?
asked.
She made no reply, casting down her
eyes at my brown hand, which held her
dimpled fingers.
you mustn't dread me because l am
obliged to fight" continued. "These
are wartimes. There are great many
soldiers in the land who think nothing
Of 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?"
What puzzling questions to come
from such untutored lips! l was cast
ing about for some explanatory reply
when a sudden interruption relieved
my embarrassment. A negro boy dash
ed into the room, through it and out
of another door. He was followed by
the white boy had noticed on the day
Of my arrival, who was screaming:
"Doggone yo', FAC; I'll break every
bone in yo' consarned black bodyw
The words were scarcely out when
he shot through the door by which the
fugitive had vanished. Little Ethel
looked after him with frightened eyes,
evidently dreading q catastrophe.
who's that?" l asked
"Buck"
"Your brother?"
"Yes."
Don't be alarmed. That's only a
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 about
her, should have no place in her mind.
Amid all the turmoil, the rumbling Of