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

eating the fish"
THAT so" grinned Craig. 100 bad.
Lots of yewr men was in Long pond.
too, reckon"
In the silence that followed two
rifle shots sounded faint and dull from
the distant forest.
"'Nother great Union victory"
drawled Craig. Extra! Extra! Rich.
mond is took"
Alden laughed and pulled at his
pipe.
I'VE licked the boots off the Thir-
tieth Texas last Monday" he said.
"Sho" exclaimed Craig. "What did
you go a-lickin their boots f%or-black-
In?
ooh, shut up" said Conner from
TIC bank. II can't ketch no fish if you
two fools don't quit jawin."
The sun was dipping below the pine
clay ridge, flooding river inc wood
with a fierce radiance. The spruce
needles glittered, edged with gold; ev-
cry broad green leaf wore a heart Of
gilded splendor, and the muddy wa
ters of the river rolled onward like a
flood Of precious metal, heavy, bur-
nished, noiseless.
From q balsam bough a thrush ut.
tered three timid notes; a great gauzy
winged grasshopper drifted blindly in
to a clump of sun scorched weeds,
click, click, cr-r-r-r!
"Purty, amt it|' said Craig, looking
at the thrush. Then he swallowed the
last morsel Of muddy hard tack, wip-
ed his beard on his cuff, hitched up
his trousers, took off his green glasses
and rubbed his eyes.
"a he catbird sings purifier, thought
he said, with a yawn.
Alden drew out his watch, puffed
once or twice and stood up, stretch
Ing his arms in the air.
Its 4 o'clock" he began, but was
cut short BY a shout from Conner.
Gee whlz" he yelled. What have
l got on this here pole?" -.
The ramrod was bending, the line
swaying heavily in the current.
Its 4 o'clock, Connor," said Alden,
keeping a wary eye on Craig.
That's all right" called Craig. 1.-THE
times extended till yewr friend lands
that there fish,"
Pulls like a %pOrpoise," grunted Con-
nor. Hang it! l bet it bu'sts my ram
r9aI
"Does it pull" grinned Craig.
Yes; a dead weight"
Don't it jerk kinder this way an
! thotCS acln1 rvoir p,,,al ;rto,o,+o1 -
Nav" said Conner. 1.-The bloody
thing jest pulls s%teady.",. x.s
"Then it amt no 'redhorse.' It's a
cattish...-
"Huhr, sneered Conner. Don't ]
know a catfish? This amt no catfish
femme tell yer!!"'
Then it's a log" laughed Alden.
"By gum, here it comes!" painted
Conner. Here, Alden, jest you ketcL
it with my knife. Hook the blade
blame yer
Alden cautiously descended the rec
bank of mud, holding on to roots anC
branches, and bent over the water. He
hooked the big bladed claspknife like 9
scythe, set the spring and leaned our
over the water.
"Now!" muttered Conner.
An oily circle appeared upon the sur
face of the turbid water, another ant
another. A few bubbles rose and float
ed upon the tide.
hen something black appeared jus
beneath the bubbles, and Alden hooked
it with his knife and dragged it shore
ward.
1t was the sleeve of a mans coat.
Connor dropped his ramrod ant
gaped at the thing. Alden would have
tossed it, but the knife blade was tan
gled in the sleeve.
He turned a sick face up to Conner.
pull it ill.," said the older man
Here, give it to me. lad"
When at last the silent visitor lay
upon the bank, they saw it was thu
body of q Union cavalry man. Alder
stared at the dead face, fascinated
Conner mechanically counted the vel
low chevrons upon the blue sleeve. nov
Soaked black. The muddy water raI
over the baked soil, spreading out il
dust covered pools. The spurred boot:
trickled slime. After awhile both mel
turned their heads and looked at Craig
The southerner stood silent and grave
his battered cap in his hand. The,
eyed each other quietly for a moment
then, with a vague gesture, the south
erner walked back into his pit ant
presently reappeared. trailing his rifle.
Conner had already begun to dig will
his bayonet. but he glanced up at tn,
rifle in Craig's hands. Then he looked
suspiciously into the eyes of the south
erner. Presently he bent his head again
and continued digging.
1t was sunset before he and Alder
finished the shallow grave, Graf,
watching them in silence, his rifle be
tween his knees. When they wer,
, ready. they rolled the body into thu
hole and stood up.
Craig also rose, raising his rifle to
present" He held it there while tn,
two Union soldiers shoveled the eartl
: into the grave. Alden went back an,
lifted the two rifles from the pit. hand
cd Ccpnn,. h;c and u,n;tnJ