The National tribune., 1901-10-17
TT SENT a STORM OF CANISTER 1NToI

| II SENT y 81 ORM OF CANISTER INTO
THE RANKS OF THE MUSKETEERS.'
'.Shct mp. an don't let dat meat dar
burn, said Uncle Ephraim, imperatively.
Tend t yore business, woman. or III
glib yo sufIin' to cry foh.''
Pete crawlcd to the top of the bank and
/ looked over.
! There on the side of the trench made
/ by cXcaydting the earth. sat Uncle
E,shTaim. with a stout switch in his hand.
which he held i'll Il way 10 inspire his
/ wife with fear. He had learned enough
of war to see the advantages of this place
when the regiment moved forward III the
morning. and he was left behind with the
I headquarters spare horses. He had had
! the mcss-chest unloaded there, and the
| horses We're tied near by. He had built
I q fire. and settled himself there for the
day. But Aunt Minerva AIMS curiosity
| had led her forward with the regiment,
until the big guns opened. when panic
seized her, and it became necessary for
| Uncle Ephraim to run her down, and bring
her hack to place of safety. He had
rcsorted to the plantation prescription for
/ her hysteria of fear, as the switch in his
/ hand testified.
meat, and then began another wall which
was interrupted by Pete calling out from
| the top of the bank:
80, Aunt Minerva Ann, I'm tickled to
death TO see you alive and well. I've been
! hunting for you everywhere"
! He slid down the bank and ran to. her.
to be taken in her arms in Il rapture of
! joy. He released himself, saying:
Il must run back and tell the Adjutant
| He's sent me to hunt you, for he's awful
| hungry. IL he could only find that demi
| john now, that Shorty got for him, he'd
be happy, in spite of the loss of his
| clothes"
Dat dimmyjohn?' exclaimed Uncle
| Ephraim. Il done got dat dimmijohn
| right heah, so / has. | done TUX hit outen
de wagon wild de mess-chist, fob | nebber
trust none OBJ dem teamsters wild muffin to
cat nor drink. Heah hit is
He went to the brush near by, and pro-
duced it, carefully wrapped up in an old
| ovcrcoat.
20, to Grace how great debtor,
Daily I'm constrained to feel.
Let Thy goodness like fetter,
Bind my soul in hoops Of Steel"
murmured the Adjutant, anxioussly heft-
ing the demijOhn to see that none of its
contents were missing. Life resumes its
roseate hue. Uncle Ephraim, you are the
immediate jewel of my soul. l shall never
part with you--nO, never"
The coffee was soon boiling and the
meat cooked. The next thing was to get
down to the firing-line. Uncle Ephraim
had provided two kettles: one for the
Colonel and his staff; one Tor ST and his
squad. He cut Il pole, and hung these
from its ends. Aunt Minerva Ann was to
follow with the rest of the food. But the
moment that she thought of going out
again to face those awful siege guns she
had fit of terror, and Pete had to take
her load.
The Adjutant started along, carrying
the precious demijohn. AS he reached the
crest of the bank, a bullet from a rebel
sharpshOoter whistled close to him and
struck tree.
80, Praxiteles JONES'" he exclaimed
nervously, it'll never do TO expose this
to the chances of bullet. Nor will it do
to take it down there, where those thirsty
fellows will gulp it down like Commissary.
There wouldn't be drop left in 10
minutes. Nor will it do to leave it with
would do with it. Might drink the whole
of it to drown her sorrows, or she might
bang the demijohn around the roots of
tree 1 want to go back to the Colonel
awfully, but l guess I'd better stay back
and look after my papers, and-it. Pete,
report to the Colonel that l have to stay
behind, and gather up the regimental
papers, and ask him to send the Ser
geant- Major back But I won't trust this
to anybody but Uncle Ephraim."
The regiment was lying under the cover
of the bank, from the spat of sharpshoot
ing bullets from the rebels, but Uncle
Ephraim marched coolly along with his
kettles, and was received with cheers, for
there was no room nor wood on the bank
to make fires.
Details were sent back from the COM
panies to make coffee, and the Colonel,
noticing that it was now low-tde, had the
sluice gate opened, and as the water ran
out, they gained more room on the bank, |
though the gain was Shiny mud.
As soon as 81 and Shorty had eaten |
their dinner, they began careful recon-
noissance of the terrain beyond, with refer
ence to the advance which the regiment
might at any moment be ordered to make |
They were still about 600 yards from |
the main line of the rebel works, which
were packed full Of men, who yelled saucy
and obscene defiance to them to come on.