The National tribune., 1901-11-28

Copyrighted, 1899, by the publis
On the Way to Indianapolis Purchase Of
Some Things for abe Women Folks"
[Note.-As this issue of tie paper viii
be received by many thousands who have
not read the chapters Immediately preced-
ing, it may be well to explain that the
200th Ind, with Sherman's Army, com
pleted the March te the Sea, helped cap
ture Savannah, went into q very pleasant
camp or high, dry ground, just east Of the
city, and was resting and Illustrating in
oysters, sea fish, planked shad and other
dainties very strange ard inviting to the
inland-bred country boys. They had drawn
new clothing and equipments, and were
basking in one of the rare gorgeous times
that came to the hardworked, hard-feught
army. Bnck at home, in Posey Co., Ind,
good people had had a "Sociar' TO raise
money for the Christian Commission to
use in the hospitals and convalescent
camps. The receipts had been unusually
large, and It was decided that Deacon
kiegg, father of 81, ought to take the
money personally to indianapolis, take q
look over the Christian Commission agents
there, and have n conference with Gov. y.
T. Morton over the political and military
situation, for the better enlightenment of
his neighbors The Deacon, fine type of
the substantial Indiana farmer, dresses
himself in his best and takes the train.
He encounters some swindiers, whom his
sturdy common sense baffles and, start
ing through the train to find one Of the
rascals who has swindled a soldier boy,
comes upon the Governor himself, TO
whom he tells the story, to the arousing
of the latter's sharp Indignation at the
As Virgins left in search Of the man
with the high hat and black coat. who
was playing the strap game" the Deacon
sat down beside the Governor, and the
two were at once in earnest conversation.
Fhat was a day when men had great
things to think and talk about, for they
were all more or less Il part OF mighty
events which had happened or were inn
pending. 1t was o day when every man
had his fun share, according to his ener-
gies, abilities and courage, in whatever
was going on. IL too old to go TO the field
and fight, he must do his share at home,
combating the vicious enemies to be found
there 1t was a time when the lines of
demareation were sharply drawn in every
little community. Either one was heart
and soul for the Government; shrinking
from no sacrifice to mid it in its moment
every success, grieving at every disaster,
and sending hope and encouragement 10
the men at the front; or he looked on all
with a jaundiced eye that frequently led
him into actual insurrection against the
Government.
The feeling in Indiana ran so high that
the State seemed often on the verge Of
intestinal warfare A very large proper
ton of her people were immigrants from
the South, and though tens of thousands
of these entered the Union army and
fought bravely for the Government, there
were very many who were only deferred
from taking up actual resistance to the
war by the determined attitude Of their
Union neighbors. They were strongly re-
inforced by q host of Kentuekians, Ten
nesseeans and other SOutherners who
were tired Of living in the scene Of actual
hOstiiities and refugeed to Indiana until
the storm should blow over. Many OF
them were deserters from rebel regiments;
many had been '.pagtisans, 'guerriilas,
"bushwhackers," etc, until our troops
made the country too hot for them.
They were all vieiously opposed TO the
war, and stiffened up the aggressive fac
tion which blazed up toward open out
break at every serious reverse to the
Union arms.
On such dangerous sea the Ship Of
State was guided by the firm, unfiinching
hand Of Oliver 2. Morton, one of the great
est men in American history. He was a
piece Of the same stuff of which Oliver
Cromwell and Andrew Jackson were
made His courage and will stopped at
nothing, and he was at once the 'uost
bitterly hated and most enthusiastically
admired man in Indiana. Men like Dea-
con Klegg, the bone and sinew Of the
State. followed him eagerly, because he
led without faltering through the thick Of
terrifying dangers. They trusted and up
held him. and he looked to them confident
Iy for counsel and resolute support in
every crisis. They were both sure Of one
another, and together carried Indiana tri-
umphantly through the darkest days.
The Deacon had much to tell the Gov
error of things in Posey County. The
latter knew every man OF any prominence
there, as he did in every County in the
State, and just what the standing, abih-
ties, and political ineliBatiOns Of each
were He piled the Deacon with ques-
tions as to what changes had occurred or
were likely, and he exchanged for this
information in regard to the rest of the
State and country.
by the way" said the Governor, sud
denly ;nterrupting the conversation and
looking out at the squalid, struggling set
tlement scattered over the rough, broken,
landscape, eve seem to
have stopped right in the heart Of the
enemy's country. This is s:aake Rag
capital OF the Huckleberry- South Caro-
lima, as yenomous a nest Of Copperheads
as there is in the whole State. It has al
ways been bad, from the year /. 1t was
started by some Of Murell's gang, who
left him when he was staying down at
CaYe-in-Roek, on the Ohio and came up
here to steal horses from the immigrants
and pass counterfeit money on them. IL
has probably more men to the square mile
Of its former residents in the penitentiary
than any ether part of the State. And a
quarter aren't there that ought TO be. It's
only when you can catch them doing
something in some other County that you
can find an indictment against them.
Sometimes [ think that the juries in the
other Counties are liable to convict man
Just because he came from Shake Rag.
But they don't often make mistakes. If
he hasn't been guilty OF that particular
thing he deserves it for something else,
and / think long while before pardoning
a man from here My predecessors all
did. Old Jim Whitcomb used to say, with
that peculiar chuckle Of his: No, gentle
men, / can't do it. The trial was straight.
The jury found the man was from Shake
Rag. It'il make no difference with the
vote anyhow. We can always have all
the votes we want from Shake Rag
1T certainly does look like good re-
cruiting ground for the States prison"
ccincided the Deacon, studying the long
haired unkempt, ragged, tobaceo-chewing
men loafing about with their hands in
their pockets. I'D like TO see q good,
old-fashioned, hell-fre Methodist reyivalist
turned loose in that crowd. He'd wake
EN- nm and snatch some brands from the