The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-06-10

telling her of Hamitons luck and also
of its cause and intimating that should
Hamilton's father ever lose his money
Phil would be abundantly qualified TO be-
come head cook in restaurant. This
might have been an insult TO the person
mel of the army's entire commissary
force. which contained thousands OF SUI
perb fighters, though none of them was
expected to fight but I knew May
wouldn't construe II in that way. Then
told OF Brainard's successful dispatch car
rying, which he had pretended was done
by me, and OF his work I'm the fight at
the bridge and how many compliments he
had received for II. continued with de-
scrpton OF Brainard In his bunk after
the fight looking with fearful eyes alter
nateIy at her picture and I'm his mirror
at his bullet furrowed cheek, and | con-
cluded by saying that the scar that re-
mained was coveted by all of us as an
honorable decoration than IL II had been
a major generals shoulder straps. To be
sure that the letter would reach its desti-
nation as soon as possible / rode with IL
| to the general postoffice at post head
| quarters I'm the fort. mile away.
/ had scarcely reached the fort when a
| sound somewhat resembling the rumble
| OF distant railway train caused me 10
look over my shoulder, and / saw half a
preaching at the gallop. II see here n di-
vided duty I quoted to myself from
"Othello" but I did not hesitate. What
ever the danger To the post and the ma
ton. both had hundreds of champions I'm
the regiment Bralnard had but one. so
] rode into the fort and did not leave until
had found the postmaster and placed
my letter I'm his hands.
When / emerged. the regiment had
he fArt at.A lluo rt,x In,
the village. To return TO camp for my sa-
bcr. caybine and pistol would leave me
10 or 15 minutes behind my comrades, and
"a stern chase is n long one" I had no
weapon with me but the sheathknife. 7
always carried I'm my boot for II was a.
tool of all work hatchet. carving
knife. rot digger and half a dozen other
things. IL would at least serve for self
defense in a hand to hand fight. and
fights of this character were almost un-
known to MS, thanks 10 the enemy's OBJ
lection TO getting within close reach OF
us. AT the worst / would have the honor
and pleasure OF being present for duty"
should the AFFAIR prove serious
My horse was as good as the best, so
| soon passed through the village and
galloped along the Richmond road, for
the hcof prints in the dust showed that
the regiment had taken that route. I'M
armed though | was. my sense OF ex-
hlaration was intense. over this same
road ha1 passed I'm other days the pa
triot soldiers OF two wars. even great
Washington himself. I-my regiment
was no longer at an out Of the way out
post that had been held n year only to
be told that IL was not worth holding
We were now really In the enemys
country and with "a possibility OF seeing
service OF sufficient importance to be
mentioned in the newspapers.
In fact my head got so far into the
clouds that l neglected TO keep my eyes
on the road. which is the worst blundar
Of which "A trooper can be guilty. When
/ did chance 20 glance downward. II was
To discern that only a few horsemen had
preceded me. IL did not take me long to
learn that the few did not belong TO the
enemy, for on the moist ground beside
a small stream that crossed the road |
saw the prints of horseshoes and their
nail heads. The enemy's troop horses
We're unshod. as rule. j rode some
minutes longer and was suddenly stop
ped by a familiar voice shouting:
Come I'm here, ye little dhivil"
Twas the voice Of Sergeant Mick Nc
Twyny. who had been detached. with
his platoon, TO watch" n portion Of the
old postroad. His platoon OF i6 men con
sisted principally on this occasion OF his
own gang. Birds OF feather flock to-
gether." But Brainard was also i'm IL.
Cotn'bbuN ltuu me n TtNnlNtI merely
as a matter OF form" said I. "in case
anything may happen. | was in the fort
when the regiment came out | haGn {
time TO go back To camp for my things.
so I just came along on general princt-
pies"
That's tho thingl" said Sergeant
Mick. with n tigerish grin that was
meant for an approving smile.
The platoon seemed TO me to be In
great luck. lt was a hot day; the men
were dismountcd and resting at ease,
their sabers strapped to the saddles, I'm
the shade on the edge of n forest in
front OF which was an abandoned bare
plantation at least half a mile square.
A gentle breeze from the northwest Lew
refreshngly. The line between the open
ground and the forest was marked by a
rail fence; how this had escaped the
camphrcs Of the hundreds OF thousands
of northern and southern soldiers whn
lad trAmped the Peninsula was frys-
terry 60 me. except that II seemed 4
great way from the Richmond road.
which had been the bone OF contention.
III.