The National tribune., 1902-02-06

beggars seem TO live well. Hive 'eart
that banditti Railways do. But that seem:
to be regular, blooming, busteOus feed
Fancy Hill take some Of hit myself"
He strobe over to the table, and flung
a shilling down before Pete. Boy" he
said, there's bob. Give me platefuI
Of that fish and hOysters."
/ Pete looked up and took the English
man in with 4 contemptuOus stare. Gu
| long" he said with n flip of his finger
that sent the shilling off into the sand.
We ant running no restaurant for citi-
zens and tramps."
You blarsted little brat" said the
| Englishman, swelling up, as he rescued
his shilling. that's no way to talk to a
| you don't be more respectful"
mo, you won't" shouted Sandy, far
ing up. You mustn't call him a brat.
neither or I'll climb your back. Who are
you, anyway You've got no business in
| this camp, you -thatched citizen.
Get out before we run you out
Sis attention was attracted by the loud
voices Of the boys, and the Deacon looked
That's the Englishman who came
down with u.s." he explained to 81. Hes
snorting, sneering old bull-head, but if
he's as hungry as | was, and no doubt
he is, | pity him. Bring him up here and
give him something to eat. Perhaps this
dinner will make him think better Of
America"
81 called him to the head Of the table.
and provided him with a seat and Il
plate, which he filled with as good as they
had. The Englishman fell to with gustO,
but Col. BOnesteel absolutely ignored his
presence.
Lieut-Col. Dumgilkie also strolled up.
but in spite of his sour and disDutatiOus
tpnnar hn had hnnn A riao ne
long enough to know how to make him
self at home, and he became, without any
comment or remark, n full Sharer in the
good things of the table.
mo, boys" said the Deacon. at last,
I'D like to eat everything that you're
bringing me. and to begin it all over
again. But I'm no camel. with seven
stOmachs. Wish I was for this time 1t
seems to me | never enjoyed meal as
have this. But I've reached my limit
My clothes didn't fit me at all this morn
ing. but now they're tighter'n ever"
No more. my men," said Col Bone
steel. you've been very Kind to your
old commander. and / thank yOu''-
The rest of his remarks We're cut short
by shrill whistles from the ship, calling
them to hurry ON board.
The boys formed a procession to escort
the Deacon on board. with the under
standing that he was to come back to
camp as soon as he could finish his bust
ness i'll Savannah.
II took the transport but an hour to
reach the city, and waiting for it there
was the large. fiorid. side-whiskered Brit
iSh Consul, who was expecting Mr.. Hig-
ginbOttOm. There was anger in his face
and it speedily communicated itself tn
Mr.. HiggnbOttOm's, as the two drew off
to one side and talked wrathfully to-
gether.
The cause of their anger was not diff
ficult to understand. There was in Sayan-
nah at the time of the canture Of the city
81 900 bales Of cotton, then worth about
81 Il pound. The price the year before the
war had been about - cents. The Eng
lish mill-ownerS had been famShing for
cotton during the whole war. and toward
its close the famine had reached almost
the starvation point. Here was an i'm
mense stock that would make any num-
ber of colossal fortunes for those who
might be able to secure it. In fact. there
was n fortune in any slight movement
affecting it. Who really owned the cot
ton it would he impossible 20 say. Ger
tainly q large part belOnged-as far as
anything could belong to an Illegal con
Cern--to the SO-Called Confederate Gov
ernment. 1t was all n lawful prize Of
war TO the United States. When Sher-
man approached Savannah the cunnin..
ones connected with the cotton cOncoctrl
comnlicity with them was the British
Consul, who was quite willing to do a good
turn for the British mill-owncrs. and in
cidentally to lay up a snug nest-egg for
himself. The cotton was to be trans
ferrcd to British owners, and be protect
ed by the British flag. Mr.. Higginbot-
tom represented the ostensible purchasers
of Il great quantity of the cotton mt prices
approXimating those which had obtained
before the war. To secure possession of
this was the object of his hurried trip |
to Savannah. If he could succeed his |
firm would be given an incstimable ad- |
vantage over all competitors. and great |
.rould be the swelling of the bank ac-
counts of the British Consul and of all |
those engaged in the scheme. The news the |
Consul brought to Mr.. HigginbOttom was !
not at all encouraging. for Gen. Sherman |
had contemptuously brushed aside all |
claims to ownership, and put every bale |
of cotton that could be found in the Quar- |
warehouses and under guard. |