The National tribune., 1902-03-20

seeded, and | had expected that that
would be my last trip. But the State
authorities seized her. and never let her
get away. | was cooking on her when
Farragut took New Orleans, and she car
ricd Mansfield Lowell and his staff up the
river, when he was running away from
the gunboats. When they burned her
they impressed all of her crew into the
army. Some of the boys made big strikes
to get away They have been keeping it
up ever since. as / hear from time to
time. Some have even killed the men
sent after them. The Second Mate was
shot for deSertion. at COrinth, to scare the
others. | believe in suffering a great deal
of wrong rather than do 4 little. l got
to cooking, first for one headquarters
mess and then another, which kept me
far in the rear all the time. and | saw no
chance to get away. | was with GOvan's s
Brigade. and when it was captured at
JOueSbOro / was out Of business. The
Conscript officers got after me again, but
just would not take muSket. They
prosecuted me and used me despitefully
but | told them they were wasting their
time and effort. | simply never would
fire n gun at fellow human being. Final
ly Lieut.. Cosgrove. the Commssary in
charge of this section, and who is a gen.
nine Christian, though he is too ready to
shed blood, came across me, and had me
transferred to him. | have tried to do
my duty by him, and prepared the dinner
which you have Just eaten. 1 saw the
fight from the brow of the hill, and some
thing within me whispered that the day
Of my deliverance had come. | saw Lieut..
COsgrove fall. and | hone that he waS
not killed. though the Bible says that they
who draw the sword shall perish by the
sword. He is good. upright man, de-
snite the error of his ways in some
things, and has been very kind to me-
81 think he was only wounded" said
ST, "and possibly not severely
Il should like to go to him, and take
care of him." said the man.
'.Well see if that can be d0ne," said
81. I'D like TO do all I can for him. Poor
fellow. I'll go back there and see about
him What is your nameT
"Otterbein Kramer" answered the
well, Kramer, you weren't in the fight
against us at all. were you?'
mo; l wasn't in the fight. and 1 never
was in one, except once. when some cav
airy rushed our camp. | got out then as
quickly as l could. When / saw you
working your way through the cypress
top | felt that 2 fight was coming on,
and / snatched a moment from my work
to retire into the bushes and pray, as
always did when l saw a fight appear
inE"
What did you pray for?"
81 always prayed first that the sins
might be forgiven those who should be
killed in battle, and that the wicked and
should be saved from eternal
damnation. Then / prayed for the sue
cess of the Union soldiers"
"Humphw snOrted Shorty. "Fd "a
turned that prayer around and left off
half of it. Don't you bother about wicked
and unprepared rebels. They don't get
a cent more than is coming to them, and
hell isn't hot enough for some that are
sent there"
'They are afl Gods children" said
Kramer gently. ''The passions and Bit
terness of these years are not seconds
length in the ceaseless roll of His ages.
| doubt not that He long ago forgave
even those who crucified His son on
Mount Calvary"
''Well, don't feel near as sore against |
the rebels just this minute as 1 did an
hour OF two ago." answered Shorty. |
Dinner has mellered me n good DEAL |
Probably, some day, after I've bin con- |
yerted and joined church, and had !
mighty good dinner, 1 may favor Satan's
giving the decenter rebels good conduct |
TO come up into the back lots |
Of Hea.en. but in general / think he |
ought to make his place hotter, and keep |
a strong guard on it, especially on them
who had charge of US at Andersonyille."
when Lieut.. Cosgrove gathered up his
men to attack us in flank" asked 81.
why didn't he bring you along?"
81 was afraid he would try it, and
retired into the bushes to pray" said the
man Kramer quietly. Pete and the
ones started to laugh at this frank
lvowal, but were checked by 81 and Shor-
-y's quiet acceptance of the entire truth
IF the mans story.