The National tribune., 1902-11-06


vises . Way Of Getting Them Home.
''Sny, don't say aoword to the Old Man
about what all there is in those wagons. ="
said the Adjutans. after 81 and Shorty
had revealed to him what they had con-
cealed under the fodder. AT least not
yet. Let me have time to think"
why, it's all the straightest kind of
capture" protested 81. The Colonel
can't have any sort of scruples about it.
F'irS, place, it was out there in the woods
under guard, and we captured the guard.
We had either to leave it there for some
one else to pick up or bring it along our
selves. OF course, we brought it. Next,
! 1t belonged to thief who had stolen it
from the Southern Confederacy, which
never owned it."
70, yOn needn't argue with me-" said
the Adjutant. "a hundredth part of
your reasons would be enough and plenty
for me. You know I've never been the
least bit squeamish about taking anything
wanted. If you'd snatched that right
ont OF one of the houses of these aiistO-
Gratis who lighted this secession hell-fire.
ld've praised you, and backed You up to
the last breath. But it's different with
the Old Man. While he's the very
best soldier in Sherman's army, and n
nObler man never lived. he has some kinks
that pass the understanding. One is that
this war is wholly an act of self-sacrifice,
from which he must receive no benefit
whatever. He expects to come out of it
poorer than he went in. and gives all his
pay away except what is absolutely neces-
sary for his decent support"
We'll, the war isn't what you'd call Il
fat job for any of u.s. said Shorty, but
don't think it's treating Providence right
not to take things He throws in our way,
especially when they belong TO rebels"
''Of course, the Colonel is right in his
way of thinking" said 81. with reader ui-
derStanding of his superior's spiritual ex-
aitatioB. Il wouldn't for the world make
any money out of this war. | couldn't I
have the heart to shoot at Il man if / had
the least thought of being in the war for
any profit. But this stuff has been thrown
directly at our heads. We didn't go out
TO get it. but to do our duty as soldiers.
and found this robbers booty where he'd
lost it. We'd never give it back to him
even if we could find him
Not as long as he was an inch high,
nteriected Shorty.
We wanted you and the Colonel to
have it for yourselves continued 81.
You have been mighty good to us. and
it's nothing that really belongs to the
army. The Quartermaster has no rsI-
ness with it. It's like so much driftwood,
that don't belong to nobody except him
who catches il"
''As l tcld you before you needn't waste
Adjutant. ANY old reason will go with
me for confiscating anything from the
rebels for the usd and benefit of men
fighting for the Union. I'm the easiest
man conviDced on, that head you ever
saw. My only compiaint is that we don't
get half enough, nor they lose one-hun-
dredth part what they deserve to-"
Y'Tn nj ri
Adj" said Shorty, land we've got in
there the loveiiest 6ntfit that ever made
your eyes dance. > It's just the thing for
that house that You're going to fit up for
Aunt Minerva Ann
..Cesar's ghost. I'm just itching to see
it." said the Adjntaht. Il know that
when you boys say that it's uncommon, it
must be mighty uhcofnmon..'
"Why won't the Colonel take to it, the
same as yon dor fiquired 81, who was
| so fond of his superiot officer that the most
of the pleasure of the capture was the
anticipation of presenting it to him.
"Well, the Colonel's the Colonel and
that is all there is of it Might as well
ask why l am not like the Colonel, or the
Colonel like me. If one man could be as
good as the Colonel and as smart as | am,
either Billy Sherman would lose his job,
OF Abe Lincoln would take him into his
Cabinet"
"Or if he could have as many freckles
as 81, with my fresh, innocent beauty,
laughed Shorty.
s.If that stuff was turned over to the
Colonel" said the Adjutant. you couldn't
make him believe that he or anyone in the
| regiment had the slightest right to a par
ticle of it. He is likely to turn it over to
the first Quarterma ster he can find, or sell
it for the benefit Of the hospitals, or give
| it away to the first squad of negroes he
| finds that need shelter"
| 81 and Shorty shuddered at these pOssi-
biities.
consequently, we II not let him know,
at least for the present, that you have
| brought in anything more than couple
loads of common forage" continued the
| Adjutant "You drive the wagons over
there into those cedars, and send the
darkies off with the mules to get their sup
pers somewhere, while we look over the
loads. You take out the forage, and pile
| it. and get your own suppers, while put
| in an appearance at headquarters, and
| find something for the Colonel to do. or
send him off somewhere, to keep him en-
ployed for n couple of hours"
| They drove into cedar cove, encircied
on all sides by thick. high brush, with
only narrow opening, found Otterbein
Kramer and set him to work cooking sup
per, built a fire of bright fat pine to give
them light, set Pete and Sandy on guard
at the opening, to keep out intruders, and
piled the forage up TO increase the OBJ
structions to the view.
'Shorty, l don't like it one bit that the
Colonel amt going to get this stuff, said
81, as they sat apart by themselves at
supper. "The biggest part of the fun of
getting it was to give it to him."
"Same here, ST. The Adjutant is one of
the incest fellows that ever lived, but
where he's an ounce the Colone's pound
| everywhere and all the time"
| Il say, let's
Before ST could formulate his sentence,
the Adiutant hurrying back, broke in,
Its all right boys. The Colonel has
been invited to attend Il council at Corps
HEADQUARTERS, and he'll not be back much
before midnight. Now, let's have look
at those things"
The effervescent Adjutant could not re-
strain his expressions of astOnishment
and admiration rs one after another of
the rich and costly, articles were taken out
and laid on blankets in front Of the bright
Great Cesar's, ghost" he exclaimed,
lingering lovingly each article that was
brought out, "it looks like you had cap
tured the Queen Of Sheba's train on her
way to King Solomon, with presents from
the Land of Ophir. | never saw 80 many
fine things in my life, and I've been
%These papers show" said Monty, who
could not wait until he had finished his
supper to resume his examination of them,
but sat with them in his lap and cup
of coffee in his hand, that some Of those
| bropza fuuras ond Her things were nres-