The National tribune., 1902-06-05

and shiyering.
Great Scott" calculated ST." how
, much colder Southern rain is than North
ern snow. There's more freeze IN ever.
drop of this, than in whole snOw-drif
at home"
Yes echoed Shorty: ''they serve VI
their frcst-bites wet down here. keaci
further that way"
las if there wasn't already waite
enough in this soggy, alligator swamp
that reaches from Christmas to DoomS
day." continued the Disguised 81. AND
it looks as if if had set in for regular
spell If it has the army'n have to swim
into Columby. Can never get there a-foo
or hossback."
That must be Leesville over there,
said Shorty, pointing through the dreary
shower to an aggregation of dingy houses
soaked roofs and cheerless sheds. That
looks enough like a rundown barnyard to
be Il South CarOliny town, and be named
after Robert Il. Lee"
"rThe worst punishment 1 wish him,
said ST. shifting his pOncho. so that a
small river rolled down his horses Hanks,
lis that he may have TO live in that Hard,
Iluckvllc all the rest of his life, with 1t
raining all the time just as it is now"
I'VE ought to be striking some pickets
somewhere. about this time remarked
Shorty, indifferently, as he raised his car
bine and wiped off some of the supertuous
water. I'VE hain't bin shot at for 50
long that it's getting monotonous. We
amt likely to get into Leesvilie without
somebody raising objections
..Pirkets We likely sunk into the mud,
said Pete, making ready his carbine. No
body but Yankees we got sand enough to
stand picket such Il day as this. Mayn t
me and Sandy ride forward and see!'
$50 ahead" said ST. But be very
careful. you young rats. You can't see
morc'n rod or two through these
showers. Don't let any Johnny get the
drop on you
Get the drop on u.s. jeered Pete.
What re we doing but getting drops on
us by the bushel! Few more won't hurt.
But the rebels won't, all the same
They can't see us further than we can
| see them through this rain. that's sure,
counseled the practical Sandy, as they
rode forward through the deep mud and
the splasliing pools.
| No mud. nor rain, nor swirling creeks
could discourage the eager boys. who fe!f
the honor of having the advance.
| They rode single file. to pick out any
possible backbone of solid ground in the
morass into which the rain had converted
the wretchcd road.
| Abednegos trim. nimble. certain hOofs
carried him 100 yards ahead of Sandy S
! hcavier-fOCted horse, and brought PETE out
| into Il clear space atithe edge of Il creek,
now suddenly swollen to a width of 30
yards. y
Pete was startled at coming out into
plain view of five or six rebels on the OPP
posite bank. not half-pistoi shot away; but
he reined up Abednego, and brought down
his carbine, to takel Il good look before
falling back. Fl
IF they hain't shot me SO far mebbe
they'll wait a minute longer" he COM
muned with himself.
He saw that the picket post had been
near the edge Of the creek, and been
driven back by the rapid rise of the wa
ter. which had caught their blankets. cook
ing utensils. and personal belongings.
They were now SO intent upon rcscuinS
these that they had not noticed Pete's ar
rival or had else mistaken him for
rebel. They were wading around in the
water, fishing their things out, and wiring
ing the water from blankets and counter
panes, and re-establishing their abiding
place ON higher ground. under a shack
made of rails thrown across Il fence-cor-
ner, and covered with rice straw.
4 man. probably the Corporal in
charge. and distinguished By wearing over
his shoulders gorgeous quit with
thistle in vivid green and red. was
hustlng around, fretfully directing the
man who was weariedly carrying loads of
wet straw to complete the roof, the
slouching clay-eater who was trying to
rouse up the fire against the sheets OF
rain. and the men who were fishing their
goods and chattes from the rush Of mud
dy water.
Accompanying these were wheeZy and
steady protests by the speaker against the
gross misnanagement Of everything with
in his nowledge-celestial, terrestrial,
military, meteorological, political, religious,
social, and economic. Nothing in the
heavens or the earth, or the waters I'M
der the earth, seemed to be going as it
should, or would if nc had the directing of
it.
Gosh, Hold Banbury," he shouted
wheeZily at the man carrying the rice
STRAW: ''do git some motion into them
Eastwood laigs of yOur'n. You move as
il yer kindeys d got down inter yer feet.
The rain'il wash uS clean away, afore you
git huff straw thar to kivver yer own
mouth. What in creation the Lord ever
makes SIGH do-less creatures fer, is more'n
kin tell. If steer or hog didn't have
no more git-up he'd starve ter death in a
week. An my anna gittin' wuss an
wuss, every minute, 'kase | hain't no
shelter in sich a storm as this 'un. What
in blaZes makes hit rain this-a-way fer,
anyhow? Never knowed hit to rain so
afore. Hits all on count o this internal
war. What'd ole Jeff. Davis an his crew
ever git up this war fer, anyhow? Here,
Snipes, amt you ever gwine to git that
thar fire started? What ails ye? Think
they'll be as slow gittin' fire under you,
when you git whar y're bound, an whar
| wish you was this minute? Start at hit, |
| tell you. My feet's freezin' often me. |
What's the sense of soljerin' in Winter,
anyhow? Who started hit? Hit didn't
have nothin' to 90 with the Fugitive
Slave Law.
Say, Bud Sherlock, why don't you 60 |
up thar an feel round fer that kittle?
Don't you know that we cant git any dim |
nnr, onless you find hit? S'pose we kin
bile our yams in yer shirt? Afearcd o
the cold water,) air you? Well. l didn'. |
chill the water, did, 1? Am l gwine to
lose my dinner 'kase you're tender to
frost bites? Not il the court knows her
self, and she thinks she do. Blame ole
frog-eatin' Borygard. fer lettin the
Yankees git through this fur Why didn't |
he shet 'cm up in Savanny till Spring, an |
let us stay at home till the suckers was !
runnin'. But he would have war, couldn't |
git along mother day without hit, an here
we air, ketchin' our death o cold every
minute, an starving to death into the bar
gain. Sap Bolster. onless you wade down
the branch an find that thar meat not n
mouthful do you git to eat. The meals
already gone, an that's the last of the
meat onless you find hit. The Lord sends
His rains, an He sends vituals. Why