The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-07-17

BE was a good man and a good soldier
but-he was . private, and he was run
ming against the colonel
The debating society circulated around
among the barbecues and the colonel and
the private made speeches The coIoue
was eloquent bombastic and fowery.
the private deliberate modest. aat
witty. One day at @ great gathering
the colonel got outside OF a few Ions
drinks of the corn and he went into the
craLorical tall timber, He favored lhe
audience with q story of mis- great deed
Ii marching the command across the
creek and back again and thereby scar
Ing lot Of Hessians to death. He
paved the clouds when he got TO the
glorious part the Coufederates PLAYED
IN the history of Gghtiug and took ali
the credit 10 the officers He was cheered
and the people thought it was all over
except counting the votes.
IEeu the. poor private came up. The
people knew he was 9 good soldier. that
ne had served four full wears THOUGH
several times wounded. that ne had
cheeTed and sent back many q poor. rag
Eed, homesick boy. and given up his
scant morseI ard ragged blanket TO d
sick com-aLe many q time They knew.
tee, that he had come back 10 q ruined
home and hopeless neighborhood but
that he had set things going and was
e-ntcently the most useful man in the
county. But he was running against the
colonel
The old boys who knew him best. how
ever. saw . twlnl7Te in his eye that meant
business He wore that sweet smile he
used to wear when lying behind q little
saplias and killing Yankees as fast as
they showed their heads. The crowd was
sorry for the private. but those who knew
the Two men were sorry for the Colonel
Tho private made q good speech on the
issues and told q few good jokes He
closed This way
FoIlow-citizens, I have not spoken CT
ny war record was but an humble
private. and to my knowledge 7 never
changed plan nor set the world afre
q single time. 7 remember now when +
was writing home one day after battle
1 had torn the ragged lining out OF my
coat and was writing TO the widow OF
COUrade 10 tel her she was a widow
II was hard work two ways this writ
ing to woman such q message and IN
such way Up the hill there was
cheering and I heard q voice IN eloquent
speech Il was our gallant friend who
has Just been speaking. I heard him
tell how he had conceived the charge
and borne the weight OF the regiment
and he thanked them for staying with
him When I remember the tumUIt OF
that celebration and realize I had little
part in il. I an resolved 10 no further op-
pose the great and gallant man who did
It all Therefore. men and brethren as
I retire from this stand and this race.
let ne tel YOU story TO illustrate my
feelings on this occasion
In the last fierce fight We were be-
ing beaten back and the victorious en-
envy was rushing up IN ecstacy. Il was
terrible time. but ~ nay despair I
saw star II was the major Of nay
battalion, riding like a god, waving lis
sword and urging the boys 20 stay and
Gle for the South. ! resolved right then
10 follow my leader and do what he
did To that resolution. II that coed
hour. my friends. I owe my life For
when the messenger OF death was bus
lest / sa- my major beat 3 mastery
retreat on foot I followed him, and 10
keep 10 had 20 run like the devil II
We hadn't run VIC would have been
there yet I ran after our friend the
colonel, then. and 7 won't run against
him now"
That was about all from the private
and the last OF the colonel The chill
dren laughed al him. and the next day
he withdrew from the race The pri-
vate made good senator. and Just a
few weeks ago he passed over the
river 10 rest. and TO his reward