Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-01-27
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
The Man in
= y the Middle


"That was the proudest moment OF
my life" said Summers at the gather
ing of Confederate veterans.
What moment?' asked Nenable.
THE moment when General Lee re-
ferred to me in fiattering terms, which,
1 confess. 1 did not deserve
What? General Lee referred to you?
| When? How
1T was during the fighting before
Richmond. One night just before taps
lighted fire and was making some
coffee
Coffee? Chicory. you mean. We had
no coffee" interrupted Nenable.
Il say coffee. and l mean coffee"
where did you get it?'
in a Yankee camp we had walked
over during the day. Well, as l was
saying. just as the coffee began to emit
its delicious odors the sergeant called
out. Summers. you're wanted And
YOU And you. speaking to different
men of our company"
Il was there" said Venable. Il re-
member perfectly. He called me too"
There were dozen of u.s." SUM-
mers went OH, assembled in an or
chard'-
"Yes, an apple orchard. Well, the
sergeant ordered us to fall in and
marched us to the coloners headquar-
tiers. The officer of the guard was
there with several of his men and
among them a fellow don't know
who he was. but he didn't belong to
our company or to the regiment. The
colonel looked us over, and we were
taken, the stranger along with us, to
General Lee"
"And drawn up in line before his
tent" put in Venable, 1.-The stranger
between you and me-"
"I have forgotten about the stran-
ger" Summers went on, but / remem-
Der that General Lee came out and
looked at us as if searching for some
one Presently his eye lighted on me,
and he said:
THAT'S the man. 1 wish / had
dozen like him. 1 could use them ALL
with that he went back into his
tent. and we were marched to camp"
do you mean to tell me-" said Ven
able, that all these years you have
thought the general referred to your"
"Of course he did"
"Why. he not only looked at me, but
he pointed at me-"
"You:"
eyes. l."
"Well. now, l like that. Whatever
put it into your stupid nCGdle that he
referred to yOu?"
Because shortly before 1 had been
detailed as his orderly. and when l
left him he commended me for my
faithful attention"
And l had held his horse under fire
while he climbed to an eminence to
get look at the enemy. l tell YOU
it was hot down there in the hollow,
the shells shrieking over my head"
Summers got up from his chair and
stall,cd about. with his hands in his
pockets. glarinS like Il tiger.
I'm sorry to destroy the illusion of
Il lifetime" remarked Venable. but
truth is mighty and must prevail"
1.-The egotism of some people if fired
at an enemy would have more effect
than u machine gun
The self esteem of others is worse
than charge of dynamite"
At this moment Il white headed man
entered. The veterans made him well
come. placing a glass before him. He
filed his pipe and sat smoking in that
stolid fashion especially 10 be noticed
among the German people.
We're glad you've come. Mark
heim,' said one of the assembled vet
Grams, mot only because we love our
enemy, but we needed some one to
stop a wrnnglc between Summers and
Nenable.'
Vat. wrangle:" asked the old man.
''I'Il state the case. and you, being a
Union veteran and consequently inn
partial. may be able. to decide between
them"
"Vell. go on"
zone night when we were fighting
Mcclellan before Richmond, Summers
and Venable were marched with
squad of a dozen men to General Lees
tent. They were drawn up in line. The
general looked them over and said:
That's the man. l wish had n dozen
like him. / could use them Az Sum
mers claims that the general referred
to him, since he had served him faith
fully as orderly. Venable claims the
honor, since he had held the generals
horse under fire. Which is right?"
"Neider Sheneral Lee point to me- l
vas der man in der middle"
You the man in the middle" cried
Summers. What We're you doing
there?"
81 vas a spy"
"a spy cried the company in a
breath. Tell us about it,
You See" said Marlxheim, II vas a |
young Teller shust come from Sherma-
ny, und didn't know vat TO do ven l |
got to dis country so 1 vent into der /
Union army. Won day my captain dells |
me Sheneral Mcclellan wants a man
to go to Richmond to see how many OF /
you fellers dere vas 1 CONT, und 1 see
Lee, und talks NIT him. Den
vas arrested. Sheneral Lee vas
ferry conscientious man und Wouldn't
ldanfifv mo rrnIocC bo could Ilfal- mo |