The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-06-19
otterbsin Kramer Catches Up. and the Boys
Have Good Brsakfast-Starting for Col
umbia by Water.

done so then had not the rain been sue
ceeded by a bitter northeastern, which
quickly covered all the shalower pools and
standing water with thin skim of ice,
and stung the sleepers into wakefulness.
The first aroused was ALI Russell,
whose fine nervous organization made him
particularly sensitive to the cold. His bodi-
ly heat had not been sufficient to dry thor
oughly even those of his clothes next to
his skin, and he was very uncomfortable.
as soon as he was enough awake to I'M
derstand it.
He poked together the embers Of the
dying fire, threw on some light, dry stuff
he found in the boat, and warmed his
chilled little hands. He arranged some Of
the blankets on his sleeping comrades. and
then routed out his bunky-Monty
Scruggs-to 20 with him on to the bank
for a load OF wood for the fire. Monty
was not Alf's regular bunky, but Harry's.
He and Harry had had, however, a scrap
of much more than usual anger the night
before, on account Of a disagreement be-
tween their tired horses, during which
Harry pounded Monty's horse with his
carbine. The constant scraps between the
boys over purely personal matters were
always made up very soon after, and GER
tainly before they went to bed. But to
strike another's horse was very serious
matter.
Monty had retorted by blow at Harry
with his carbine barrel, which-was anoth-
er serious matter, as they always settled
their difficulties with their fists, but the
further progress Of the fight had been
stopped by 81 and Shorty catching hold
of both and shaking them. Therefore,
when it came to settling down for the
night Monty, for the first time since his
enlistment. took his blanket and lay down
with gentle, kindly ALI Russell, while
Harry turned in with Gid Mackall. equal
ly placid. gentle and accommodating.
If ALI had known his bed-fellow better
he would not have expected him to arise
for the plebeian duty of getting wood for
the fire. He would have frozen first.
Monty felt the buildings Of genius within
him so strongly as to loathe and avoid the
more common and humble duties. He
would march, fight, ''orate" and spout
rs much as anyone required, but he felt
quite above almost everything else. Harry
felt much the same way about everything
else than drilling and martinez perform
ance of sOldierly duties. The result was
that their tent was always the least pre-
sentabe in the squad, and many Of the
fights between the boys resulted from
quarrcis as to getting wood and water,
putting up the tent, cooking, dishwashing.
to Alf's urgency by grunting and turning
over to wrap around him the portion Of
the blankets which ALI had vacated.
"Come, Monty, please get up, and we'll
bring in big load of wood and have big
fire to make the boys comfortable. They
may catch their death of cold.'
Monty gave little kick to bring the
blankets better around his feet, turned on
his side. and began snoring.
Next the lean, lathy Gid Mackall awak-
ered. Hunger would have aroused him II
the cold had not. for he had already gone
much longer without eating than he was
accustomed.
"Come ont and help me bring in some
wood, Gid" asked ALI.
Cant till I get something to eat" an
swered the shivering boy, looking around
for his coffee-pOt. "You know l never
can do any work on an empty stomach,
and feel now as if hadn't eaten any
thing for whole week. My. how my
bones ache, and how cold it is"
Aft shook Harry, who was as unrespon-
sive as Monty, and, like him, responded
by rolling himself up in the part of the
blankets Gid had left. ALI kicked Pete
and Sandy to wake them. but he might
as well have touched logs, so soundly
sleeping We're they. He was too much in
awe of ST. Shorty. Tom and Abe to arouse
hem, ard 50 he went ashore alone to gath
pr up n load of dry limbs and chunks. He
wandered up near the road in search of
fuel and there saw, shivering in the cold
blast, Otterben Kramer, riding very
tired horse and leading an equally tired
mrlc, with the squads kitchen furniture.
Kramer seemed almost falling from his
seat in sheer exhaustion.
"Hcllo. Kramer" shouted ALT; where
in the world did you come rrom?'
'.Gracious alive. Have I found you Mt
aSt?" exclaimed Kramer, Strengthening up
visibiv in his gladness. I've had almost
the Pilgrims Progress in my search for
rou. I'll never let you get so far away
from me again as long as I'm alive. I've
lust the awfullest time. and I'd never
found you in the world il it hadn't been
for Lieut.. Shad Graham, who was sure
hat You had left the ford, and he knew
you would push forward for this creek.
because that was the next point to be
gained, and Scrg't Klegg was certain to
make for it, But even then / should never
have found you, but gone on by you, had
it not been for very profane, but still
good-hearted man named Lam
bert. whom | run across helping one of his
sick comrades up to where there was shell
ter and warm fire. My. how unneces-
sarily he swore at almost everything. He
was as bad as some men / heard back
imong the rebels. With shocking bias
phemy he asked me where in eternal
blaZes ] was moping to with my one-mule
train, and if l was too dumb
% know that the rebels We're only little
ways out, with n free ticket for me to
A ndersonville or its next-door neighbOr-
hell. l finally got an opportunity to tell
him who I was, and whom l was looking
u toll wa fn bn nn1I
come back and show me where you were.
by this time, and wild to have me come
back"
The prospect Of being able to return to
his duties and be of service to his com
rades seemed to take away every bit of
Kramer's fatigue. He had jumped from
his horse at the sight of All, and was now
talking eagerly and rapidly.
''Indeed they are" answered Alf. 1--WE
Just come ont to gather up n little wood
to make n fire to warm the hOys up, and
boil some coffee for them. They had an
awful hard night. and are tired almost to
Death"
They'll come out all right when I've
got 'cm a good breakfast" said Kramer,
in hopeful anticipation. Il know them.
One of my breakfasts will make new men
IF them. Let's 20 to them at once"
His practiced eye fell upon large
chunk of fat pine which had resisted the
awful soaking of the past two days. He
wrenched it loose from its hold on the
other wood. laid it across his saddle and
followed ALI, who was loaded down with
MI that he could carry of whatever he saw
That was likely to burn readily.
At the boat Kramer seized an AK, and
with few skillful blows split the fat pine
,s.,h . he aa,