The bee. (Earlington, Ky.) 1889-19??, 1902-08-07

It was the evening after one Of
the greatest battles of the rebellion.
The surviving soldiers of the battle
were fatigued, and glad to drop
down almost anywhere to rest.
Those who had been on the reserve
were caring for the dead and wound
ed, and In the hospital tent those
who wore the blue, and those who
wore the gray, were groaning with
the wounds received in battle, and
were being treated by the Union ply
sicIans.
Near the hospital about dozen
Union men were sitting upon the
ground, around a fire of sticks and
limbs, trying to "cook coffee" They
had been to the front all day; vic
tory had been won. They were now
upon the ground that had been occu-
pied by the enemy in the morning.
1t was a victory, but such victory,
and at such cost of human life !!
On the right and on the left, in front
of them and in the rear, could be
seen the dead bodies, dressed in the
uniform of the friend and of the
foe.
They were just taking the coffee
from the fire when a soldier came
up, and discovering that the dozen
men were of his company, said:
"How is it, boys, are you dry?"
Trying to cook our coffee, Ned"
said one of the soldiers, but guess
1t Will be Virginia mud and water
mixed together"
1--WE got something good" the
first speaker, producing his canteen,
which had hung across his sholders.
"What is it?" asked one.
whisky" replied Ned.
YOU'RE trump"
THAT'S jolly"
"That is just the stuff
"That Will revive u.s."
And other expressions of satisfac-
ton and pleasure were made by the
men.
Here, sergeant" said Ned reach
ing the canteen toward a tall, noble
looking fellow who had been silent,
"throw aside your temperance prin-
ciples for once and take a drink"
mot any, Ned, thanks" replied
the one addressed as sergeant.
"Come, now! you have fought like
a tiger all day. You don't know but
what you might have to rally in five
minutes"
True, Ned, but excuse me-"
Not a drop?"
mot DROP"
Say, sergeant" said Ned, "It it is
agreeable to the boys, we will ad-
journ the drink for five minutes and
you tell us how you came to be such
an Internal advocate of temperance.
II second the motion" said anoth-
er soldier.
"And SO do II"
"And tool"
"Well, boys" said the sergeant,"I
will tell you. 1t is short story,
and therefore soon told. When L
was 10 had to leave school, owing
to the death of my father. 1 came
home to help my mother, who need
Ell me. My father had been a pros
porous farmer. He had that frugality
and sturdy industry cteristic of
the Vermont farmers. My mother 1
always considered the most hand
some woman on earth, at least she
appeared SO to me and as a mother
there never was one better.
"After my father had been dead
about year somehow acquired
passion for hunting, fishing, and es-
cooning. There was nothing
that delighted me so much as it did
to take my dogs and go out with
some of the neighboring boys and
bring home number of coons. One
night, three of our neighbors came
to our house after me. They thought
they had found new placs-a corn
field-where there was plenty of
game. NEEDED no urging. kissed
my mother good bye, told her that L
would not be late, called my dog,
and away we went.
II drank some whisky and on my
return reeled and staggered around
the yard little in vain attempt
to find the steps to the house. L
stumbled over something, fell down