The National tribune., 1902-03-27

| Kicked Sandy to make hlin turn over. NC
and him are always being blamed fOI
something we amt done. Army's awful
mean to mules and boys
"A mules bigger fool than ThOmp
SONS colt" Soiloquized 81, rearranging the
| head of the bed. Hell leave corn and
/ oats any time to chaw up tent or suit
o clothes. That's why he's mule. He
lacks sense enough to be a hOss."
An hour later 81 and Shorty were rude
ly awakened by the upper part of theil
| bed being pulled from under their heads
which came down with severe bumps Oh
| the frozen ground.
They sprang up and rubbed their eyes
| TO see two men rushing away with the
valise, and trying as they ran, to Olsen
cumber it of the entanglinG bed-clothes
81 and Shorty yelled some very derOg
| atOry remarks, and started after them
But the frozen ground and the stubs hurt
| the boys feet so much that they made
| little progress, and the thieves seemed
about to get away when they ran against
| Ottcrbein Kramer, who had risen betimes
| to get breakfast. and commend himself Il
his new friends by having a piping-hOi
meal ready for them. He had stirred NJ
the fire, and was coming back from the
| spring with n couple of camp-kettles filled
full Of wafer, and suspended from yoke
on his shoulders.
| He was almost directly in front of the
| thieves. Without moments hesitation
| he flung himself and his two camp-kettleS
Of water directly across their path, and
| there was an instantaneous and very de-
pressing miX-up of cook, thieves, valise
complexities and quantity of very cold
water.
Otterbein Kramer did not stop with this
! While his icamp-kettles were rafting
around the thieves he stretched out his
arms, caught their long hair, and pulled
| their faces down into the cold mud.
''YOu will be midnight robbers-you will
break in and steal. Green Wamus and Fly
blow Jones, in spite of all the admOnitions
| gave you when you first come around,
he hissed, as he soused their faces down
i'll the water. Il told you when | first
caught you here to 90 away and not come
back again, Or it would be worse for you.
Yet you came back a second time, and
now third time. You reprobates, hard
ened in sin.
20, let up, Soapgrease Kramer" replied
one. stop yer damned cantin. Yo' air
pow-wowin' jest TO hear ycrself chatter.
Yo'd heap sight ruther preach than eat,
ary day"
'Soapgrease, ef yo' don't le' go o my
haar, III done kill yQ', so l WILL" threat
encd Green Wamus, sputtering the mud
and water out of his mouth, aud trying to
strike Kramer with his fists.
''SoapgreaSe, what on Goddelmighty'
airth's business is hit o your'n what we
'uns've bin a-dOin':" pleaded Flyblow
Jones. This hain't none o your money.
Hits ourn'n mOre'n anybody else's, 'kazc
we'uns'ye bin watchin' hit, an gyardin'
hit"
'Yes, you seed of Belial:2 answered
Kramer, chugging their faces down in the
mud again, you've been watching it ever
since it came into Lieut.. COsgrove's pos
session to steal it. Now you've deserted
to get it,
have, yerself. yo' bacon-rind butcher"
said Green Wamus. 'We'uns air a-gwine
back to the company when we'uns git
ready"
"We'uns air a-doin' our duty, capturin
this from the Yankees" pleaded F'lyblow
Jones. '.They'uns stole hit from we'uns,
an we'uns is only doin' right stealin' hit
back from they'uns. Le' go o my haar,
do. please"
You scoundrels," said Otcrbein Kra-
mer, tightening his grip on their long hair,
you were bcgotten in sin, and brought
forth in iniquity. You are thieves and
liars at heart, and always will be, until
Satan purges your vile souls with burn
ing birthstone. 1t is your intentions as
well as your act that l abhor. You were
not stealing that money as an act of war,
but for your own miserable selves. You've
been trying to steal it ever since Lieut..
Cosgrove drew it, and then you sneaked
away to steal it from u.s."
'ss?" remarked 81, who had come up
with Shorty, and was looking on. "Kra-
mer's lost no time in enrolling himself"
Great Jehosephat, what a revival
preacher he'll make some day." calculated
Shorty. Wont he just sizzle their souls
with a spout of scarifying words? Won't
he just yank every mothers son up to the
mourner's benchI'
1--WE want to get him called out to Po-
sey County" replied 81. Hes needed
among the Copperheads there
This is the third time you've been
around here tonight" continued Kramer
ished you, the second time | warned you,
and those words having fallen upon the
rocks of unbelief, | am now going to de-
liver you over to the leshly arm. Serg't
Klegg."
Here am, Kramer said 81, stepping
forward and securing Green Wamus,
while Shorty laid hold of E'lyblow Jones.
We'll take care of them, now
Kramer picked up his camp-kettles and
yoke, and started back to the spring for
more water.
You Internal nighthawks.' said Shor-
ty, giving Flyblow Jones a shake; "prowl-
ing around after honest men have gone
to bed, trying to rob them of their hard
earnings"
Don't, Mister" whlned Flyblow. 81
amt to blame. I was only helpin' Green
Wamus." laIl
"You case-hardened villain,' said 81 to
his man. You stole hundred thousand
dollars. You, ought to go to the peniten>
tiary for life"
II hain't no bigger thief than you air."
returned Green Wamus. "Youns done
stole hit from we'uns."
Stole it?" Shorty Indignantly repu-
dated. 1--WE honestly earned every cent
of that money by the toll of our hands
and the sweat Of our brows yesterday.
You never saw men do a harder days
work. A hundred thousand dollars in Con
federate money was only scab wages for
what we done We wouldn't do that again
for anybody for cent less'n 100000.
You ought TO be shot for burglary of poor
workingmen's wages"
20, Mister, you won't shoot u.s." plead
ed Flyblow.
'Shet up said Green Wamus 'They-
'uns don't burst shoot we'uns. We'uns is !
prisoners o war"
Don't know about that exclaimed the |
lawyerlike Monty Scruggs, who had in the |