The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-02-02


Tom struggled to his feet and met them
at the door.
Come right into my palace, boys I've
seen some fine places in my time, but
this is the handsomest one l ever set
eyes on. Now, Annie, put the big pot in
the little one and don't stand back for
expenses. Let's have dinner these
fellers IL never forget"
1t was a feast they never forgot. Toms
wife had raised a brood of early
chickens, and managed to keep them
from being stolen. She killed four of
them and cooked them as only Southern
woman knows how. She had sweet pota-
toes carefully saved in the mound against
the kitchen chimney. There were turnips
and green's and radshes, young onions
and lettuce and hot born dodgers fit for
a king; and in the centre of the table
she deftly fixed a pot of wild flowers
/ little Annie had gathered. She did not
tell them that it was the last peck of
potatoes and the last pound of meal
This belonged to the morrow. Today
they would live.
They laughed and joked over this
splendid banquet and told stories OF
days and nights of hunger and exhaus-
ton, when they had filled their empty
stomachs with dreams of home
Miss Camp, you've got the best hus-
band in seven States, did you know that?"
asked one of the soldiers, a mere boy.
"Of course she'll agree to that, sonny."
laughed Tom
We'll it's so. If it hadn't been for
film, Nam. we'd a been peggin along
somewhere way up in Virginny stead o.
bein so close to home. You see he let
us ride his boss mile and then he'd
ride a mile. We took it turn about and
here we are"
Tom how in this world did you get
that horse?" asked his wife.
Honey, l got him on my good looks
said ne with wink "You see / was
settin out there in the sun the day o.
the surrender l was sorter crying and
wondering how I'd get home with that
stump of wood instead of foot, when
along come chunky neavy set Yam
kee General, looking as glum as though
his folks had surrendered instead Of
Marse Robert. He saw me, stopped,
looked at me mirute right hard and
says Where DO you live?"
Way down in ole Moth Caliny," I
says, AT Hambrght, not far from
, Kings Mountain"
How are you going to get homer"
says he.
God knows, I don't, General. / got
wife and baby down there ] amt seed
fer nigh four years, and / want to see
EN- so bad l can taste en- l was lookin'
the other way when l said that. fer was
purity well played out, and feelin' weak
and watery about the eyes, an I didn't
want no Yankee General to see water in
my eyes.
He called a Teller to him and sorter
snapped out to him, Go bring the best
horse you can spare for this man and
give it to him."
Then he turns to me and seed l was
all cho<ed UP and couldn't say nothin'
and says
I'm General Grant. Give my love to
your folks when you get home. I've
known what it was to be a poor white
man down South myself once for awhile"
God bIes you, General / thanks you
from the bottom of my heart" / says as
quick as | could find my tongue, III it
had to be surrender I'm glad it was to
| such a man as you"
lie never said another word, but just
So ole woman, you know the reason /
named that boss, General Grant" 1t
may be / have seen finer bosses than that
one, but | couldn't recolect anything
about EN- on the road home"
Dinner over, Toms comrades rose and
looked wistfully down the dusty road,
leading southwark
We'll. Tom, ole man, we gotter be CT
uoVin' !" said the older of the two sol
diers We're powerful oblecged to you
fur helpin' us along this fur"
"All right, boys, you'll find yer train
standin' On the side o the track catiu'
grass. Jes climb up, pull the lever and
let her go.
The mems faces frightened, their lips
tw!tched They looked at Tom. and
then at the old horse They looked
down che long dusty road stretching over
CONTINUED on Page ll)