Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1902-07-24

WNQ0SCN would give us the use
,0S/$@IAN of a road by which we
NNNI%hM might increase our ca
= pacity for threatening
the enemy. All the nAterial, even to
the flooring, was to lH cut from the
woods near the little river.
The first two days of this work would
have been very happy ones to me but
for n single circumstance. All day long
there wandered among us the farmer
who owned the young pine forest from
which we were cutting our timber, and
his face looked as if his family were
dying one by one, with no doctor or
medicine within reach. Had he lost
his temper and sworn at us we could
have got rid of him and our uncomtort-
able feelings, but he was a gentle, slow
spoken. tired looking man, like the
American fulln,. oc "i"'e-+ "nv "thn"
state and he told us how he had Deen
SAVING that bit Of woods from the tlhe
no married. so that the timber upon II
sbould pay for educating his sons Wheh
they grew up and also to give hlllsell
and his wife little money win Wilich
to SC something of the world after the
boys married and the farm was divided
between them. Now it all was being
swept away and without a word of
warning or a cent of pay.
'Wcll, sir" said our captain kindly,
I'm awfully sorry for you, but it's one
Of the fortunes Of war. \ full hair or
my company are young men who ought
to be in college or learning some busl-
ness by which to live and perhaps pro-
vide for their parents later years; but,
so far as their own future is concerned,
their time is being wasted about as
thoroughly as your property"
81 suppose that's true" said the
farmer, looking around at the men at
work. you've got some likely looking
young fellows. But that don't give me
back my trees"
Every WELL" said the captain, "the
government will pay you the full value
of your trees if you will certify and
prove that you are and always have
been a true and loyal citizen of the
United States and have never given aid
or comfort to the enemy"
The farmer stopped looking gentle
and tired as he replied:
1--WE given the Confederacy my three
sons, and I'm proud Of it."
That's square honest talk" said the
captain, but it brings US back to the
fortunes of war again"
Il didn't bring on the war" said the
farmer.
Il believe YOU" said the captain.
II only went with my state" contin-
ued the farmer "GOd knows | never
wanted any war; neither did any of my
neighbors, except a loafer or two"
"'Twas the same way with me and
my neighbors," said the captain. Il
suppose if we on our side and you on
your side had been more particular
about the men we sent to congress and
to the legslatures-if we had thought
more of our country and less of our
party, there wouldn't have been any
war"
"There's right smart lot of sense in
that" said the farmer after moments
reflection. Then he looked sad eyed
and continued, But it doesn't give me
back my trees"
As the farmer wandered away l Of
fered the captain an argument or two
which seemed to me first class clinches
OF the rightfulness of his position, hut
he smiled sadly and replied;
IT'S of no use my boy, TO fuss over
n mans head when his hearts turned
upside down"
But began.
''Oh, go back to your Az" interrupt
ed the captain. ANY logic that have
l need for use upon myself. If you
live through the war and have n farm
and family of your own some day
and look back to this particular time,
you'll probably believe that Pm about
as unhappy over this work as the
farmer is at his loss"
l was made so wretched for two days
by this sad eyed farmers manner that
| tried to devise ways of escaping it.
1t wasn't long before | found one
Many Of our logs had to be fOated to
the point where we were maSSing the
timber preparatory for use, and it was
not easy for men walking along the
shore with long poles in their hands to
prevent an occasional log from drift
ing out Of reach and escaping US en-
tirely. / suggested to the captain that
a single rowbOat or a skiff would help
us greatly, and the captain agreed with
me, but wanted to know if had never
heard that for military reasons all
boats on streams in a fighting country
Were destroyed.
'If southern boys are as smart as
northern boys" said l, 81 guess a boat
or two escaped and lie hidden away in
the bushes somewhere along the
shore"
| couldn't forget how many times |
had stumbled over boats while roam
ing along the edge Of creeks and ponds
not far from our village up north.
VERY well" said the captain, with an
odd smile 'if that is true and northern
boys are as smart as southern boys,
you may go and find one of those boats.
Take two OF three men with you. Don't
go without carbines And be in a hur-
ry about it. We do need a boat"
Hurrah! Here was to be an outing
that would bring back a taste Of old
times | wasn't long in selecting my
party. Brainard almost danced with
joy when ] asked him to come along,
and two other fellows about as old as
we begged to go with us. Just before
we started the captain handed ne a
canteen of whisky, telling me not to
use any unless some one fell into the
water, in which case | was to dose him
frequently a few swallows at a time.
We were on the search within n quar-
ter OF an hour, and felt year yOun-
ger in each successive five minutes.
Blessed be nature. There isn't much
Inference 'twiXt north and south as to
the underbrush and dry leaves along
the banks of small streams during
winter. II was almost as jolly a trip
as if we were out chestnutting in the
woods about Summerton. Once in
awhile we would Startlp n snuirrpl and