The National tribune., 1902-09-04

"Ah, thank the Lord exclaimed Kra-
mer. Providence provides. The right
| eOus need never despair. The boys shall
have a splendid supper tonight"
| Pete and Sandy looked doubtful. and
Pete muttercd something about taking
rebel leavings.' but they were very hun
| cry. They all rode forward rapidly to the
road, and TO the neighborhood of the
Union camps. where they halted and es-
| tablished their own in the best place they
could find near the road. While Pete and
Sandy gathered fuel, made fire, and be-
gan the erection of shelter. Kramer skin
ned the heads. broke them up with an AK,
and put them in the kettle TO boil. He
then cleaned his stock peas as well as he
could, and poured them into the vigorously
| boiling water. Gen. Sherman gave him IA
quick glance as he rode by, asked him
sharply where he belonged. then recog-
| nized him the cook who had served
him in the morning. and told him the rest
of the squad would be along presently,
and rode on. Col Dayton flung over a
question as to how Kramer had managed
to get there so soon, but did not wait for
an answer. as he passed on after his inn
patient chief
An hour or so later ST and the rest
/ came jogging along, very tired, very hun
cry. very muddy. and very much discour-
aged ut the outlook. They had wasted
much time in looking around for Kramer
| and the rest, after getting through the
swamp. and much against their will had
been made to believe that they had been
turned back by the difficulties of the
passage.
81 and Shorty were gloomiIy discussing
| what they were going to do for the night,
| and on the point of deciding that they
must throw themselves on the hospitality
of the troops ahead for cup of coffee
and hardtack, when Pete's shrill voice
hailed them from the gathering mist and
darknes of the roadside with:
Here. Serg't Klegg. Corp1 Elliott,
come in here. We've been waiting for
you. We've got supper most ready, and
a bully supper, too-beefheads and mig
ger peas-regular old Andersonville peas.
but tell you they look and smell as nice
as anything l ever knew"
Kramer had picked out the larger pieces
| of bone as the flesh separated from them,
and boiled the whole mass down to a
| strong. rich pOttage, for which there is
nothing better than the dark, coarse pea
of the Southern fields.
By the time the horses were unsaddled
and rubbed down. and the boys had wash
ed their faces and hands, the mess was
done, and once more it seemd that they
had never tasted anything so good in their
whole lives
They had scarcely begun to eat, when
they heard Gen. Sherman's voice: 1--WE
come back here. men, he said, ito see
if you have another cup of coffee that you
can give Dayton and me. 1 find that only
| n few of our people have reached camp
out here. and they haven't thing to eat,
nor won't have until their wagons get up.
| They pushed on hard to get to this point,
but'll have to go hungry tonight. as they
lost everything in their haversacks in
crossing the creek back apiece. We don't
want to impose upon you, unless you have
| plenty
I'VE not only have plenty Of coffee for
you. General, and welcome" answered
81, Hospitality, "but we have lots of some
| thing else equally as good. Look there;
we have 10 or II gallons of as fine a
burgoO as man would want. There's
enough and plenty for everybOdy So you
needn't be sparing about helping yourself
Unfortunately, We haven't any bread to go
with it.
| Hum said the General. shifting, look
ing, and tasting. 1T certainly is mighty
good. But don't be too liberal with it.
There isn't more than a gallon apiece, and
| know from experience how hollow you
boys can get. A gallon won't more than
| take the wrinkles out of your insides''
| The boys smiled rather disparagingly
at this estimate.
! Gen. Sherman had scarcely begun to
eat when Lieutenant came up from the
| camp, with an elderly man and boy
General" he reported, these two have
| just come from Charleston. They say
| that the city has been evacuated and
| fallen into our hands,"
The General turned at once from his
soup and coffee to sharply question them.
They were both intelligent, and gave an
account of how Cen Hardee had been for
weeks running all his supplies and ammu-
milton off ON The railroad to Cheraw, and
finally followed with his troops, setting
fire to what store he could not carry away.
The fire had spread. destroying a good
deal of the city. The arsenal had ex-
ploded, killing good many people. How
many they did not know. as they had left
as the Union troops entered the city, and
made their way across the country to the
home of some relatives.
''Um-um-Give them something to eat,
boys" said the General, hastily finishing
his coffee and pottage. "The news they
bring is worth it. Come on, Dayton. The
cheering over there sounds as if some
more troops were coming up. Let's go
over and see about it. We must point for
the Peedee now."
WE'LL l declare" said 81, as he saw
Kramer drain the last drop from the ket-
ties. II never wOuld've believed it, but
we've certainly eaten more'n gallon
apiece, and 1 think l could stow away
still more if 1 had it."
"Same here: but let's be thankful for
the good things we have received"
'Amen," echoed Kramer Praise God
for thousand gracious gifts. Most of all
for Charleston"
FTo be Continued.