Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-06-28

ful night Only 10 nOurS DeloTe, Tie
Job Of loading the revolvers had rob-
bed me Of an entire night of rest. Now
| was doomed to another. | had to
tramp the muddy road to keep myself
awake. but my head dropped asleep
once In awhile on its own account, and
with wide open eyes | beheld many
strange visions In the darkness and i'm
agined many things ridiculous and i'm
possible. 1t seemed that the night nev-
er would end. and my gratitude was
unspeakable when at early dawn we
were ordered to feed. mount and re-
sumo our march. tried to feel happy
when the prisoners We're placed In
charge Of u new guard and my sense
Of responsibility ended. but soon l
found that sleepiness on horseback was
more dreadful than OH foot. No sooner
would drop into doze than | would
rouse with q start from an awful SEN
sation of falling from my horse. Every
body was cross. particularly the smok-
ers. for all the fires were out, and few
men carried matches.
Then il was that our captain leaped
suddenly and securely into the affec-
tions of his men. Passing the word
for smokers to fill their pipes, he tore
a long. narrow strip from his handker'
chief, moistened it the least bit. lit one
end with a match. lighted his own pipe
and then gave the smoldering rag to
the first sergeant. from whom it passed
down the entire troop. After the pipes
were fairly started there was no more
grumbIing, except from nonsmokers.
How wished myself smoker!
Often when In earlier days had asked
schoolmates why they took to smoking
| was told. among other excuses. that a
few whiffs of smoke would stop the
craving Of hunger when q fellow
Glanced to he playing truant for day
or off hunting or fishing and having too
good luck to get home at mealtime.
Well. had learned smoking, the third
day Of our scout would have been
good time to test its remedial virtues,
for my hunger was so intense that it
drove everything else from my mind,
and the memory Of the bacon and hoe
cake of the night before almost made
me scream with rage. 1t seemed to
me the government was mean, des-
picable and standing in its own light
to give me as three days ration some
food which had eaten during the first
"a hours. If only-l had brought that
lump of fat pork which had seemed so
loathsome when it was dealt me! I
actually longed for that bit of adipose
tissue. longcd until saw it on the
ground just where had tossed it, saw
it as distinctly as IL it were really be-
fore my eyes.
Really. when We halted about noon
my hunger had made me mean spirited
enough to go deliberately in search of
my friendly enemy who owned the ba-
con and frying pan. Fortunately for the
poor fellow. he was eating his last bit of
food apparently. for his haversack was
inside out and lying by the fire to dry.
He recognized me. and as the guard al
lowed me to speak to him he said:
1T seems too bad to waste the little
fat that's left in the skillet, don't It!
Wonder ef thar amt an ear Of corn In
that field that we could roast"
ITS all too hard" said |. shaking my
head sadly as remembered my search
of the day before.
"The harder the better" said he.
never was more willing to be con-
v:nced. In single minute l was back
from the field with several ears. The
Johnny selected the hardest. shelled 1t
in his pan. shook it a little while before
he put it over the fire, then parched it
until it was a deep bsown and poured
ii upon the top of his hat to cool. Not
q bit of the bacon fat remained in the
glossy as If varniShed.
"rharw said he. after n moment or
two. as he poured full half OF the
corn into Il big huSk and passed it to
me. LUST hist yerself outside that
an see ef you wasn't wrong thinkin
the corn too hard
Bless that rebel do believe that
parched corn saved my life. | resolved
never to go Oh Il scout again without a
little frying pan in one Of my saddle
bags and lot Of shcllcd corn in the
other But what was half an ear of
corn to Il raging hunger like mine? 1t
was too late to larch more. for the call
to mount had sounded. AS | hurried
down the road to rejoin my company
| met Il veteran of the older troop on
which had been blleted when first
reached the regimental camp, and he
hailed nIe kindly with:
"Well. young fcllcr, how does scout
ing agree with you!"
"Wcll enough" | replied. "if wasn't
almost starvins.'
ut always strikes greenllorns that
way" he replied. Nov. an't n bit
sharp set. Say. mcbbc Il piece Of pork
would help you out. Here"
He handed me what looked like Il
dirty wad of wet newspaper, in which
found about half pound of pork. 1t
was solid fat. dingy looking, and on
one side, where the paper had lain
closely against it. several advertise
melitS had transferred themselves in
reverse, with the general head "Hclp
Wanted" at the top of them. The
words wcra cminently appropriate, so
| didn't Scrape them off. but ate pork,
advertisements and all.