The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-02-25
THE MAN INV
 THE MIDDLE

w ult uluutuNs AoANN 'NN
 "The moment when General Lee re fcrred to me in flattering terms. which 1 confess. did not deserve"
 "What? General Lee referred to youI When? HowT'
 Tt was during the fighting before Richmond. One night just before taps I lighted n fire and was making some coffee"-
 "Coffee? Chicory. you mean. We had no coffee" interrupted Venable.
 ..l say coffee. and mean coffee
 sWhere did you get itT'
 ..In a Yankee camp we had walked over during the day. Well. as l was saving. just as the coffee began to emit lis delicious odors the sergeant called ont Summers. you're wanted And you.' And you speaking to different men of our company"
 .I was there" said Venable. VI re- member perfectly. He called me too"
 'There were a dozen of us.' sum mers went on. assembled fin an or ehard"-
 "An apple orchard"
 "Yes. an apple orchard. We'll. the sergeant ordered us to fall in and marched us to the coloners headquar' tcrs. The officer of the guard was tbere with several of his men and among them a fellow-l don't know who he was. but he didn't belong to our company or to the regiment The colonel looked us over. and we were taken. the stranger along with us. to General Lee"
 And drawn up fin line before his tent" put in venable. "the stranger between you and me"
 "I have forgotten about the stran' ger" Summers went on, but l remem, Der that General Lee came out and looked at us as If searching for some one. Presently his eye lighted on me and he said:
 ".Tha(s the man. wish ! had a dozen like him. could use them all
 with that he went back Into his tent. and We were marched to camp
 Do you mean to tell me- said Ven able. that an these years you have thought the general referred to your
 "Of course he did"
 "Why. he not only looked at me. but he pointed at me"
 Your
 "Yes. L."
 "wen. now. ike that. Whatever put it into your stupid uoddle that be referred Co you:'
 "Because shortly before had been detailed as biS orderly. and when ] left him he commended me for my faithful attention"
 And [ had held bis horse under fire while be climbed Co an cminence to get look ut tae enemy. [ tell you h was hot down there in the hollow. the shells shr3cS 0g over my head.
 Summers ep, up from his chair and stalked about. w.th bis hands in his pockets. clarns likc a tiger
 I'm sorry Co destroy the Illusion or lifetime" remarked Ncnable. but truth Is m.-a,y and must prevail"
 'The cgotism ot some people if fired at an enemy would have more effect than a machine guu.'
 '.The self esteem of others Is worse than charge of dynamite"
 At this moment white headed man entered. The veterans made him wei come. placing a glass before him. l!e filled his pipe aud sat smoking in that stoUl fashion especially to be noticed among thc Gcrman people.
 "Wc'rc glad you've .comc, Mark hcim." said one of the assembled vet craus. mot only because We love OUT enemy. but we needed some one Co stop a wraaglc between Summers and Ncuablc."
 "Vat wranslcT asked the old man.
 "I'u state the case. and you. being a Union veteran and consequently i'm partial. may be able to decide between them"
 "Veli. go on"
 "One night when we were fighting Mcclellan before Richmond, Summers and vcnable were marched with a squad of a dozen men Co General Lees tent They were drawn up in line. The general looked them over aud sad. That's the man. wish had dozen iiEv hlm. could Use them all Sum mcrs claims that 1he general referred to him. since hc had served him faith fully as orderly Venablc claims the honor. since he had held the gcucrafs horse under fire. Which is rightt"
 "Ncidcr Sheneral Lee point to me ! vas der man in der middle"
 You the man in the middle! cried Summers What were you doing there:'
 ''l vas a spy"
 "A spyr' cried the company in breath "Tell us about it."
 You sec" said Markhelm. "l vas young feller shust come from Sherma ny. und didn't know vat to.do ven ! got Co dis country. so vent Into der Union army von day my captain dells me Sheneral Mcclellan wants man Co go to Richmond Co see how many Of you fellers dere vas. cont. und l see ..........'...s....1..'s's