The National tribune., 1902-08-14

81 carried husbandry into war" He had
not forgotten the discipline of the farm
or the Wabash.
I'VE must find the 20Oth Injianny Vol,
unteer Infantry today" he said to the
rest. We've been away from the old regi-
ment so long that I'm just hOmesick to
get back to it again. Besides, by start
ing out this early we can have the road
to ourselves and not be hindered by trains
and marching columns. Pack up and pile
| in, boys, while the rest of us hitch up.
"Yes, indeed, and we must run express
| today-through with no stops" added
Shorty, with regular stage-driyer's
swagger. "No way passengers or mail
taken on. Only 10 minutes for meals.
We must manage to strike the old regi-
ment before dark, and go into camp with
a whoop-la! Won't the eyes of the boys
stick out just like buckeyes on a stick
| when they see us making our grand entry
in our own coacll-and-four! / guess not
1 guess not. It'll lay over any that any
Of the other foragcrs have ever done like
Lookout Mountain over the Tennessee
| River. The boys have seen us come back
to the regiment in almost every possible
way, but this is the first time they will
ever have seen us toot in in our own four
INLAND. Won't that just stick another
big feather in the cap of the old 200th
IDjanny Volunteer Infantry, and make
the boys more rocky and uncomfortable to
the other fellows than ever? HoOp-la!
G'lang, therev'
Wed better jog along as fast as pos
sible: without any reference to circus tao
tics" advised Wash Lambert. "From
the looks of the clouds and the change in
ter of rain coming on, when the tail
boards of the sky will fall out and dump
the whole fountain of creation right down
OIL u.s."
ITS good proof that the Lord has
forsaken this country" ventured Otter
beir Kramer. 'Not a drop when Colum
ba was blazing, and now will come
enough to wash ont the sins of the whole
Confederacy. l wish it would come as
in the days of Noah, and drown out all
iniquity."
The well-restetf, and cared-fOr horses
whirled the coach along blthely after the
main road was, reached, and Shorty man
ifested his feelings by loud and tolerabIy
successful imitation of the ringing stage
horn, which reyepberated through the SOL
emn. stately pines. looming up through
the gray mists of the morning like giant
columns. When Shorty's breath gave out
Pete and Sandy did some footing of their
own, and AIVntyo Scruggs grated any
.oJn xlo I,
of. Then they would all quiet down,
while Alf Russell's hnte-like baritone
would make the chill. bleak morning air
vibrant with the "Star-Spangled Ban
ncr," Were Coming, Father Abraham"
Brave Boys Are They" "Kingdom Com
ing" etc, etc. Though the skies were
lowering, their spirits were buoyant, for
they were going back to their regiment,
which was the next best thing to going
home.
From the distance came the faint notes
of bugles sounding the reveilIe, and oc-
casionally they caught the twinkle of
ears to recognize somewhere the familiar
tones of the 200th Ind.'s bugle.
Even the approaching deluge, which
they knew too well would be steady and
persistent, seemingly iuterminable, did not
deprcss their souls.
Corporal, it's going to rain, sure"
ventured Pete
We'll. let it," responded Shorty, indif-
ferently.
Il was going to-" meekly responded the
suppressed boy.
And it's going to be one of those reg
ular 4S hours in one day, and IA days in
the week snollygosters, with no recess for
Sunday growled Wash Lambert.
We'll, if you don't like that kind OF
weather. what'd you move to South Caro-
liny for?" retorted Shorty. "Why don't
you. emigrate to the Desert of Sahara il
you're so dead set on dry climate? I'll
admit I'd prefer it to be bright and shin
ing when we unbaance the regiments
reason by returning to it safe and sound
But if it can stand rain on that blissful
occasion, we can. We are Just as good
wet as dry. Whoop-la! G'lang therew
The rain soon began coming down in
beating the yellow clay of the
road into batter which splashed every
body and everything.
'All right" called Shorty. encourag-
ingly. "Let her come. We're neither
sugar nor salt. We've seen dew-falls be-
fore in South Caroliny. Hoop-la! G'lang
thcrew
They struck part of the road over
which ! division with the Corps teams
had marched the day before, and the
track was badly cut up. There were fire.
quent signs of struggles at the knobs and
mudholes of gangs of men with the rtalled
wagons, but they were encouraged by
finding among the wreckage things with
the Acorn badge on them, showing that |
they were following up the Corps.
Shorty's gaiety Of heart was proof |
against the discouraging surroundings for
a long time, however, and he struggled |
ing rain, over the swollen creeks, and |
sank axle-deep. and up steep, rutted |
slopes that nothing but goat ought 20 |
be made to climb.
"Great Jehpsephat. but this is getting |
to be hard siedding," he exclaimed at |
length. MS his smoking horses foundered |
hopelessly in a slough at the foot of n |
steep hill. "Say,iSi. you'll have to turn
out and work. your way while. These
horses are dead stuck"
"HOp out. boysi and hunt rails" shout
ed Si. setting the example. ''l'm tired
Of sitting so longI anyway. Get out and
straighten the inks out of your joints"
'.No rails around here that can see."
grunted Wash Lambert. peering through
the sheets of rain. 'The fellers ahead of
MS have hogged everything in sight. Just
like 'em. They; never think Of anybody
but themselves"
"WeIl. get out the axes. and we'll cut
down some Of those pine saplings over
there
1t was a familiar experience to them all,
this cluttering around in the rain. with
their wet garments clinging to them, cut