The National tribune., 1902-07-10

the boat plunged at once into the mael-
"trom, and though it was fercely buffeted
! by the current, the desperate energy of the
oarsmen forced it forward. 1t crashed
against the rocks and surged in the whirl-
| pools, but went ahead.
| Though it would blast their hopes of
| being first in the city, ST and the rest
could not help cheering as the boat pushed
! by them.
Good boys. Good boys" the Iowans
shouted back. You've done well, but
Iowa takes the cake today. We're going
TO raise our flag first on the State House.
We'll come back then, and help you out"
Go to the devil with your help"
Shorty responded. We may beat you over
| there yec.'
| He struggled to pull the boat along the
tree, but the IowanS gained steadily.
| though they had to frequently change the
exhausted men at the oars
! As 81 and Shorty pulled their boat out
| beyond the tree top into the current set
ting along the eastern shore, they had an
other fierce battle with the stream. rs did
the Iowa boys. Shorty had to resort to
his old tactics of throwing out loop to
catch on some rock or stump. and swinging
the boat from one position to another. This
took them further down stream. and when
they at last landed against the opposite
bank, and sprang ashore, they saw the
Iowa boys running up the bank, muSket in
hand, yelling at the tops of their voices,
in response to the cheers from their COM
rades on the opposite bank.
Leaving Otterbein Kramer in charge of
their boat, ST and the rest ran after the
Iowa men, but so efger We're the latter
that the best they could do would not
lessen the distance between them under Il
quarter of a mile.
They all raced down the wide main
street. with its row of cottOn-bales in the
center. toward the State House.
The sharpSh0oters on the banks had dis
appeared. The negro men and women on
the street stopped and looked at them with
open mouths. The white women and old
men ran into the houses and banged the
doors. The younger negroes began racing
after them.
The Iowars came upon an old man
driving a buegy-the last one left in the
city, and who had fingered in the rear TO
carry away some of his yaluahleS. Under
the quick, sharp commands of the Lieu
tenant Colonel of the 18th Iowa. the driver
was unceremoniously bundled out-there
was no time for the courtesies of Il trade |
The Color-Bearer of the 18th Iowa sprang
in with his flags, a young Lieutenant of |
the regiment followed him and seized the |
lines, the LieutenantColonel and a Cap |
tain jumped mp on the rear axle and the |
horse was laShed into run for the State !
House, amid the yells of the f0otmen left |
behind As the buggy passed Il side street |
a squad of rebel cavalry little ways up |
it fired volley at the occupants, but the
bullets whistled harmlessly about them
The Lieutenant pulled the horse back on
his launches, the Captain jumped from his
seat on the axle to the ground, snatched
up the Color Bearers musket, and shot
one of the rebels out of his saddle The
cavalrymen galloped off up the street. and
were out of sight when 81 and the others
arrived.
The buggy drove on to the old State
House.
The occupants jumped out and rushed
for the door. They were met by an old
man with Il severe aspect.
What do you men waHt?' he induired.
I'VE want inside thar building in a holy
minute" explained the Lieutenant Colonel.
Il am the janitor of that building, and
you can't get in until | Know i
The rest of his remarks was drowned in
the crash of mnsket butts against the door,
which flew open, and the officers and
Color-Bearer ran up the dark, dusty, wind
ing stairs with flags in hand They poked
the United States flag out through one of
the cupola windows, and fastened it there,
and storm of cheers from the opposite
side of the river greeted it.
WHATS that great building there?-
they inquired as they came down, and
pointed to the high granite walls and !
seaffolding of an edifice.
the construction of which had evidently
been arrested by the breaking out of the
war.
Oats de new State House. dat was be- [
gun afo' de war;" explained an old negro. |
"The new State House? Well. we must
nave our flag on there, to prevent any dis {
,ute. Wen hoist the Hawkeye flag over
hat. Come on with it. Tom I
81, Shorty and the rest followed them I