The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-07
COMRADES.

| Benton of Chicago, was travelling
salesman for his fathers agricultural
| implements supply house.
! Colonel Benton was well off in worldly
goods, and had a thriving business, TO
which George. the joy of the old mans
heart one day was to succeed Georges
/ itinerary was in Kentucky for the time
being. He had been doing the mountain
| section of the state, and the colonel no
ticed that his sons last three trips had
not been particularly remunerative 10
the house. Furthermore. the fond faith
er noted that the son had a dreamy look
about the eye. What's the matter
Georgie?" queried the colonel. when he
had his boy one morning in the quiet
Of the inner Office.
Dad, you've told me time after time
that you'd like nothing better than to
have me fall in love with some nice girl
get married and settle down. haven't
you?"
Yes, George, it makes a better out
| look for the business when 1 pass it
over"
well, dad, I've fallen in love all right.
and the girls all right, too, and wants
me. but her father doesn't
Who is she, Georgie?"
She's Mary Bowie, and she lives with
her father, old Colonel Bowie. in Break
neck county. near Johnson, Ky. L met
Mary six months ago, and that's why
you've found my order list light for the
! last few trips.
I asked the colonel for Mary. and he
said he'd see her dead first. He's unre-
constructed a bit. He swore that north
! erners were a shopkeeping lot who
couldn't drink and couldn't shoot as gen
tlemen ought. He told me never to show
my face around his place again.
| I've got to carry the girl off guess.
She's willing, but the old chap can hit
a quail on the wing with a rife, and
I'm betting he'll wing me before L can
get out Of the county.'
| George, that Breakneck county is
where they have all the feuds, isn't it;
tough place. and all that?'
feudist. He lives quietly enough. and
has a fine place, but he's the devil
when he's 'uD. 1 know that"
We'll, my boy, was a colonel, too,
once and in the service, but 1 guess L
wasn't on the same side as this Ken
/ lucky fire eater. George, 1 am with
you in this matter. 1 may not have
luck, but I'm going down to Johnson,
Breakneck county, Kentucky, to look
over the ground
Col Joseph Benton was in the bar
room of the only hotel in Johnson. Ky.
He was sitting at table and was cog
thing straight or let the bartender try
his hand at mixing. The bartender, by
| the way, was the only person in the
I room besides the northerner.
Just as Colonel Benton had his lips
pursed to ask for whisky straight the
baize door swung open and in walked
a brisk man with white hair. a Gerce
little muStache and keen gray eye.
The gray eye fell on the northerner.
/ and the newcomer advanced to the
ia BILE. Good afternoon, sub l am just
going to take one. and I don't like to
drink alone; what Will you have sub ~
III take some straight whisky. sir,
and thank you Won't you sit DOWN."
| The brisk gentleman sat down.
Stranger here. sub, take it"
Yes. sir, I'm from the North. and I
haven't haan IA Gil
/ the war.
The liquor was served
Were you in the service, suh?''
Yes, sir, was in the Five Hun
dredth Illinois one year as a private,
and then for some reason 1 was pro-
NOTED, and l served till it was all hap
pilv over"
Il was on the other side. sub. but I
can shoot and drink like men, sub.
/ Where did you serve. sub -
Army of the Cumberland. most Of
the time In the first year of the war,
when l was private. l didn't see much
/ fighting. though 1 got my first wound
/ in that time of comparative quiet Let's
have another drink. sir
Very good. sub Tell me about your
getting shot when things were quiet,
sub. I'm interested, 1 assure you,
sub
We'll. we were guarding a bridge that
the rebs-beg pardon. mean the con-
had to rebuild. 1t was over Jones river
in Tennessee. 1 was a picket on the
outpost and we heard that a raiding
party was near and would make anoth-
err attempt to burn the bridge. We had
orders to keep a sharp lookout that
night to see that no slick fellow got.
through the lines to look over the situa-
I ton.
1T was bIacker than that bottle. I
was in a sandy stretch with bushes all
about. 1 heard a noise about midnight
and, straining my eyes, l thought
saw something crawling behind a bush.
I pulled and let drive, and the next in
slant the form behind the bush sent
back a shot I've got his bullet in my
right shoulder now. and the doctor
won't get it till I'm dead"
That sub, was at Jones river 1 the nig fte
daylight came your guard found trail IN
the sand and blood spots, did he not,
subj
man, and that he had crawled back to his
lines wounded
'sYou shot well sub, for a dark night
was wounded. I've got your bullet IN my
left shoulder, sub, and 1t VIII De with me
in my grave. sub We are eo mr. fs, sun;
we fought on the contrary sides Your
''T 4 am Colonel Joseph Benton of chiea-
so';T am Colonel Haskall Bowie. sub. of
Breakneck county. Kentucky, sun II
mistake not. it is your son VINO wants my
1t is, Colonel Bowie
we are comrades. sub. Your son can
have my daughter, sub >,
Both 21l = u SHAKE. comrades Bartender.
liquor.''-Chieago Record-Herald.
WAS THE CRITICAL NIGHT.