The National tribune., 1903-11-26
OF THE CLIFF"

"'Yo're moughty sassy for reserve,
the Officer Of the Day answered. Blamed
sassy Entirely too sassy. But l haint
up an tend to my duty. I'll see yo' agin
though. I'll come over to yo' camp an
hunt yo' up
You can't come none too soon for me,
answered, as we both started off on our
way. Thank goodness, we're well rid of
him., said to the rest, as we started over
to the right, and the camp of Col. Da-
wants battalion
"'Well, you laid it into him loike lit
tie man., said Larry. 'Oi begun to be
quite proud Of belonging to the reserves.
It's just outrageous, so it is, the way thin
regular Confeds try to run over us militia,
just because we wint home to gather our
sorghum. They think that nobody's doing
any foighting but thimslves, the wind
bags
"'Thar's a passel O. men comm up the
road whispered Swackhammer, whose
cat-like ears never relaxed their tension
for an instant. 'They-all are marchin' reg
gerlerly. Mus be prOvo-guard or suth-
in. Better dodge they-uns. Let's cut
acrost, over the HILL
"He SHE'D off into a path which only
he saw, but we followed the white hanches
u
"We could hear the steady tramp of
what seemed to be about a company on
provost duty. They made so much noise
themselves that there was little likelihood
that they would hear the little We might
make. But they were SO long in coming
and passing that we got some distance
from the road, and presently saw glim-
mer Of light and heard voices directly
ahead.
1.-The divvirs grandmother, is that an
other guard-fireT asked Larry desper-
ately, getting afraid that we would not
get out Of that tangle before daylight
Hold the boys, there, Larry, while
Swackhammer and go forward and rec
onnoiter,' said 1.
"'For the love Of Heaven, don't be as
long in getting the countersign as ye were
before said Larry, 'or we'll all be frozen
into living statues
".ss we slipped forward, I could hear
the voices rising in lively discussion.
"'What In the world are they doing out
there at this time Of night? l asked my
self in wonderment Holding an emer-
gency council of war, or drumhead court
martial? It's something extraordinary, and
that we'd better keep away from.'
"Straining my ears, 1 caught one con-
nected sentence, Hold on, Stubbs. Wait
your turn. You're not the Oldest man.
Wait till II comes round to you
Its certainly a drum-head court-mar-
tial,' said to myself, and they're voting
on some mans sentence.
81 knew I ought to 90 back and try to
find some way to get around, but curios-
ity drew me forward. Possibly l might
help out some Union man whom they
were trying.
"Then l caught the words:
""This is cut-throat, for sho'.'
"A man haint no show at all for his
life.'
"Well, what else d 70 expect, when
you came heah?
"'All them's dead Put 'em over In a
pile in the center
That makes seven. Purity far work
so far"
"'Great Caesar I thought, what
wholesale murder
81 crept up little closer. with my car
bine ready to open out on them, and stop
might be. Then heard, clear and sharp,
on the night air:
"'O, come up. It's yo' ante. What're
yo' keepin' us all a-waitin' fur?
''Then 1t flashed on me that instead Of
q midnight cOurt-martial, it was q gang
Of stragglers out there in the bushes play
ing cards. I walked boldly up to the head
of the hollow and looked down. My Sus-
picions were confirmed. saw plainly 10
or Is Of the usual roustabouts Of the rebel
camps, who had found this secluded cove,
built a rousing fire there, brought with
them a couple of jugs Of sorghum whisky,
and were having a pleasant evening play
ing poker on blankets spread before the
fire. They would be easily disposed Of.
I'd let Larry attend to them. walked
back and told him the situation.
as 'Ofll attind to thin. the villains said
he 'Oi'll tache the rascals to be out of
quarters otter taps and blocking the way
Of honest men going about their laygal
business
larry went to the right Of the hollow,
and l to the left. The men were so tipsy,
and so intent on their game. upon which
they had fair-sized wads of Confederate
money staked. that they did not notice the
noise we made in coming up.
Here. ye skulking gollywogs, Larry
sang out to them, covering them with his
Spencer, Hands up. there, livery divil's
fy-blow of ye! Out here, guzzling and
gambling after taps. We pest-house sweep
ings. Stand up, livery mothers son Of
yez.'
:. Lord, hits that Irish Provo-Sargint,
gasped one, jumping to his feet, and hold