The National tribune., 1903-10-29

| 'Deloighted to meet you, leddies." he
murmured.
| Ladies', you'll have to excuse my part
ner and myself from not rising" said
! Wills Ilolcomb in his best manner, after
| the intro.iuctions circumstances and
Survived legs over which We have no con
troll prevent us welcoming such charming
guests to our princeiy apartments with
| proper respect"
Pretty long speech that for man
who's no use OF his legs" grlnned Shorty
! animation, wis never'll get scurvy N
his tongue. Wills. you beggar. why don't
you offer the lcddies chairs?"
Never mind ceremony, boys. Wen gel
chairs. said Shorty. bringing in some
| from the the adjoining room. ''Sit down.
| girls Wills, as Larry says, you don't
seem 10 have any scurvy In your tongue.
said 81. taking seat between the two
beds II think il II do you good to talk. 81
| Indeed it will, to such Il charming au-
iienre rs this" replied wills, with an in
clinntion of his head to Maria and Anna
bel. They'd open the gates of any ones
| Sonl | haven't seen nor spoken to q
Indy SO long that I'm actually starved
worse than for fnnd. ! haven't been able
tn say word since | answered the ques-
tions Of the registry clerk. The Surgeons
20 about their business as if ! was a
craven image. They just go right along
| doing things TO me and for me. without n
word. ! must say. that they always do
the right thing, and haven't got chance
for a word Of complaint As for talking
| IN that shaven-headed 1rishman over
| tbere"-
who are you calling a shaven-head
you half-scalped coffee boiler" exclaimed
Larry Rrnnniran. making an effort to
throw his pillow at him.
"As for talking to that bald-pated Irish
man over there" continued Wills. IL might
as we'll have held conversation with q
hasswood log. He don't want to talk
about anything but something to eat He's
| laid there like corduroy stick in South
Carolina swamp, until he smeled the "a
tions coming in
And fwy the divvil should I he paving
nttintion TO your gabble?' inquired Larry.
"Sure. Oi've heard nothing else but it for
months-bad lnrk to me-
I've had TO count every nail-hole In the
woodwork. and multiply the panes of
glass by the probable number Of windows
in the buildings. ard all that sort of thing.
to keep my mind busy.
IT'S fwhat Owe always said" inter
jec'ed Larry. "IIe lets his mind rest
when he's talking"
w VII u II w YOU SO1 10 tell us wh9 I
we are very anxious to know" said 81.
What happened TO You after you started
ont from Atlanta TO hunt up recruits for
your Georgia regiment? O.
well. yOn remember that tall Slahsided
Cracker. that used to hang around divis-
ion headquarters. and act sometimes as
guide and scout?"
ayes. yes: remember You got
mighty thick with him. and used tn fur.
nish him rations and coffee. and I guess
WHISKY" said ST. 81 wondered that Won
wasted so much time on him
20 he was all right, and most of what
he told rs was straight. good goods. He
knew where there was n whole lot of lay-
ersont' over beyond the Chattahnochee. in
'anlding. Polk and HaraIson Counties
They were lodging the ConScrirtprs He
said they Were all good Union men. who
didn't want to fight against the Govern
ment and the Flag and would he glad to
fight for It. II they could get chance. He
thought wouldn't have any trouble in
raising whole company. over in Almost
amy neighborhood. and that other compa-
mics could be raised in the country farther
hack. This got us all stirred up. We fixed
II up that Larry and I would go ont and
aise the first company. of which ! should
he Captain and Larry First Lieutenant.
Rob McQuade. Chunky Hunt and Hank
'Tronf would 90 along. and work the other
districts. If they succeeded in raising an
other company or two. they would have
commissions in them. and I would he
Major Of the battalion. and Larry here
would succeed to the Captaincy Of Co. A."
Fine scheme that 1t ought to've
worked" commented Shorty.
at had worked everywhere else Re-
member how those boys got commissions
In Tennessee and Alabama regiments? We
thought it heap better than taking COM
missions In colored regiments"
That's %. ! wouldn't We minded TAX
lag Q commission In q regiment Of loyal
mountainssfs myself" admitted 81.
All W had to do was to dodge the