The National tribune., 1903-10-29

YES, he's in the first one. unless they
thought HIM tt~, lar gone to he worth car
ryii.g up" answered Wis.
Larry Brannigiu.' he called, III the
tone of issuing rttinns. Here. answered
a cracked trave>ty ON the former merr!
voice. 'FWI"h Is my piece!
why, Larry. is tins youT inquired 81
pitiful!y.
Yes it's moline. OF tell yez- Kape yonI
bands OF. answered Branni:an. with TIL
snarl OF hungry beast. His b"ny TN
GERS clutched, and his lips curlrd back over
mis- long teeth.
ITS I.arry.' said 81 sorruwfully; "bur
it's hard to believe it. We can't do any
thing for him now. Let's 20 on
Il wonder if thia can he Bob Nc,
Quade?' said Shorty. stopping 10y the shl'
nf the next litter, on which In! long
form, wrapped in some dirty carpet. which
Ind been Sewrd together ard lined with
muslin To make an apology for n blanket
Bob was much the ,allest OF the crowd
hut there's nothing there but length tim,
looks like Bob"
Yes: that's Rob's nose" said 81
studying the grimed face. They forgot
Rob's nose until they'd finished The rest of
his face. and they picked big Hose that
was too green. ard it dried crooked. That
Roh's nose. sure."
You 81 klegg, stop abusing my nose.
wheezed the mun on the stretrher. making
an effort To sit upright. II licked you
once for that and I'll do II agnin"
II remember we hnd fight about il
down there near Perryvile." 81 chuckled
10 Shorty; but somehow my recolec-
rions differ from his nv to how 1t came ont
No. Bob" be continued alnnd. Il aint
making fun OF your nose. I'm too giad
to see it back In our lines. with life
enough left in you to want fight You're
MI right. aud / wouldn't change that nose
for any ones ] know. Where's Jonas
Hunt?"
IF he's alive yet he must he just be
hind. gave him all my clothes, on the
way up. to keep him warm, and kept only
this carpet
well, If this Is Chunky Hunt. he.
chunky no longer. commented 81, survey
ing the little bunch Of rags in the next
stretcher "Poor Chunky. You're not big
ger than pint of soap after hard days
washing"
Don't worry about me, 81 Klesg. said
rhe terribly -Shr,aken little fellow. viva
cionsly. I'm worth n whole regiment Of
dead men. now that I'm under the Old
Flag again. I gained 10 pounds just az
soon as I saw boys In blue with guns in
their hands Don't worry about me. Go
on back, and do what you can for Hank
circuit. He needs II worse'n anybody else
Poor Hank He can't be made believe
that we're really out of the rebels hands.
He's been fooled So often that he's sure
he'll wake up and find that he's only been
dreaming that he's been .paroled"
They spoke to Gront. and shook him
gently, to rouse him from his stupor. but
he only looked at them with blac k-luster
eyes turned over, and hid his face
Eve might as well go back to Washing
ton for to-day" said 81. I'VE can do
nothing for them to-day. The hospital
people will do everything much better
than We can. even II we had the chance.
We'd better go back. and come again to
morrow Then they'll all be washed and
have clean clothes Seeing us then may
do them heap OF good
They returned to Washington, and
came back the next day. They found
wills Holcomb and hts partner Larry
Rrannigan occupying two snow white beds
in q little room. Both had gone through
the remarkable clea system. Their
hair bad been clipped down to the roots
and the pellicie of sand, SCOT and varnish
covering their faces and bodies had yield
ed to the vigorous application Of warm
soapsnds. leaving their complexion a pal
lid yellow. Perfectly clean new under
with an indescriba BILE comfort. and
graduated allowance Of well-cooked food
much too small for tho demands Of their
ravenous appetites, but all that was safe
to give them. was beginning tho work Of
upbuildinE their depleted bodies.
"How are you, Wills and Laryr asked
81 cheerily. az he and Sherry came In.
bringing the wholesome breath Of Spring
with them.
'-Np-top. Al. coppsr-naiIsd and ifsa.
bound" answered WilA. All I need b
70 gse about 30 pounds more meat % my
bones. and Q litt3s India rubber into my
isgA The coedh there are like plano
sringaI could walk II could enly TT
ny heels down 10 the ground"