The National tribune., 1903-11-19

Ichunk he seemed was really moving, and
after I saw his grayness mix with the
stump I wriggled after him till reached
the stump, which was only short rod
from where the sentry stood. 1t seemed
to me that we lay there hours on that
damp ground, watching that guard. We
could hear him cough, wheeze, stamp up
and down impatiently, and swear about
the Sergeant not coming with the relief.
l had been there myself often, but I
thought this relief was thousand times
slower than any / had ever sworn at. AT
last, just as / was frozen clear to my
waist, the guard sung out:
| Halt! Who comes tharY
| "A voice answered:
! Sergeant O. the gyard, with the coun-
tersign. M :
didn't yo' wait till ter-morrer? Bin
snoozin' round the Are, an forgittin' me? :?
Advance, Sergeant o the gyard, with the
countersign.'
''The Sergeant came up, leaned over the
muzzle and said distinctly:
| Chaplin's Hills
| 'Countersign's kerrect. Advance re-
lief
'Then the Sergeant took his turn, as
he marched away, to give back some of
the sentinePs sass about his tardiness.
| 1--WE had to keep stiller than ever after
the new man came on, for we knew he
would be very alert and keen for little
while, and see things that he wouldn't no
tice when he was mainly looking out for
| tire relief. l began to fear that the
night would pass before we could get back,
make use of the cOuntersign. and get
| through the rebel camp in the darkness
At last we slipped back behind the rise
without drawing his attention When We
got up, and began walking back to where
We had left the others, Swackhammer in
quired:
"'Dld yo' ketch what that Sergeant
said, "Chaps-yo'uns-kills," warnt hit|
| No, Chaplin's Hills"
'ChaDlms-sills? What's that?
| No; Chaplin's Hills. That the name
Of place where a great battle was
fought. We call it Perryville.'
"'Wby didn't he say Perryville? That'd
be easier to rickollick. That's the reason
niest kinds O words fer countersigns. and
hit racks me to r.ckoIlick them, or make
em out Had lots o trouble thai-a-yay.
Chaplin Hills
I'VE found the boys, who were alarmed
lest ws Lad been captured and shot, and
would have bolted. but for Larry's insis-
tencs that l would certainly come back.
AFTER questioning Swackhammer a. to
what troops were likely to be in the neigh
borhood, decided to pass myself off as
Lieut.. Tom Wilkins, of Col. Jim Strick-
lands Georgia regiment of cavalry, who
had been sent over into Carroll County
for some recruits, and was now bringing
| them in. Larry, who had been frozen
stiff. wanted to warm up his blood by tax
ing the ticklish job of going forward and
| giving the sentinel the countersign, but
I knew that his brogue-"
'sBrogue, you odmahoun," broke in Lar
~. "Fwhat are ye calling brogue, Ord
loike to know? Oi shpake better English
than any man In the regiment. Old have
and they shpake the best English in the
world there. That they do"
$50 have heard said wills, conced-
Ing the point. to avoid discussion. But
good English wasn't what we were want
Ing just then. We wanted something
your Dublin tongue wouldn't. We mount
ed. and moved boldly along the road to-
ward the picket line. which We had now
located. I rode ahead, and soon-aston-
ishingly soon compared to the time 1t had
taken Swackhammer and me to reach the
line before-e stump in the front sang out:
Halt: who comes tharT
Friend with the countsrsign,' an
swered. quite confidently.
"'Git often 20 boss, friend, take OF 20
arms. an come up sang out the stump.
"I was OF my horse at once, leading
him by the bride. and holding my car
bins high above my head In my right hand.
AZ walked up. and leaning over the mug
zle Of the sentry's carbine. while his finger
was on the trigger, whispered:
"'Chaplin Hills
.Countersign's kerrect.' answered the
sentinel. lowering the cock of his piece.
Advance. friend. Advance all
n5a Le15 a.orN;i wilkins ng;n;n, Of cSl Jim
know where the rijimint Is, gyardf I |
asked. a. We passed in. I'm bringin in |
recruits
'' 'Cunnel Jim Strickland's Fust Georsy |
Cavalry?' said the guard. Why, that's |
this regiment. ! belong to hit. Yo're
thar now. What'd 20 say yo' name WASP
he asked, thought very suspiciously.
I'm Lieut.. Tom Wilkins I said.
"'Yo' voics don't seem familiar said
he.
"'I'vs caught an awful cold,' said I.
fetching a cough. I can hardly talk at
all. Where'n nnd the camp. guardY
Keep right along. the road till 20
como to the head O the holler, an yo'll
Sc the ores Oh to the left. Don't foller
the road that 9-kss of to the right. fer