The National tribune., 1903-12-10

Exciting Experiences, are Finally Landed
in Andersonville.
I'VE We're rushed back as fast as we
could be, and pushed hard for mile or
more. Lieut.. Claystone, the shock-headed
villain. had mounted my horse, which was
a much better one than his, to say moth
ing of having better saddle and bride
and other belongings. Serg't Bries had
taken Larry's, which was still better than
mine, for his Captain. They had our
Spencers, which they carried at full cock
with the muzzles only a foot or so from
our heads. Larry and did not propose to
give them any excuse for numbering MS, 50
we kept up lively gait.
Il did not think there was much need
of hurrying, because our skirmish line
was certain to come on quite cautiously
for fear of running into ambush. They
would probably halt little while at the
scene of the hanging.
Capt. Cornsmut was taking no chances
however.
I'VE at last halted on the top of hill
to take breath, and looked back to SCI
what the Yankees were doing.
was in sight; then mounted man IL
blue came out of the woods into thu
clearing on the hill behind. He was rid
ing quite lively horse, carried a lon.
gun in his right hand ready for use, and
acted as if he was out there on business
He reined up as he caught sight of US
and put up his hand to shade his eyes
as he took view of the crowd on ouI
hill.
Eggsuckin'. nigger-stealin', low.
lived Yankee yarnint, snarled the Cap
tain, I'D blow his blamed light out il
he was only leetle Closer
"'Lemme try him, Cap'n, with this ere
Yankee gun,' said Serg't Briles, who was
itching to try the Spencer. 1t shoots
seven times, and 1 may fetch him with
one
$50 ahead answered the Captain. III
your fust shot don't fetch him, you kin
git in some more with better aim while
he's loadin.'
"Lieut. Claystone was in the meanwhile
insulting the man with every gesture that
his low mind could think of.
''Serg't Briles put the carbine to his
face, took aim and fired.
1.-The Yankee was off his horse like 4
| flash, and we could see him cast his eyes
around to follow the path of the bullet
through the branches and estimate tht
range. He then stepped to sassafras
sapling, laid his gun in the crotch and
fired.
Lieut.. Claystone tumbed from his sad
die and the crimson blood spurted ou'
from his shock of hair. The man stepped
out from behind the sassafras bush, held
his gun upright in, front of him, and then
| stepping back leyeled it again through the
crotch al z..s..il-1
".GIory to the Saints. said Larry, no
| ticing him at this. He's got Henry IL
shooter Now lookout for fun
1--WE both scrambled behind trees.
lawful dad-burned perlite to present
arms after shootir', muttered the Captain
What in blazes does he mean by that,
wonderY
"'Well, he's gin Sile Claystone his
Dose Mout've hit a better man. Couldn'i
We wusser one. Hit'll save a court.
martial, any way. Sile was booked 70,
one
''The Captain prudently lined up behind
| a tree. In the meanwhile Sergt Briles
was nervOusly banging away with the
Spencer to bring the Yankee down before
| be could reload. The latter fired, and
another mounted man fell from his horse
The Yankee stepped out again, brought
| his rifle upright in front of him and
stepped back behind his bush.
"'He's got Henry rife, all right,
l said to Larry, 'and he's reaching for the
officers Wish the Captain would mount
| his horse
again the Yankee rifle cracked, and
Serg't Briles sprawled forward on the
ground, the Spencer flying far from his
dying grasp. Again the Yankee sharp
! shooter stepped out, brought his rifle up
right. and stepped back.
| ...What on airth kin the scoundrel mear
by presentin' arms every time he kills 9
man? shouted the Captain, making q
rush to get the Spencer the Sergeant had
dropped. He cooked it and pulled the
trigger but the gun was empty. He flung
it down, grabbed up Larry's Spencer
which had fallen from Lieut.. Claystone's
hand, and fired it, but not before tht
death-dealing Yankee had dropped another
man, and stepped out from behind lis
bush, to bring his gun upright, and droI
another cartridge into the chamber. How
kin that NANCY Yankee load so quick!
"sWhat're yo-all standin' round gaw
kin fer" the Captain yelled angrily at thu
men. why don't some o yo' crack shots
bring him down.?
".No use shooting at him, Cap'n,' sait
one of the men, who was gliding bacl
under the shelter of the hill. We hahn
no guns that'll carry thar. He's got some
kind o. a spell on his'n that makes hi
reach heah. See what lie does every time
he shoots? That thar's some kind o cou
lure. We've bin watchin' him.
'As lie spoke the Yankee rifiemar
dropped another man, and again present
ed arms They all rushed back under
the cover Of the hill, with the Yankee
putting a bullet through the hip Of one
of them as his parting compliment. Tht
Captain covered us with Spencer ant
made us follow.
'They were in panic by the time they
arrived there, which was increased b.
some peeping back cautiously, and dis
covering that the dreadful Yankee wa:
circling around to come to the head o.
the hollow in which they were. We were
rushed on, and at last came to a spo
which seemed secure, for it was in sigh
of the rebet pickets. The dreadful Yam
kee. with his awful gun, and his delib
crate. ceremOnious deadliness. was no
where in sight. This gave Capt. Corn
smut leisure to turn his wrath upon us
and felt sure that Larry and l woult
be murdered outright In fact, l hat
wondered why we had not been shot be
fore. The Captain had ceased clustering
His mood was quieter, but more danger
GUS. The shooting, down of his men hat
curdled all the currents of his nature int,
snaky venom. Not that lie cared any
thing for them They Were aespised ans
hated underlinss, whom he would have
shot himself upon little provocation. Bu
murder was in The air, and his nostril:
shifted it. Revolver in hand, he came III
| like a rattlesnake's... The first thing thai
attracted his attention was the fine Nc
C.ellan hat, for which / had paid the sut
lor 81 just before leaving camp. 1t wa.
intended to impress my recruits. He threw
L;c o,,n 1yaa th -heafen hat down fonI