The National tribune., 1903-09-24

"'He's a cursed shy. the circumcizel
peast,' said the Major. looking at my map,
and then at me. with his cold. wicked gray
eyes, While de tobacco juice tricked down
offer his chin. Dis is ban of our works.
| Dat he ees, vrainment. answered
Capt. Anselm, drawing his revolver. He
ees a Tutch Chew shy, hired py de Yam
KEGS. l shall keel heem right on de spot.
Il looked at his revolver. keeping de
grin on my face. but intending, if he raised
de pistol to chump forward and butt him
in de stomach pefore he could shoot.
"'No,' said de Major. putting out his
left hand to stop de Captain. 1t will pc
peter to take him to brigade headquarters.
hat him tried regularly, and hanged. 1t
| will pc n good example to hang him up to
dree. where efferpody can see him..
| '.Dey seemed to half very much de same
idees in Louisiana as in Dennessee, l
| thought Strange dat dey don't think of
some dlngS new, some dimes.
I've ought to search him.. said de Ma
| jor, but hate to soil my hands touching n
vilthy Chew. Ven get dat Tutch pand-
master up at headquarters to search him
and question him. Mebbe he'll confess.
''He motioned me to go ahead. l slipped
my horses pride over my arm, and
walked on, as he directed. but as gOOlly
as if l vas going to breakfast. De Creole
Captain vas swearing savagely in French
at me, but l pretended not to understand
him.
"Yoost at headquarters We game ACROSS
a pig fat man, in a vancy uniform, garry
ing cornet under his arm. 1t vas de
Pandmaster, going out to get his pand
| ready for guard-mOunt.
"'Here, Himmelwurst,' said de Major.
| we hat a Chew shy. l want you to talk
to him.
asked me.
81 Immediately PECAN pouring out my
story to him, dat vas vriend of Col. Vii
liam Proadwell, and vas employed Ply him
in his Cotton Bureau, and had peen up
to see him at Shreveport. and had come
pack to Alexandria to meet Gen. POlig-
nae, NIT whom l had piZnesS and letters.
which showed. 1 thought his brigade vas
in town somewhere, and had ridden out
early to Wind it, but wound he hadn't got
in yet. He vas expected effery hour. and
would probably go out where 1 had peen.
and vas making rough map of de road
and blaze, so l could Wind it again. l
knew Proadwell vas back in Shreveport.
and so said anything dat l thought would
garry my boint.} l said had done a good
deal of map-making for Col. Proadwell.
who wanted dem for Cheneral Kirby
Smith. | dalked so earn, silly. and told so
straight n story dat L convinced Himmel-
wurst. and he half-sOnvinced de Major.
II may pc uit ut ID utuiIS uc liulA,
said he. but 1 belief he is liar and a
shy. But Col. Proadwell has such queer
lot of cattle in dat Cotton Bureau, Chews,
Frenchmen and all sorts of NANCY
Dago rapscallions, dat no man can keep
track of dem. I'd like to drown de whole
raft of dem in de Red Riffer. Dey are
curse to de goundry, and his Cotton Blu
reau is. But Col. Proadwell has peen Il
good friend of mine. and l don't want to
disoblige him. Well yoost keep dis fel
low until We can telegraph Col. Proadweli.
s. Il wish you would telegraph Col. Proad-
well,' said. when Himmelwurst translated
dis to me. L will bay for all de telegraph
ing you want to do
"Dis seemed to settle de Majors mind 4
little more. and it took great weight off
mine. l PECAN to think. l knew it would
take seferal hours to get an answer pack
from Col. PrOadwell. BrObaby his answer
woald pc dat vas all right Any way, /
world manage to gif dem de slip and get
pack to old A. ]. NIT de news had. In
spite of my. peing so scared. had kept |
my eyes and ears open all de times. and
seen seferal tings. and could make pref |
ty good guess at de number of men in
town. also caught on dat Gen. Dick |
Taylor vas not in town. hut had gone out |
NIT his staff on de Nachtoches Road
II vas beginning to feel pretty good
when in wandered one of de officers who
was de man who spoke 'Cajan French to
me. and NIT him vas de Creole Captain.
De 'Cajan fellow knew me ut once.
Hello. que faitez-vous ici:'
Il pretended not to understand him. or
to know him. but it vas no good He vas
sure l vas de same man. and again de
Creole Captain wanted TO shoot me right
away. De Major. however insisted dat
nothing be done until he heard from Col.
PrOadwell.
.Nothiuss will pc lost by Waiting. lie
said. 1T viii pc all de peter to hang hina
dis efening. yOost apout dress parade time.
OATS de military way. Sergeant. take hiai
down to de gart-liouse. put him in de up
stairs roani,f and take good care dat he
stays -dere until We want him again.
'De blaze where dey marched me- vas
an old store. which dey we're using for !:
sart-house. 1t vas in row of twO-story