The National tribune., 1904-06-09

began 10 return. OHe OF TWO udys VI
storm and rain, nights of hunger and suf-
fering in the woods, were lessons quickly
to be learned, and they were Fastening
back to masters corn-cribS and cabins
where hoe cakes came hot out of the ashes
The army passed on; Joe Johnston sur
rendered: the Grand Review had its day,
and the fOragers were scattering for their
homes in the West, when one day the Cap
tain received letter with a North Caro-
lima postmark. 1t said:
Dear Sir: Captain Something-May be
it's the name on the kitchen mantel that
heads the roster impels me to write this.
Since that night when you came like a
good angel to the plantation many things
have happened: First, the confirmation of
my husbands death, killed at Petersburg
then peace, with the freedom of the col
Ored folks, who were cast loose for them
selves, like Autumn leaves in whirlwind.
Here is the great plantation with thou
sands of acres and no seed for crops and
no one to plant it if there was seed. for
the blacks folks think the Government
will care for them: while we were away
from the lines of the great armies. yet all
in desolation, and no one has the heart
to again build up-a prosperous country
and people. The baby is getting to be
big boy; four months old to-day. We call
him General, for his father was a Gen
eral. leading North Carolina troops. when
he was killed; but sometimes the old col
Ored nanny who helps care for him, gets
i suppose after you, who went out in
the storm the night he was born"
There was some other things, express
ing gratitude and thanks. but they were
only glimmers Of common. everyday life.
When the Captain enlisted he had no
settled busness-not yet out of school
Four years of war had put finish to his
coh nd ,.f
other young men, was cast loose to build
a future for himself. Like thousands of
others, he was meditating on a trip to
Mexico, to help drive the fellows from
France back into their own Continent
What else was there to do? He knew no
ter, and then again came back those bum
mer days in Georgia and the Carolinas;
the thousands of Incidents then trivial in
themselves, came crOwding his thoughts
the fellows who had followed him i'm night
and storm, in raid and skirmish with such
gone down out of sight, their leave-taking
only an incident of the time. What a dar-
ing, dashing lot of boys they were! Names
why it was only few short months
ago, and yet he could not call them back! |!
How thOughtless it was of him; with 30
men, the best of the brigade. and no roster
kept. Were ever in the army q better
lot Of men? His boys were fast becoming
his dreams. mere ghosts Of wartime days:
and he turned again to the letter.
"The roster on the kitchen mantel"
With half closed eye he saw those men
come in the door: mud-stained clothing
raned soaked hats, with carbines trailing
in left hands, with right hands reverently
touching the blanket and inscribe names
and command on the wide pine frame.
There was big Charlie. the Lieutenant
killed only two days later, and his body
hung with a trail rope over the limb of
roadside tree. then riddled with musket
FORAGERS;" and there was the Ger,
man Lieutenant. who always wanted lit
tie fights and no big battles: and Bob. he
got his death shot at BenfonviIle.
And there was Hall; what had become
Of him? He was forager. but one day
came in to take the place of fellow who
played out" He was a literary cuss.
who went around with a pencil in his
hand and grayback on his shirt collar
The day he reported for duty the COM
mand arrived at the Great Peedee River
which was forded, and as they came up the
bank they found themselves on the best
stocked poultry farm in the country. But
from a pole in front Of the house there
floated flag, new to all Of them. 1t was
fully FIVE minutes before they realized that
they were looking at the "I.ion and the
Unicorn" There in the gateway. under
its protective waves. was the British sub
ject, n short, stocky man. with forid face
and large stomach. with one wooden leg
strapped on at the knee. He looked like
war relic. yet he might have lost that
leg in a thrashing machine: one can not
always tell. Anyway. he defied them
dared them to insult the Queen by touch
ing a single rooster or married pullet,
from beneath her protecting flag. He was
aching for fight; and that man Hall.
who rode a switch-tah mare known TO all
OF them as Mary~Ann. because of her
Eighty ways. got out his notebook to
make sketch. While this was going on
some one pulled the flag down and was
tying it to Mary Ann. With a roar of
Indignation the owner came out on the
road. Mary Ann gave her tail fin. then
with snort headed for the river. Hall
tried to hold her up. turning her about
several times. That switch-tail of hers
waving the flag, set the men shoutine