The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-04-07

Though much against her grain, Maria
| treated the ex-prisoner as if welcome
guest. In spite of her quick temper and
abruptness, Maria was innately a lady,
and usually did the right thing at the
right time, not from education, but be-
| cause that was a natural prompting.
On chest-lid procured from the bag
| gage car, and supported by the arms Of
| the seats, she spread a tablecloth of spot
less wilderness, and tastefully arranged
the viands taken from the Adjutant's
hamper.
II declare" she said in an undertone
to Annabel, as the two went together to
| the front platform to receive bucket of
| water 81 had hired colored boy to bring,
| 'all them things are so dainty and good and
| nice, that it strains me awfully to set 'em
| before one of them kind that starved Will
and 81 and the rest at Andersonville, be-
graudging. them even a bacon rind."
Most likely he hadn't nothing at all to
do with it," suggested the ever gentle An
mabel. II heard him say he'd just got out
| OF prison himself"
| Yes, and look how fat and sleek he is.
Mighty different frem the way the boys
looked when they got home"
Il don't think he could ever have been
one of those awful guards around the
prison." persisted Annabel, who was
quite impressed with the strangers frank
manIiness, and was disposed, any way, to
dutifully follow Sis attitude toward him.
He don't look at all like that kind of a
L
Besides, l heard him tell 81 that he'd
| been all the time at the front"
Yes; up there shooting and killing our
men, snapped the implacable Maria.
to Will and ST.
My present idea is" responded Anna
bel, bridling with little wifeIy pride,
that the fellows who were shooting at
81 and Will come out so far behind in the
| little game that We can afford to be IL
trifle forgiving to 'em. No rebel who ever
| run up against 81 has any reason to crow
| about it, as | understand, and the same
with Will. It's the fellows who licked
who ought to be civil and kind, and guess
we know who they WERE
Possibly you're right. Pussy" said
Maria, a little more softly. Il can't helm
It riling me to see his rebel uniform, and
his smirking. sef-sat isfed air, just as if
for" ~
"Any how persisted Annabel, .if the
boys can be pleasant and polite to those
| rebels, We might be- They didn't shoot at
us, and bang us over the head with gun
1arreis, and an say nasty things to us, as they
''They done a heap worse to us when
they done those things to Will and ST."
answered Maria. faring up 'Things that
are done to me don't ,rankle like things done
| to them love. In the little spats / have
l generally give as good as get. and for
get all about ithpretty soon. ATebbe it's
| the same way with Will aid ST. But it's
Just burnt into my very soul the way those
fellows used WIFI and 81, and can't ever
| forget it. any more than can forget God
or my husband.''
Il know it, dear" reasoned Annabel
but We have accepted the Adjutants invi
| tation and it's something like as if We
We're in his own house. He's asked YOU
| to take charge Of things. and it's like you re
| and hostesses.'
Il know all that, and I'm going to do
just right, but it's like taking dose
of NORWOOD. answered Maria. $,
| never thought I'd come to serving out
yictrals to rebel at the same table with
Will and ST.
The struggle was over. and the strong
"
| for herself with gracious sweetness that
| no hostess could have surpassed. Yet she
could not help herself, when there seemed
any choice in anything. giving the poorest
| to the rebel.
The first course consisted of daintily-
broiled chicken hams. each one wrapped i'm
tissue paper. and with handles of frlled pa
per to hold while eating. Annabel and
Maria cooed over their tastefulness as they
picked them out and put them on plates
| Somehow those on which the paper was
| rumpled and stained found their way to
| the rebels plate. Maria had another in
| ternal spasm as she thought of handing
| such titbits to one whose people had de-
MED ST and Shorty more than scanty doles
of coarse cOrn-meai, but she conquered this.
and with smiling face offered the we'll
loaded plate to the ''ex-Johnny." as 81 and
| Shorty persisted in addressing him.
"Ex-Johnny" was too well-pleased. how
ever, with the company, their cordaiity.
and the delicious yankee" food to notice
any little deliquencies of the hostess. He
| talked vivaciOusly all the time when his
mouth was not full, about his experiences,
in the field and in prison. about his glad
| ness at the ending of the war, and about
his home, and what he was going to do.
The boys listened and questioned, to draw
him out, for they were deeply interested in
knowing what attitude the men who had
4 Deeu uSuIlDS 80 SLuUDOFHly were now go
| ing to assume.
The girls sat and listened with politely
interested faces. They cared less what he
was going to do than what he had done.
Once, when he was telling how his regi-
ment stood in sheltered position on
Marye's flights, at Fredericksburg, and
simply moved down the heads of the gal
liant charging columns Of Hancock and
Humphreys. Maria lost her self-control,
and gave little scream of rage and hor-
ror.
81, Shorty and the Adjutant looked up
with establishment. They were engrossed
in the details of that frightful sacrifice.
with feeling of anger at the General
whose fatuous plans placed his men at such
fearful disadvantage. The exact history
of the AFFAIR was what they wanted most
Maria reddene,d,, With confusion.
THE details are rather CHASTITY for
ladies' ears" apo1ogized the Adjutant.
| maria, you ought to be getting used to
soldier stories by this time" grinned 81.
| Excuse me, /" madam" said the ex-
Johnny courteousiy.I II didn't mean to say
anything that would Shock you.'
| "'Taint so much that men were being
killed." Maria famed out. "God have
mercy. we have all had to get used to that.
But it was the Kind OF men who were