The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1904-04-30
. FAMILY AFFAIR

about forty years old named Reuben
Hartman, and he WIS the only. man
among US who kept close mouthcd
about his identity and his family his
tory. Some of the men thought there
was good reason for this. but II didn't
t%ranspire that Hardnlun had anything
to be ashamed OF. The truth came out
one day as lie was marching and STUN
| bling over /, bad road. and when his
patience had become exhausted lie
said:
'(;aul durn Dan'rs hide. hut II | had
aim here I'd wallop him till he couldn'
boiler. What on earth did lac GO and
10 it for and bring all this trouble OF
neg"
Some of the boys asked him whn
Dan'I was. and then the mystery was
solved. Danl was "A brother who had
zone. south and enlisted in the COnfed-
crate artny and was then known to be
IN among the troops ~nnafrOnting us.
If Reuben was "a good Union man
DAM WAS no less IL good Confederate.
and if Reuben GUESSED Dan1 for the war
his adjectives were supposed 10 be re-
turned with interest.
We wondered if it would sd happen
| that the two would meet in battle. but
time went on until we got aroun la
Petersburg. As our regiment took the
rifle pits in the center of Grants lines
one day Reuben vas II OF the men
detailed for the pits. At this roint
Union and Confederate pits We're MOI
more than Il hundred feet apart, and to
show Il head above the earth was sur
death. Reuben had n high pitched
voice, and any n having heard u
could identify him in the darkest night
1t began raining o after he and ,
| comrade had reached the pit, and the
brother soon began the same old TRADE
against Daniel.
Suddenly voice from the Confeder-
ate pit opposite shouted out:
'Say. now, but shuck my hid" II |
don't know the critter who owns tina
voice."
"who be you over thcrey' called Reu
ben as he started up.
I'm DAM, Of course"
You dom mean tt!'
"Yes, | do. and you are I,eubc. I'd
know that voice Of yours if | heard ii
In Chiny. Say. old man. how are ye,
and how are all the folks al homer
I'm well 'nuff. and the folks are well
huff. but I'm powerful mad What
did you 20 and turn rebel for md make
all this troubIci You hain't got 81
spark of decency about YOU, DAM
Hardman.'
Tin as good Us any old Yankee" re-
piled Daniel.
"You amt either. Just let me cit
holt OF you. and you'll sing II different
tune. | want you to come right over
here and surrender and behave your
self. DO you hear meT"
Their conversation in the pits was
heard by u score OF men on either side.
and first one would cheer and then the
other. When there was a break in the
talk. Il Confederate would shout across
"Hey thar. Reube. come over to the
house and see Dan'l,'
"You bad boy. Dan'l, come home and
be licked" II Federal would shout i'll
answer. And for an hour the firing
from half n dozen rifle pits was sus-
pended. When Reuben took his sec
ond trick in the pit he vas so eager to
open communication that he exposed
his head. and a bullet sent his cap hy-
ing ten feet away.
"Durn your hide. but that was you.
Dan'l,' he shouted Ms he. crouched
down. Yes. I'll bet it was. You hain't
got no more sense I'm your head than Ia
90 and shoot AT your brother though
you couldn't hit a barn ten feet away
''Tha you. Reube?" called Daniel.
"Of curse it's me. What you asl;in'
such silly questions for You never
did know beans. ever before you ran
away and joined them rebels"
Don't git mad" said Daniel. II
thought il was some other Yank. Say.
tteube, did you say that al the folks
at home was we'll? hain't heard from
them in a hull year"
"None o yOur business how they
are. Anybody mean nun TO go OF and
join the rebel army needn't be askin'
about decent folks. I've got IL heap
O. things laid M aG'in you. young man.
and you'll do n lot of begin when |
git holt Of you"
But you'll never git holt" replied
bai' - "h AAaoSt oAOhbN hAAA
raised n cheer.
Yes, | will. Grant is goin' to cap
ture your old army for sure. and then
me an you will settle things"
Tell Gener Grant to go To grass
1t was funny what influence that lit
tie thing had III the opposing rifle
pits. II came 10 le known tn hundreds
of men on each side that Reuben and
Da We're brothers. and their names
became household words. They were
on duty ouly three times before their
respective regiments were relieved. but
the men who came after tbem had
something 10 talk about. All OF u sud
den there would come a hull in the
murriernus firing. and a Confederate
would raise his voice and call out:
Say. yo' Yank over thar. what has
noa,n. Of T.aasI.C lrsl,ar,s