Evening journal., 1905-04-20
BY IRVING BACHELLER
tcontinued from Yesterday)
CHAPTER XVI.

with crowds now hardened TO
the sound of fife and drum and the
pomp Of military preparation. ] had a
very high and mighty feeling in me
that wore away in the discomfort OF
travel. For hours after the train start
ed we sang and told stories and ate
peanuts and pulled and hauled at each
other IN a cloud Of tobacco smoke. The
train was sidetracked here and there
and dragged along at a slow pace.
Young men with no appreciation, as Il
seemed to me, Of the sad business we
were or upon went roistering up and
down the aisles. drinking out Of bottles
and chasing around the train as it halt
ed. These reyelers grew quiet as the
night wore on. The boys began TO close
their eyes and lie back for rest. Some
lay IN the aisle, their heads upon their
knapsacks
The air grew chilly, and soon I could
hear them snoring all about me and the
chatter OF frogs in the near marshes.
closed my eyes and vainly courted
sleep. A great sadness had lain hold Of
me- had already given up my life for
my country. / was only going away
now TO get as dear price for 1t as pos
sible in the blood OF its enemies. When
and where would it be taken? won
dered. The fear had mostly gone out
Of me In days and nights Of solemn
thinking. The feeling ] had with It's
flavor Of religion, Is what has made the
volunteer the mighty soldier he has
ever been. I take It, since Naseby and
Marston Moor. The soul IS the great
captain. and with a just quarrel IL will
warm It's sword in the enemy. however
he may be trained to thrust and parry.
Ia my sacrifice there was but one
reservation-I hoped / should not be
horribly cut with a sword or a bayo-
net. ] had written a long letter to
Hope, who was yet at Leipsic, won
dered II she would care what became
OF me. ! got sense Of comfort think
ing / would show her that ! was no
coward with an my littleness / had
not been able 10 write TO Uncle Eb or
70 my father or mother IN any serious
tone OF my feeling IN this enterprise.
7 had treated Il as a kind Of holiday,
from which should return shortly to
visit them
Al about me seemed to be sleeping
Some Of them were talking in their
dreams. As It grew light one after an.
other rose and stretched himself. rous.
rg bis seat companion. The train halt
ed. A man shot a musket voice in al
the car door 1t was loaded with the
many syllables OF Annapolis June
ton We were pouring out Of the
train shortly TO bivouac for breakfast
in the depot yard So l began the life
Of a soldier and how It ended with
me many have read In better books
than this, but my story OF it is here.
and only here.
We went into camp there on the lone
" fats OF east Maryland for a day or
two. as we supposed, but really for
quite two weeks. In the long delay
that followed my way traversed tho
dead levels OF routine. When south
ern sympathy had ceased to wreak its
wrath upon the railroads about Balti-
more we pushed on to Washington.
There ! got letters from Uncle Eb and
Elizabeth Brewer The former ] have
now IN my box Of treasures. torn and
faded remnant OF that dark period.
Dear sir" it said he always wrote
me in this formal manner), II take my
pen in hand to lett you know that we
are all vel also that we was sorry
you could not come hom. They took
on terribul Hope she wrote a letter.
Said she had not herd from you. also
that somebody wrote to her you was
goin' TO be married. You oughter write
her letter, Bill. Looks to me 80 you
haint used her right Shes comm
hom In July. Sowed corn to day in
the gardin. David is OF byin catul. ]
hope God will take care Nv you, boy
so good by from yours truly
"EBEN HOLDEN"
wrote Immediately TO Uncle Eb
and told him Of the letters had sent
to Hope and Of my effort to see her.
Late In May after Virginia had Sc.
ceded. some 10000 Of us were sent over
10 the south side Of the Potomac, where
for weeks we tore the fowery fields
lining the shore with long intrench-
ments.
Meantime I wrote three letters to Alr
Greeley and had the satisfaction Of see.
ing them IN the Tribune. l took much
Interest In the camp drill, and before
we crossed the river ! had been raised
TO the rank Of first Lieutenant. Every
day we were looking for the big army
Of Beauregard, camping below Center
vile. some thirty miles south. Almost
every night a nervous picket set the
camp In uproar by challenging a phan.
tom OF bis Imagination. We were an
impatient as hounds in leash. Since
they would not come up and give us
battle, we wanted to be on and have il
out with them. And the people were
tired Of delay. The cry Of "ste' boyr
was ringing all over the north They
wanted 10 cut Us loose and be through,
with dallying.
Well. one night the order came: we
were 10 go south in the morning ,OOC
Of us-and put an end to tho war. W,
did not get away until afternoon. Il
was the 10th Of July when we wer,
of, horse and foot. SO that / could So,
niles Of the blue co.umn before am
behind me. I felt sorry for the mistak
en- south. On the evening Of the 1Sti
our camphrcs on either side Of the pix
at Centeryiile glowed like the lights O
a city. We knew the enemy was nea