Gunnison news-champion and tribune., 1905-08-18

assault on tort >.sadars. sixIy miles
away. bss the conformation of the val
issss carried The -o..Ra without break.
al even - trained ears the hrnting
ss-c.sed i'.-r sh.a an ho.r's hos r..ls bss-
..sN.
tssr proximity 10 Lou gssrcots corp
and Wharton ubiquitous rangers did
not increase our vigilance. tha; had
never been ahated. The hope Of soon
n joining nv rcriment ch.ered nav men
wso neH began 10 speca!sate a. to the
Old friends they shoula had lott 10 greet
sham. for on tae Elarch We learned that
oar boys bad been badly cut sp a. camp
hills station while trying to check
isanrstFeess advance from before Chat
ian 9Iga.
n lile | did NJ; pormit my love for
Carrie Brent 10 blind ne TO the Interests
~ the caHse in which 1 was enlist d
.till she was never cat - my mind. and
besides tnis. | fcli that 1T was nay duty
a. man aud a soldier 10 save her broth
er Il / could. We were now on the
ground where Frank claimed % have
been when John Harding was KILLED
near Perrvvilio. and actermined 10 Sc
cure whatsoever evidence might b, in Ia ;
favor
had just eaten supper and was en-
joying a smoke with my only lieutenant.
Walter Arnold. when mounted troop.
or rode up 30 the fire. a cooked pistol in
his right hand and a gsant old nan.
with lcathery checks and butternEt
clothes. marching before him.
Game into our lines. SIR said the
trooper. saluting with the hand that
neld the pistol. "and says he wants 10
see the officer in command"
This man was a fair type OF hundreds
of mon refugees had seen in the early
part of the war He was as straight as
an Indian and there was much of the
aborigine in his complexion and i'm
passive hearing.
The soldier turned and rode awav
and before | could frame question TO
put To the prisoner. he advanced boldly
to the fire. and in the peculiar accent of
the mountain men in that region he
said:
Hits fine ev'pin', kernil"
''lt might be worse, J replied
With inimitable GOODNESS. the old
man took bite from plug of tobacco.
then. sitting down on his launches be-
side me. he asked:
BE you the head one harp"
Il am.
''Iiear from kaintuck?'
"Ges"
"A gWinc ON ter help wcHns' an
Mcester burnside down Knoxville wayo"
"les"
"Wa'al, he needs all the help he kin
git"
Il suppose so"
"Na-as, indeedy. But saw. Kernil."
What is it?' | asked. my amazement
at the old mans coolncss and loquacity
increasing every moment.
''Thars right smart deenger tween I
har an knoxville"
That isn't news" said
Il reckon not. but hits a heap sight
wuss'n you'uns think foh. Wv, thar's
Chenowith's men, an Wheeler's men.
an Brent's Partisan Rangers jist
swammin' har bouts"
Feeling that it was my place to do the
questioning, | checked him and asked
did you say Brent's Partisan
Rangers are near here?"
h"7o,f N'ihii. Dtth mar H1Rn OnTtf
goin' two months" he said. promptly. |
adding. after he had sent a stream OF
saliva into the fire: AN or-ni-ar-ier
lot o hounds amt never seed"
''is Captain Brent with them?''
"No, he left"
Ibid you ever see him."
Bet your life did"
when did YOU see him last?-
Before answering this question tn.
old man shut one eve, cooked the Other |
oontemplatively up at the sky. and be.
gan stroking the gray tuft of hair on his
chin with both hands. At length be
said: Il remember hit was nigh ontei
bout the middle o. last month He was
over near my place when he started of |
alone foh kaintuck. I've heard hi,
men say ez how hit was all coz o won.
an. for sich ! scz NOAH fool he. But |
wish they d all clared out bout the same
time"
This certainly confirmed Franl /
Brent's story. Concealing the pleasure
the old mans words gave me. | deter /
mined o, take him in band seriously.
What is your name?'' | asked.
't'eorge McKee," he answered
promptly.
''bn Uhich side do YOU stand?~
''On tdc side q the tsuy ment an, Ais,
Tennessee
''Bcea in the arrnv?'
ha-as. kinder OF an on like: but |
can't GO too FAR away from the ole won |
an: howsomdever got tuo boys = frh+ |
in fob the huy' mcnt. Did have three |
but one got shot down Shil5h way 1ons
with Mcestcr Neclson~
Nv hat commands are your sons with?' 1
"onc's in the Second Aist Tonnes. /
see Cavalry. but ulster he kee-ahtah's 1
-r1tter reg nnent foah he got TO he gin'ral. |
an the otber-thats ; Mike. he's 1one |
With Martins Battery Il. Aist Tenn'see. |
iEhtin foh the tiov 'nont.- and the old /
han emphasized this declaration by an /
'ther to.abarlment of the fire.