The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-10-13

6A&@ LNEhA "A
hand, sab, and let us bury the Ratchet
Those were his words, sab, while his
demeanor was I'm consonance with
them. And what could I do but shake
his hand and order twenty pounds OF
sugar sent to my house as a ciinchers
Another of my critics was Majaa
Hoke The majah insisted that my
wish to die for my country had moth
ing to do with 1t; thatI had been or
dered to hold a certain position and
that 1t was my duty to do it; that 1t
looked more like leading a regiment
out to play a game of baseball than
to fight and other remarks that cut
deep. I could not challenge him, he
being my inferior. but tweaked his
nose for him and stated that IL he
would challenge me I would waive the
difference In rank.
The majah was all ginger, sab. He
had the challenge ready in ten minutes,
and all was arranged to meet next
mawning. Each was fully determined
to kill the other, but we were not to
meet. That night while he was going
the rounds Of the pickets he was so
badly kicked by an army mule that he
was sent to the hospital. A few days
later be was gobbled up by the enemy
and held prisoner to the end of the
wah. 1 met him on the streets of this
town a year later. I was about to
glare at him and pass him by when he
held up his hand for me to halt and
said:
Colonel Bunker, I have come to the
conclusion that my words of years ago
were uncalled for. You were put in a
certain place to exercise your best
judgment, and whatever you did was
right. 1 wish to recall those words,
sab, and I wish you to accompany me
around the corner and take a nip in
honoh of the renewal of our friend
Ship
81 was a time when all men were
buryiEg their animOsities, and the ma
jah and l soon buried ours. I then had
only one more man to deal with. He
had been lieutenant colonel in my bri.
gade. and it had SO happened that we
had played poker together on many &C.
cas.ons. 1t had also happened, as it
will sometimes. that | had most al
ways been the winner. The colonel
was a gentleman. sab, as we'll as a SOL
dier, but his losses ranked a bit.
When my trouble came he remarked
that | was probably leading my regi-
ment in search of Il four ace hand, and
when l called on him and demanded an
apology he refused to make one. I
waived the difference in rank and chal-
lenged him. He promptly accepted. AS
both Of US wished to have the affair
over with at the earliest possible mo-
ment we went put within the hour. As
both of us were dead shots it was pre-
dicted that there would be a double
tragedy, but there was a roaring farce
instead.
eve entered a meadow well beyond
the lines and were about to take posi-
tons when we discovered that we had
stirred up a nest of bumblebees. The
insects attacked us with fury, and both
Of US were stung repeatedly befo' we
could make our escape. The humor Of
the thing appealed to each man, and a
few judicious words from the seconds
brought about a reconciliation. :
81 had determined to play nc mo-
poker with the colonel, but at his ear
nest and repeated solicitations l did
relieve him Of small sums at regular
intervals for the next year or two. A
good soldier and a game man, sab, but
not up on the points Of the great Amer
lean game. That's all, sah-that's ALL
And when the cocktail was brought
he drank it at a gulp and was SOON
nodding in sleep. NJ. QUAD.