The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1905-01-12

1 he Looked in iis eGstern-mGde uniform
vivid contrast to many an old school
| friend whose first blue frock coat
seemed moro like an off-color editios
of SOM clerical garment than the garb
OF a solder FearfulIy and wonder
fully wee they made-those uniforms
of our western volunteers. and much
did they OF the great army about
Washington marvel and make merry
AT the sight of the officers OF the few
regiments from Badger and Hoosier-
dom chosen to represent their states on
the Sacred soll' Of eastern Virginia.
And about the first thing Fred Zen.
ton had done on his return wa 10
snub. II not actually insult. HIS fathers
junior partner. between whom AID that
father relations were already severely
strained
Never yet had George McKinnon
been able to satisieSacrily explain how
that letter addressed 60 Paul Ladue
had come into his possession. Impor-
tant as Il doubtless was held to be, as
evidence of Ladue's active sympathy
with the rebellion, there we're not a
few responsible citizens who declared
The postmaster gravely culpahle for
sUrrendering It to any but the lawful
owner Whereat the postmaster on
hearing OF the cry against him came
out with a card In the Waterman"
insisting that the letter had been
placed by the distributing clerk In the
Ladue box. which was al least six feet
from the general delivery window. and
that neither he nor any one OF the
employees had subsequently touched H.
Naturally matters looked squally Cor
McKinnon. lie had been popular, but
the better class OF people felt that
Paul Ladue had been harshly. even
outrageouSly. dealt with, and that Nc
kinnOn's insidious. II not fiery,
speeches were the direct cause.
A reyulsion OF feeling had set in.
Before leaving for Washington there
had been ample time for Fred Benton
to spread abroad Ladue's declaration
that nothing would persuade him to
cast his lot with the south.
Such was the state OF feeling that
Gale. the would-be heroic leader OF pub
lie sentiment. awoke 10 the fac, that :,
might be wise for him 10 cross the
lake and visit kith and kin among the
Wolverines. for city officials had come
and asked ugly questions. and there
was talk of arrest and indictment foi
melting riot.
McKinnon called at the Bentons and
asked to see Miss Elinor. and Miss
Elihor asked 20 be excused. Benton
senior approved her conduct. for there
bad been words between the partners
unpleasant words. In the end. McKin-
non withdrew from the firm and allied
himself with his old partners bitterest
rivals.
Then came the general with aide-de-
camp Fred and the former responded
10 McKinnon's greeting with cold and
distant clvility The latter asked him
what he had done with Ladue's letter
and refused his profered hand. II
was lucky the general had 10 take his
young stan officer to the state capital.
whence they were recalled TO Wash
ington Just In time to meet tae de-
morallzed wreck OF McDowellr raw.
untaught regiments drifting ia from
the disaster of First Bull Run.
And then the nation woke up 10
earnest TO a realization OF the fact that
the south had men as brave as the bes,
in the land and leaders more skillful
than those we had yet sent aneld. Then
II became apparent that not until II
was thoroughly organized. drilled and
disciplined could northern arm.
hope to subdue the army OF the south.
ITO BE Continued