The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-11-11
Written for the Argonaut by Major
n. .. Kouns, Late of the Con-
federate Army.

~ - 1NoOAAo A@ciAC VI IiiO OcAt
federate Army.
one of the strangest characters that
7 met during the five years 1 fought
under the Confederate flag, said the
Major, was a person who was known
throughout the South as Tucker. the
Scout" My acquaintance with this
singular being began with a terrible
incident Soon after the fall Of Vicks-
burg. 1 was in Canton with consider
able time on my hands, awaiting or
ders from Richmond. One day 1 was
strolIing through the military prison.
supposing that among these boys in
blue" there might be some one from
Missouri whom / knew. I was chat
ting pleasantly with one of the prison.
ers when I noticed a young man had
entered the long room, and was stand
ing about half way down the length
of it laughing and talking with a
Yankee. Their conversation soon be-
came so animated as to attract our at
tention, and mine was especially drawn
to this youth. He was clad in a neat
and beautiful suit of gray cloth; he
single long black feather was fastened
in front by a bright steel buckle, and
dropped back over the crown and rim
of the hat. He was small but COM
pactly built, and in every pose and
movement as graceful and as bright
as Apollo. There was such a jaunty,
trim appearance about him that one
could scarcely see him without desir.
n No
ond glance revealed a face Of remark
able beauty, in which, however there
was at once perceived something I'M
natural, fascinating, unearthly almost.
The shortcut hair was black as jet
and curled up everywhere close to the
scalp The brow was low, but broad
and beautifully moulded. The eyes
were large black and soft-almost
melting in their dewy splendor. The
face was beardless, delicate, and the
cheeks, which were absolutely rosy
(not many cheeks are 500, glided of
softly into a prominent chin, perfectly
formed but of unusual length. His
nose was high, straight and pointed.
with thin, wide nostrils, and the mouth
was small, but full and red, especial
ly the most strikingly handsome young
man I ever saw. These were the first
words I heard the boy speak, and they
were spoken clearly, incisively, in a
peculiar, ringing, silvery, banterfng
tone:
ooh, yes. Of course the Yanks and
all other men are brave enough when
there is a crowd of them together. but
when it comes to personal courage we
Southerners defy Gods earth to match
us Now / don't doubt that you're
q pretty good soldier for a Yankee
but you haven't got true grit You
can't sight down the barrel OF my re-
volver without f1inching, but Southern
gentlemen can meet death, single
handed, with a smile. You can't face
it even as a test. Try it. If You dare!
And with a light, hooking laugh he
extended his arm. The Yankee looked
startled for moment, but he shut one
eye and calmly sighted down the bar
rel of the pistol with the other.
You had better dodge" said ths
Young man, with a tantalizing laugh
81 am going to fire at the WORD
three Dodgei Dodge! One! Two!
The Yankee never flinehed.
"Threei' -
At the word the long, delicate fnges
pressed down upon the trigger. a loud
report rang through the room, and the
poor Yankee dropped dead in his
tracks. a bullet having crashed through
the right eye into his brain.
A thrill of horror ran through every