The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1907-06-06
Transposed Wedding
Costumes.
foriginAl.l

\ SlueEeu ulllSelE at tue LUuE VI u mouu'
tain OF superior officers
Bullwinkle always thought that If he
could get an independent command,
even of his own company, he could
distinguish himself. When Sherman
marched to Atlanta the captain attain
ed his desire. He was left In the rear
to guard bridge.
There was house near the bridge he
guarded In which lived family Of
Confederate sympathizers, Bullwinklc
was informed by a Union man that the
place was to be used as cover for
Confederates to steal upon the bridge
at night and burn 1t. He sent his Sec
ond lieutenant, Walter Moore, to put a
corporal and four men In the house.
Moore marched his men to the place.
They were fired on, and Moore ordered
retreat. When he returned and re-
ported what he had done, or, rather,
had not done, Bullwlnkle was very an
CRY. Moore excused himself on the
ground that he was fired on by women,
and he didn't like that kind Of war
fare. Bullwlnkle sent sergeant and
a dozen men, who found no one in the
house except the family.
Now comes the captains unique dis
tinction. Being independent, far from
superior, he could do pretty much as
lie pleased. He made an example OF
Moore, trying him for cowardIce, and
got the court to sentence the lieutenant
to wear women's clothes for sixty days.
Feminine clothing was obtained from
among the citizens, and Moore was
forced to array himself in 1t. For a
few days the command was much
amused; then MOore's punishment be-
came IN old story.
One day a young countryman with
yellow hair, blue eyes and without the
sign of beard appeared at headquar-
ters and asked to be enlisted. He was
accepted, and Moore's uniform was
given him temporarily. He was an eff
Terminate little chap, and as the men
were disposed to make butt OF him
he made friends with Moore. Then
there was sport sure enough. The re-
cruit and Moore were great deal to-
gether and never appeared In company
without exciting derisIve laughter.
The bridge was protected by block
house. One afternoon several hundred
Confederate troopers came down to
drive Off the Yanks. BulIwinkle gath
cred his command, some eighty men,
in the bIOckhouse. Moore, who OF
course was not acting as lieutenant
took musket aud fought in the ranks.
The recruit showed himself from the
first an arrant coward, and both off,
GERS and men looked upon him with
contempt. Moore, however, excused
the boy on the ground that 1t was his
first fight and he would redeem him
self later on.
Finally the Confederates divided into
two sections, both of which attacked
the blocklouse simultaneously, one In
front and one in rear. The captain d.
vIded his own force to meet the ad'
vancing sections, taking command OF
one section himself and placing the
other under his first lieutenant. Moore
was in the IIeutcnant's section. The
Wub hlIIElI anu hASpASb NSA
mindful OF his degraded condition and
feminine dress, sprang ut once into the
gap and directed the defense with
great GOODNESS and bravery, finally driv-
ing his enemies to cover. Then he took
his men to the captains assistance.
and the other Confederate section was
also driven of. Soon after the Con-
federates raised the siege and galloped
away.
"You two" said BuIIwinkle to Moore
and the recruit when the fight was
over, Change uniforms"
Moore looked much embarrassed, and
the recruit turned pale.
"Off with that unlformI' roared the
captain to the recruit.
"Please, captain, mayn't ! go on by
myself to undressY
"Go of by yourself! No. you cow
ard; strip"
"Hold on, captain" said Lieutenant
Moore. "We'll have to make an expla'
nation. We're cornered."
IAN explanatIonI What explana-
tlonT
"Wel, to begin at the beginning,
when you ordered me TO take corpo-
raj and four men to the house up yon-
der was at a disadvantage. I'd been
to that house often after taps and had
been treated very kindly by the family
living there. One of them, girl, was
mighty good to me-"
"a love affair, suppose" growed
BulIwInkIe. "Thnt's no excuse in
matter OF duty"
"When we were fired on, couldn't
stand to shoot people who had been
good to me, especially the girl, SO
drew or my men,
"Well, what's that got to do with
this fellows cowardlce"
"It's kind of hard to explain it." the
lieutenant Iabored on, "but the fact is
the girl heard of my disgrace, incurred
on her and her famiIy's account, and.
wanting to be with me-to keep me up.
H. nj