The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-01-28
Obeying Orders.


/ N-~f~'Nf,
just as we heard the report OF a rifle
At the edge Of the cornfeld twenty
rods from the road was pun Of blue
smoke to direct us to the bushwhacker
We had the fences down and were rid
Ing toward the spot two minutes later
War is cruel enough, but bushwhack
Ing is simply murder. A farmer am
bushes himself and fires into column
Of marching men. Whether he wounds
or whether he kills, the war goes on
just the same. The government would
feel the loss Of a mule more than Of a
man.
III your column is bushwhacked,
find the man and hang him. n he has
home, burn it.
Those were the orders, and every
man remembered them as we rode
down on the bushwhacl1er We found
where he had knelt down to take aim.
but he had disappeared. Fifteen rods
up the hill was Il wretched pole cabin,
with the roof sinking in. 1t had no
door at the opening and no sashes at
the Windows. There was no floor, and
the cooking was done at rude fire.
place. A girl who could not have been
over eighteen and who was poorly
clothed ana barefooted sat at the front
door, smoking pipe. She saw as
swarming up the hill, but did NOT
move.. Our curses filed her ears mo-
ment later, but she pulled at her pipe
and looked at us indifferently.
where is the man who fred the
shot? You heard It. You must know
who it was"
Didn't dun hear nor see nuthin',"
she replied.
There was only one room in the
cabin. Lying on the floor under the
rude bedstead. with his gun beside
him, was the man. We hauled him
outdoors without resistance. The wife
on the steps did not rise up nor cease
10 pun. She did not look at us nor
at him. The man was a squatter, per-
haps twenty-five years old. He was
white trash
Bring a roper
The man leaned up against an old
cherry tree and looked at wife and
baby. was looking into his face all
the time. 1t was emodonless and I'M
readable. Not one human sentiment
swept over 1t. He simply stared and
stared and stared.
The baby had been nursed and Groom
ed to sleep. The woman still held it,
Her pipe had been smoked out. She
gtill retained it IN her black teeth AS
the free end of the rope was thrown
over the limb Of another tree not far
away the woman seemed to look at
her husband for the first time and
said;
Jed. didn't tell YOU TN sol"
Reckon
He's bushwhaeked one of my men
and he's got to hangg' said the officer
to her.
Told him not to-"
"will you go insidey'
Eur why?F
You don't want to see your own
husband hung, do yous"
"I'll sit we're. she answered as she
settled down.
Now. then" said the officer to the
husband. do you want to kiss your
wife and child before you go?'
/ looked to see soft lines come into
the mans face, hnt observed not one
single one. II was a face OF wood or
stone. IIes looked at the woman and
at the child. and it seemed as IL he had |
not understood. She did not even look
up. doubt II they had ever exchang-
ed kisses. Perhaps he had never taken |
The infant in his arms. It seems cruel |
now, when peace has been upon the
and for third Of century. but blood |
ran hot in those days of war, and men |
lid not stop to think. The man was
walked to the other tree, the moose
slipped over his head, and half dozen
pairs OF hands drew him clear of the /
ground, his arms having been first tied
behind him, He said no word and |
made no struggle You would have
hought that something like that had
,een part and parcel Of his daily ex-
stence for years.
NOW we must burn the house." said
he officer to the wife as the grewsome
hing hung there swaying in the
,reeze.
Reckon YOU must" she answered as
he moved aside for as TO pass in.
We brought out everything and made
pile in the grass she assisted us in
10 way. The baby woke up again, with
wall. but before nursing and Groom
ng again she filed and lighted her
ipe one Of the troopers gave her
match. When ordered TO move, she
walked away about ten yards and sat
own under bush. The old cabin
ras fired, and in a quarter of an hour
. had disappeared. What we had car
led out could have been taken away
D a wheeibarrow The provisions con-
isted Of a small piece of bacon and
bout i've pounds of cornmeal. The
ugle blew Attention. and the troop
rs began moving down the highway
fingered behind 10 say 10 the woman:
"Your husband is dead. your house
urned down. and what win you do
ow:i
cant reckon to say" she replied IN
lreless tones.
Got father and tother to 60 top
81. III. - :