Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-01-04

the head from the corporal | asked
the other soldier ii he would not carry
my sack behind him on his horses
back little way. / believe he would
have done SO If the corporal had not
forbidden It.
Just as we reached the top of a long
hill and / was about to drop from IA
tigue i saw that we were near our
journeys end. In front of US was a
large building which before the days
of railroads had been a roadside inn.
Two guards slowly marched back and
forth before the tumbiedown steps
that led TO the porch, which extended
across the front of the house and
which was now crowded with sol
diers, apparently couriers and order
lies.
AS we reached the porch the soldiers
began to rally the corporal upon his
''baby prisoners" He made no reply.
but stalked pompously through the
open door after instruccng his COM
panion to hold us.
This WAS a useless instruction. We
needed no holding except as we were
receiving from the floor OF the porch,
upon which we had fallen completely
til the corporal came out to summon
us to the presence of General Beaure-
gard.
Bring the SACKS" yelled the corpo-
raj as we started in without them
am certain that no murderers ever
went to receive sentence of death with
weaker knees than we had as we were
pushed into the presence of General
Beauregard.
had my eyes shut, but opened
them when heard low, kindly voice
saying. well, my boys, what is the
trouble?'
I saw seated at a little of. table a
dapper little man in a gray uniform,
with small mustache and imperial and
kind looking brown eyes. he was
smiling straight into my eyes, and be-
fore knew what was doing 1 was
smiling. too, and thinking that our
lives were safe IN the hands ola man
who could smile like that.
Behind the general several men were
busiy engaged in writing, and scat
tered around the room were officers
whom I took to be members of the
staff.
Every one was smiling In the pleas
ATTEST way. In fact, the only i'll ma
tured man in the room was the cor
poral who had brought us in.
well, WELL" the general repeated.
what is the troublef"
The corporal began to answer, but
the general said: 81 have had your
story. Now I want the boys side"
Jack was much encouraged. He step
ped forward and told a straightfor-
ward story Of the way In which we
had been arrested and of the cor
porai's brutal treatment OF us.
Shameful said the general as he
looked at the corporal with angry
eyes. Then, turning to Jack again, he
said kindly, NOW tell me where you
got the flag and other things"
I'VE got them from General Buffers
abandoned camp on Shippers farm"
said Jack promptly.
What. Are you telling the truthY'
excitedly asked the general as he
jumped up and walked around to
where we were standing. 1t the same
time the room was filed with the
sound OF rafting swords as the officers
approached.
Eyes, sir, 1 am telling the TRUTH
Jack answered proudly, looking the
general straight in the eyes. Contln-
uing. he told the whole story from be-
ginning to end. not forgetting the din
ner we had eaten in General Buffers
Kitchen tent.
General Beauregard held whisper |
ed consultation with the officers pres |
ent, and they soon hurried out. Turn.
ing to the corporal. the general said: /
I'm view of the important information /
these boys have given me l forgive |
your foolish arrest and brutal treat |
ment of them. You may CO."
The corporal went out, crestfallen
By this time It had grown quite dark. |
and the military clerks were writing |
by the light of taIlow candles. Gen |
eral Beauregard turned to one OF them |
and gave instructions in a low tone.
We sat down on a bench at the dark |
side Of the room. apparently forgotten.
Presently the general walked over
to where we were sitting and, placing |
his hand on my head. said. Il suppose
you boys are anxious to get homer"
Yes, sir" we answered, both at
once.
well. will send you home in my
ambulance. Meantime accept my
thanks for the important information
you have brought me-"
we drove home. the happiest boys
in the world. in General Beauregard's
private ambulance. with our precious
sacks behind u.s. What a welcome we
found at home and how our old gov
eminent Java and Oolong were appre-
ciatedl
Are You in Doubt Where to Spend
Your Vacation2
The Grand Trunk Railway system
double track offers the choice of
many delightful resorts via Canada,
New England and on Jersey coast.