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

VISIONS were ScdIIeTeQ prOulScuOuSly
around.
We made straight for the big tent
in front OF which the flag was flying.
Jack lowered the flag. With a beating
heart l entered the tent / found It
Uttered with torn papers and maps.
In one corner was a camp chest upon
which were painted the words, Sen
eraI E. F. Butler, u. S. Al
In tent in the rear OF General But
ler's, which was probably used as
kitchen, we found a stock of provi-
sions that set us wild with delight.
We had little to eat at home and now
had been for several hours without
food.
4 pot of coffee steamed on the fire
in front of the tent On the shelves In
side was boiled ham, and about it
lay a variety of canned meats and
fruits, while chest was found to con-
tain a quantity of freshly baked bread.
"Oh." said Jack, '.if we only had
wagon we might carry home a lot of
these things"
We'll" said 1, 1.-THE next best thing
is to tote home as much as we can on
our backs. What are we going To
takeT'
81 reckon" said Jack. "that the folks
at home would like tea and coffee best.
They are scarcest."
We decided to load ourselves down
with those two articles. We found
some empty sacks and divided the
contents of the sack Of green coffee IL
General Buffers kitchen tent into two
parts of thirty or forty pounds each.
Then into two other sacks we poured a
chest Of Oolong tea. These were tied
up and put inside the sacks containing
coffee, and Jack also stuffed into bis
sack the flag in front of the generals
tent. which he had taken down when
he first entered the camp.
He suggested that / give him part
OF my coffee in order to tighten the
load, and at first L was inclined to do
so, but when thought how the people
at home after many months use Of
chicory, parched corn, roasted sweet
potato parings and other poor substi-
tutes for coffee would enjoy the gen.
uine article l made up my mind that
would carry home the contents of the
sack if had to drag it over the en-
tire five miles.
We had been so much excited with
our discoveries that we had not no
ticed that the sun was very low. 1t
would be dark before we could reach
home. We gazed lougingIy at what
we were leaving behind and started
homeward.
We took the turnpike with the hops
OF getting a lift in some passing We
hicle. AS we trudged along we saw
two Confederate cavalrymen riding to-
ward US. In our fear lest they should
rob us of our precious possessions we
sIouched along as near the woods as
we could get. hoping they would pass
without noticing us.
Vain hope. ''Haltr' we heard one
Of them shout just as they were
abreast OF us. One Of them, who was
a corporal. dismounted.
He was a cruel looking fellow, and
we soon discovered that his looks did
not belle him. Walking up to Jack,
he grufiy asked, what have you got
there?" and at the same time roughly
jerked the sack from the terrified boys
shoulder.
Plunging his arm into the sack, he
drew out the United States flag. At
sight of this the corporal shouted,
"Spies-traitorsr' and danced about
wildly.
1t was useless for US to try to ex-
plain to the Infatuated man, and, to
tell the truth. we were too badly
to give a good account of
ourselves.
I'm going to carry you to General |
Beauregard's headquarters" the cor
poral said, land you'll be shot as
spies"
We believed him. 1t was not. there
fore, with very good spirits that we |
started on our march to General Beau
regards headquarters.
We wished to throw our sacks away. |
but our captors would not allow 1t. so |
we plodded along. our loads on our
backs and the corporal constantly |
to thrash rs for our SLOW
ness
We turned out of the turnpike into |
/ ventured to ask how far |
General Beaure@apPs HEADQUARTERS !