Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-12-27

/ STOPPED suddenly with an extaInatft5a
OF disgust Nothing could be gained
by longer masquerade. and I telt IN
expressible shame at being thus at
tired. Neither pass nor uniform
wcuid suffice 10 get me safe through
those outer picket lines and If should
fall In the attempt, or be again made
prisoner. ! vastly preferred meeting
my fate clad IL the faded gray OF my
own regiment. With odd sense of re-
lief hastily stripped of the gorgeous
trappings. flung them in the ditch be-
side the road, and pressed on. feeling
like new man.
| There was small need for caution
here, and for more than an hour
tramped steadily along. never meeting
person or being startled by a sus-
picious sound. Then. as rounded
low eminence / perceived before me
the darkoutlines of trees which marked
the course of the White Briar. white
directly in my 'front.' and half 90
scured by thick leaves OF the under
brush. blazed the red glare OF ire.
| knew the stream well. its steer
banks Of percipitate rock. It's rapid,
swiriing current which. | wa well
aware, | was not a sufficiently expert
swimmer to cross. Once upon the
other bank should be comparatively
! safe. but to pass that picket post and
attain the ford was certain to require
all the good fortune | could ever hope
for.
But despair was never for long my
comrade, and had learned how de
termination opens doors y the coura,
geous-it is ever he who tries that en-.
tiers In. 1t took me ten minutes. pos
sibly. creeping much of the way like
wild animal over the rocks, but at
the end of that time had attained
position well within the dense thicket.
and could observe clearly the ground
before me and some of the obstacles
to be overcome
As I supposed, it was a cavalry out
post; could distinguish the crossed
sabers on the caps of the men. al
though 1t was some time before was
able TO determine positively where
their horses We're picketed. There
must have been all of twenty in the
party. and | could distinguish the lieu.
tenant in command, middle-aged
man with light-colored cnin beard,
seated by himself against the wall OF
small shanty OF logs, a pipe in his
mouth and an open book upon his
knee His men were gathered close
about the blazing fire. for the night
air was decidedly chill as 1t swept
down the valley; number were
| sleeping, few at cards, while little
group. sitting with their backs to-
ward me. yet almost within reach of
my hand. were idly smoking and dis
cussing the floating rumors Of the
camp managed to make out dimly
the figure of a man on horseback be-
| yond the range of flame. and appar-
emily upon the very bank of the
stream, when some words spoken by
an old gray-beared sergeant interested
me.
Bob" he said to the soldier loung.
ing next him. 'whut wus it tibet stan
officer sed ter Their leftenant? | didn't
just git Their straight of it."
The man, a debonair yong fellow.
stroked his little black mustaches re.
| fectively.
'Ther cove sed as how Coles d.
vision wud be along here afore day
light. an tibet our fellers wud likely
be sent out ahead of EN-"
''Whar be they goin'?'
The leftenant asked him, an the
cove sed as it wus a gineral advance
to meet oil Hancock at Minersville.'
"Thet's good 'nough, lads. chimed
in the sergeant, shaping his knee. at
means a dance down the valley after
Early. I'm a guessin wen have a
bang-up oil fight fore three days
more"
"Peryidin alters tibet Their Johnnies
don't skedaddle fust," commented an
other, tartly. "Whut in thunder is
! Their matter with them hosses?" he
asked suddenly. rising and peering
over into the bushes beyond the hut
where a noise of squealing and kick
Ing had arisen.
"Oh. the bay FLY is probably over
the rope agin.' returned TIE ser
geant. lazily sit down. Sins, an be
easy; you're not on boss guard ter
night"
Il know tibet. growled the soldier
doubtfully. but thet thar kid is nc
| good. an don't want my boss all
banged VI just as we're goin' or
campaign. 'Tain't no sorter way ter
hitch 'em anyhow, to picket rope;
ruins more bosses than Their Rebs
dew"
tTo BE coNTINUED)