The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-08-01
FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY WAR STORY
81 F a ClsIGE5Esk Il.

to bring me the information we re-
quire?"
"I will, general"
Every well. The fate Of this army.
the success of the Union arms in the
west, perhaps the prolongation OF the
war. depend upon you"
The young man bowed, but said moth
ing.
''You will need a pass to get beyond
our pickets." The general drew camp
chair beside a pine table and took up
pen. "How will you have 1t writ
ten?"
pass Private Mark Malone'-that
name will do as we'll as any-'beyond
our lines at will"
The general wrote the pass and
banding it to Private Malone. "Go. and
God bless your he said. he took his
emissary's hand and pressed it heart
lily.
As the words, SEQ, and God bless
you! rang again in memory the soldier
touched the fanks Of his horse lightly
with his great brass spurs and began
to descend the mountain.
An hour later he entered the little
town Of Jasper. Riding up to the taV-
ern he reined in his horse and let him
drink at the rough " .oden trough In
front. A number Of country people
were sitting on the veranda, and every
one fixed his eyes on the soldier. who
sat on his horse looking about him
with as much apparent Indifference as
If he were within the Union lines.
When the animal had drunk his ill
his rider cast ''le reins to negro ana
dismounted. Then, detaching his car
bine from where he had hooked 1t to
his saddle. be took it in his hand and
tramped into the house TO the jingle
Of his spurs.
Not a word was spoken By those
watching in admir- Oh the StrapplnS
young fellow with SO young face set
on so stalwart frame He paid no
attention to them. but walked into the
dining room and called for supper.
After devoting himself 10 plate OF
bacon and corn bread. with cup Of
chickory in lieu Of coffee (for the
blockade of the southern ports had
stopped the 6ow Of the coffee bean
from foreign countries,. he walked out
on the gallery, and seating himself on
wooden bench took brierwood pipe
and a tobacco pouch out of his pocket
and began to smoke.
Jasper was no mans land. Inc
people living there and thereabout were
nearly all Confederate sympathizers,
but had learned to look for Union or
Confederate troops with an equal
chance of either. From the moment
of the soldiers arrival they had dis
cussed his coming in whispers. Sol
diers of either side usually CAME In
numbers. It was seldom that single
trooper had the hardihood to enter the
town Of Jasper alone, especially one
wearing the blue. Presently an old
man dressed in .'butternut" got up
from his seat among the loungers and
approached the stranger for the pur-
pose Of reconnoiter:
Reckon y come from Decherd.
Yank?"
'Thereabout."
"You uhs got many sojers over
thar"
where"
"At Sparty."
NO"
''Murfreesboro?"
81 don't know
Reckon thar's powerful sight at
McMinnviIle?
"A division perhaps"
"Thet's an all fred pert rifle o
yourn. Wouldn't mind letten me han
die it. would W"
Mark cooked the piece, took off the
cap and handed it to his interrogation.
He still had his revolver, while the
man had weapon which could not be
fred without percussion cap.
"Waal. now. thet's quar-"
The man looked 1rOm the r1ne 70 LIE
soldier, not knowing which to admire
most-the mechanism Of the former or
the coolness Of the latter. Then he
handed it back.
You amt no Yank."
why not?".
"Yanks don't come down hyar all
alone. Besides a Yankee sojer wouldn't
ride a blooded mare like that a-one.
Morgan's men rides them kind O. crit
ters and wears them uniforms some
times"
Mark smiled knowingly.
You think Pm one Of Colonel Nor
gau's men, do you?"
} Reckon yer one O ourn anyway"
And the man walked away well sat
isfied with his penetration.
The soldier got up, went into the tav-
ern and paid for his supper with one
Of the postal shinplasters used at the
time In lieu Of silver; then he came
out and called for his horse. While
waiting be stood leaning against post