The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1912-01-04
CHAPTER XxI.-Continued.

WIFI REM uItcHcntS TO JOIN fafly.
CHAPTER xxl.-Continued
With the ardor of young manhood
looked forward to the coming battle,
when ] knew the mighty armies OF
North and South would once again
contest for the fertile Shenandoah 1t
was TO be American pitted against
American. struggle ever worthy of
the gods. Slowly rode back down
the files of my men. marking their
alignment and accoutrements with
practised eye. smiling grimly as |
noted their eager faces, war-worn and
tronzed by exposure, yet terminated
by hope OF active service AS
watched them thus. | thought again
If those many other faces who once
rode as these men did now, but who
had died for duty even as these also
might yet be called upon to die. one
hundred end three strong, gay In
bright new uniforms, with unstained
banner kissing the breeze above our
proud young heads, we rode hopeful
|. forth from Charlottesville scarce
three years before, untried, undis.
ciplined, unknown, to place our lives
willingly upon the scared altar of our
native State, What speechless years
Of horror those had been; what his
tory We Lad written with our
naked steel: what scenes of
suffering and death lay along that
bloody path we travelled. To-day,
down the same red road, our eyes still
set grimiy TO the northward, our flag
d torn and ragged remnant, barely
forty men wore tho ID" between the
crossed sabres on their slouched
brown hats, in spite of all recruiting
The cheer in my heart was for the
living; the tear in my eye was for
the dead.
Colgate" ! said grayely, as
ranged up beside him at the rear of
The troop. the mon looh exceedingly
well, and do not appear to have suf-
fered greatly because of short ra-
tons"
"Oh, tie lads are always In fine
Iettlo when they expect a fight" he
answered. his own eyes dancing as he
swept them over that straight line Of
backs in his front. They'll scrap the
better for being a bit hungry.-it
makes them savage Beats all, Cap.
tain, what foolish notions some of
those people on the other side have
Of us Southerners. They seem to
think We are entirely different from
themselves: yet | reckon il would puz,
Ale any recruiting officer up yonder
to show a finer lot of fighting men
han those fellows ahead there"
rode slowly forward 10 my own
position at the lead OF the troop, As
swung my horse into our accustomed
position ! was too deeply buried in
collection to be clearly conscious OF
much that was occurring about me
Suddenly. however became aware
that some one, nearly obscured by the
enveloplns cloud Of dust, WIS riding
without the column. in an independ.
ence OF military discipline not to be
permitted In the state of mind | was
then in this discovery strangely ir.
ritated ne
Sergeant" questioned sharply, Of
the raw.boncd ,roopcr at the end of
the first p'atoon, what fellow Is that
riding ont yonder?'
ITS ther pesky little cuss as come
Ia with We yesterday, sir no returned
with "a grin He's conflscated a muel
somewhar an says he's goin' back
hum long o We uns"
Curious 60 learn how Jed had
emerged from his arduous adventures.
! spurred my horse alongside OF him.
The little man, bending forward
obviously. as Ii fearful Of accident,
WAS riding bareback on "a gaunt. long
legged mule. which, Judging from all
outward appearances. must have been
some discarded asset of the quarter.
masters department.
Going Eome, JEDI" | asked, as he
glanced up and saw me.
JlRt as durn quick ms ! KIN blt
thar" he returned emphatically. by
gum, Cap Amt bin way from Mariar
long as this aiore In twelve year,
Reckon she thinks I've skedaddled fer
good this time, al Ill be Il takin'
NJ with some other mnls critic lest
| cit back thar Mighty sudden Won.
ems odd, Cap. lurn nigh as ornary
bout some things AZ muel.
He eyed his mount critically.
burned II ever ! thought Id git
astraddle o any four-legged critter
agin. he said, rubbing himself as II
In sudden and painful recollection OF
the past But sort, r picked up this
yere muel down ct Their corral an he's
tow durn wore out totin' things fer
lou uns ter ever move often walk.
sorter reckon it's heap easier a
jittin' ycre thaa ter take II aint all
her way Ter Their sountings
It vas long after dark the second
ay when. thoroughly woafied. We
I. ~ sEia ~ old tobacco fIeh ard