The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1912-01-04
CHAPTER xx,.-contlnued.

looked Onward to the coming battle,
when knew the mighty armies of
North and South would once again
contest for the fertile Shenandoah. It
was to be American pitted against
American. a struggle ever worthy of
the gods. Slowly l rode back down
the files of my men. marking their
alignment and accoutrements with
practised eye. smiling grimly as I
noted their eager faces, war-worn and
cronzed by exposure. yet terminated
by hope of, active service. AS 1
watched them thus, | thought again
of those. many other faces who once
rode as these men did now, but who
had died for duty ever 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-
clpl1ned, unknown, to place our lives
Willingly upon the scared altar of our
native State. What speeches. years
of horror those had been; what his
tory we had 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 grimly to the northward, our flag
a torn and ragged remnant, barely
forty men wore the 3D. 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 gravely, as 1
ranged up beside him at the rear of
the troop, the men looh exceedingly
well, and do not appear to have suf-
fered greatly because of short ra-
tions."
oh, the lads are always in fine
:fettle when they expect a fight" he
answered. his W eyes dancing as be
swept them ove 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 So~utherners. They seem to
think We are entirely different from
themselves; yet I reckon it would puz-
zle any recruiting officer up yonder
to show a finer lot of fighting men
than those fellows ahead there"
rode slowly forward to my own
position at the head of the troor. AS
I swung my horse into u accustomed
position | was too deeply buried in
reflection to be clearly conscious of
much that was occurring about me
Suddenly. however, l became aware
that some one, nearly obscured by the
envelop1ng cloud of dust. was riding
without the column. in an independ-
eDce Of military discipline not to be
permitted. In the state of mind | was
then in this discovery strangely ir-
ritated me.
Sergeant" | questioned sharply, of
the raw-boned trooper at the end of
the first p atoon, what fellow is that
riding out yonder?"
ITS Their pesky little cuss as come
in with We yesterday. sir" he returned
with a grin: He's ~confiscated a muel
somewhat an says he's a goin' back
hum long o we uns."
Curious to learn how Jed had
emerged from his arduous adventures,
] spurred my horse alongside of him.
The little man, bending forward
obviously, as If 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 home. jedi" | asked. as he
glanced up and saw me.
"Jist as durn quick as | kin git
thar" he returned emphatically. by
gum. Cap. l amt bin way from Marian
long as this afore In twelve year.
Reckon shesthinkss I've %skedaddled fer
good this time, al ill be a takin'
up with some other NAL, critter lest
git back thar mighty sudden. Won.
sn's odd Can. durn nigh as ornary