Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-02-29
CHAPTER xxI.-continued.

CHAPTER XXI.-Continued.
With the ardor of young manhood I
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, a struggle ever worthy of
the gods. Slowly | rode back down
the files Of my men, marking their
alignment and accoutrements with
Hractised eye, smiling grimly as l
noted their eager faces, war-worn and
bronzed by exposure, yet terminated
by hope Of active service. AS l
watched them thus, l thought again
of 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 and three strong, gay in
bright new uniforms, with u~nstained
banner kissing the breeze above our
proud young heads, we rode hopeful
lE 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 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
d torn and ragged remnant, barely
forty men wore the I'd" 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 |
ranged up beside him at the e a of
the troop, the men LOOK exceedingly
we'll, and do not appear to have sui.
fered greatly because of short ra-
tons"
Oh the lads are always in fine
fettle when they expect a fight" he
answered, his wi 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 sor1e OF
those people on the other side have
Of us Southerners. They seem ia
think we are entirely different from
themselves; yet l reckon it would puz
zle any recruiting officer up yondel
to show a finer lot of fighting mer
than those fellows ahead there"
! rode slowly forward to my owr
position at the head of the troop. Al
/ swung my horse into our accustomed
position ! was too deeply buried il
reflection to be clearly conscious O
much that was occurring about me
Suddenly, however, l became awar,
that some one, nearly obscured by thu
enveloping cloud of dust, was ridint
without the column, in an independ
ence of military discipline not to b,
permitted. In the state Of mind | wal
then in this discovery strangely ii
vitated me.
Sergeant" | questioned sharply, o
the r%aw-boned trooper at the end o
the first platoon, what fellow is tina
riding out yonder?"
Its Their pesky little cuss as com
in with We yesterday, sir he returne'
with a grin. He's confiscated a niue
somewhat an says he's a goin' bacI
hum long O. we uns."
Curious to learn how Jed ha
emerged from his arduous adventures
l spurred my horse alongside of hin
The little man, bending forwar
obviously, as IL fearful Of accident
was riding bareback on a gaunt. lont
legged mule, which, judging from al
outward appearances, must have bee
ONE discarded asset Of the quarter
masters department.
Going home, jedi" | asked. as h
glanced up and saw me.
'Jist as durn quick as | kin G
thar" he returned emphatically. "B
gum. Cap, ! amt bin way from Maria
long as this afore in twelve yea
Reckon she thinks I've skedaddled fe
good this time, al i'll be a TAXI
up with some other malo critter lei
! git back thar mighty sudden. Won
ems odd, Cap, durn nigh as ornar
bout some things as a muel."
He eyed his mount critically.
burned II ever thought I'D 6
astraddle O. a fo~ur-legged critic
agin.. he said. rubbing himself as
in sudden and painful recollection (
the past. 'But l sortr picked up thl
we're muel down ct Their corral, an he
trw durn wore out a totin' things x
eou b ter ever move often a wall
aorter reckon It's d heap easier
zittin we're than ter take II afut q
ther way ter ther lountings.r
1t was long after dark the secon
day when, thoroughly weafied, v
turned into an old tobacco flea q