The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-02-29
CHAPTER xyl.-contrruea.

CHAPTER xyl.-conrrued
with the arl1- of Young manhood
looked forward 10 the coming bafi'a.
whom ! knew IN" mighty armies NJ
North ana South would once again
contest for the fertile Shenandoah II
was 10 be- American pttcd against
American a struggle ever worthy Of
the Rods Slowly | rode buck down
the files Of my men. marking their
alignment and accoutrcmcnts with
practisod eye. smiling grimly as
noted their eager faces. war.wurn and
uronzcd by exposure, yet terminated
by hope Of active service. As ]
watched them thus, ! thought again
OF those many other faces who once
rode as these men did now, but who
bad died for duty even az these also
might yet be called upon to die. One
hundred cnd three strong. gag in
bright new uniforms with unstnincd
banner kissing the breeze above our
proud young heads. We rode hopeful
j. forth from Charlottesville scarce
hrcc years before, untried. undis.
.riplincd. unknown, to place our lives
Willingly uuon the scared altar Of our
native state What spccchlcss years
IF horror thorc had been: what his
DRY we had written with our
TAXED steel; what scenes OF
offering and death lay along that
bloody path wr travelled, Today,
io"n III" snmo red road. our eyes SIN |
set Primly 20 the northward, our flag
torn and roareG remnant, barely |
,Orty men wore tho ~ between the
crossed aahrcs on their slouched |
brown hats. in spite Of all recruiting
The chccr in M heart was for the |
living; the tear in my eye was for /.
the dead
Colgate" 4! said graycly. MS | |
ranged up beside him at the rear Of
the troop the men looK exceedingly |
we'll, and do not appear to have sur. |
fercd Grcaily because of short ra.
.tions"
oh. the lads are always in fine
1ettle when they expect n fight" he
HnsT cred, hts own eyes dancing as he
dwept them over that straight line of
backs In his front. They'll scrap tho
better for being a bit hungry.-it
makes them savage Beats all. Can.
tain, what foolish notions some of
those people on the other side have
II US S5utherners. They seem ia
think We are entirely different from
themselves; yet reckon 1t would puz
&le any recruiting officer up yonder
Go show finer lot of fighting men
than those fellows ahead there"
rode slowly forward to my own
position at the head OF the troop. As
! swung my horse into our accustomed
position ] was too deeply buried In
reflection to be clearly conscious OF
much that was occurring about me.
Suddenly however, became aware
that some one, nearly obscured by the
3nveloplng cloud of dust was riding
without the column. in an Independ.
ence OF military discipline not to be
permitted. In tho state of mind ! was
then In this discovery strangely ir.
Titated me.
Sergeant" questioned sharply, OF
she raw.boned trooper at the end OF
tho first Platoon what fellow ia that
riding out yonder?"
ITS Their pesky Little cuss as come
IN with ye yesterday sir" ho returned {
With a grin. He's confiscated a muel I
an says he's goin' back l
hum long O. we uns."
Curious 10 learn how Jod had
from his arduous adventures,
spurred my horse alongside OF him. .
The little man. bending forward {
fubiously. az II fearful of accident.
vas riding bareback on a gaunt long. !
egged mule. which, Judging from all G
outward appearances. must have been q
'ome discarded asset OF the quarter t
masters department L
Going home. Jed?" asked, az he Il
danced up and saw me. b
"Jist as durn quick as kin gift
har." ne returned emphatically. by I
um. Cap. | amt bin way from Marian v
ong as this afore In twelve year. r
.ockon she thinks I've skedaddled fer o
God this time, al Ill be takin' II
p with some other malo critter lest a
git back thar mighty sudden. Won b
MS odd. CAP. durn nigh as ornarS d