Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1912-04-05
CHAPTER xxi.-contlnued

tney reaCn the Lee camp ana are sent
with achievements to Join Early.
CHAPTER xxi.-contInued
With the ardor of young manhood !
tDoked forward to the coming batt.e.
when l knew the mighty armies nf
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 Hell
alignment and accoutrements with
practised eye, smiling grimly as I
noted their eager faces, war-worn and
bronzed by exposure, yet terminated
by hope of active service. AS l
watched them thus, / thought again
Of those many other faces who once
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
~ forth from Charlottesville scarce
three years before. untried, undis-
ciplfned. 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 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
+ torn and ragged remnant, barely
forty men wore the 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" I said gravely, as 1
ranged up beside him at the rear Of
the troop. "the men look exceedingly
well. and do not appear to have suf-
fered greatly because of short ra-
tons"
"Oh, the lads are always In fine
fettle 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 l reckon 1t 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 troop. AS
I 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, l became aware
that some one. nearly obscured by the
enveloping cloud of dust. was riding
without the column. in an independ-
ence of military discipline not to be
permitted. In the state of mind I was
then in this discovery strangely ir-
ritated me.
Sergeant" l questioned sharply, Of
the raw-boned trooper at the end Of
the first platoon. what fellow is that
riding out yonder?"
TITS Their pesky little cuss as come
In with ye yesterday. sir" he returned
with q grin. He's confiscated q muel
somewhat an says he's . 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 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 home, jedi" I asked, az he
glanced up and saw me.
list as durn quick As I kin git
thar" hs returned emphatically. by
gum. Cap. I ain't bin way from Marian
long AZ this afore in twelve year.
Reckon she thinks I've skedaddled fer
rood this time. a I'll be a takin'
MP With some other malo critter lest
! ct back thar mighty sudden. Wom-
EMS odd, Cap. durn nigh rs ornary
bout some things - . muel-"
He eyed his mount critically.
burned II ever I thought I'd git
Astraddle o. any four-legged critter
ain" hs said. rubbing himself a. II
q sudden and painful recollection OF
The past. sBut l sort < picked up this
yere muel down ct Their corral. an he's
tew durn wore out . totin' things fer
| ron urs ter ever move often 4 walk.