Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1912-05-01
CHAPTER xxI.-contlnusd.


With the ardor OF young manhood I
Soked forward TO the coming battle,
Shen ! knew the mighty armies of
north and South would once again
contest fer the fertile Shenandoah. 1t
vas to be American pitted against
American, a struggle ever worthy of
ebe gods. Slowly | rode back down
The files Of my men. marking their
alignment and accoutrements with
PrAedsed eye. smiling grimly as
noted their eager faces, war-worn and
sronzed by exposure, yet terminated
- 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
lad died for duty even as these also
might yet be called upon to die. One
hundred end three strong, gay in
sFfght new uniforms. with unstained
banner kissing the breeze above our
proud young heads, we rode hopeful
b forth from Charlottesville scarce
three years before, untried, undis-
Giplined, unknown, to place our lives
willingly upon the scared altar Of our
native State. What speeches. years
Of horror those had been: what his
tDry 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
sat grimly to the horthward, 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
Ahe dead.
Colgate" | said gravely, as /
ranged up beside him at the rear of
che troop, the men LOOK exceedingly
well, and do not appear to have suf-
fasred greatly because of short ra-
lions"
"Oh, the lads are always in fine
fettle when they expect fight" he
answered, his own eyes dancing as he
hNGBA NhNhl ONCl AldJ OIL dlBuI line Vi
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 1t would puz-
zle any recruiting officer up yonder
10 show a finer lot of fighting men
ahan 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
enVeloping cloud of dust, w2s 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.
Fitated 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
"a with We yesterday, sir" he returned
With grin Hes confiscated muel
AOmewhar 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
dnblously, as If fearful of accident
vas riding bareback on a gaunt, long
legged mule, which, judging from al
outward appearances, must have beer
some discarded asset of the quarter
masters department.
Going home, jedi" asked. as hi
glanced up and saw me.
list as durn quick as | kin 81
thar" he returned emphatically. B!
gum. Cap, l amt bin way from Maria
long as this afore in twelve year
Reckon she thinks I've skedaddled fe
good this time, al ill be a takin
ap with some other male critter les
/ 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 IL ever ! thought I'd 81
astraddle o any fourlegged critic
Agin," he said, rubbing himself as
IN sudden and painful recollection @
the past. But sort picked up thi
yere muel down ct Their corral, an he
TOW durn wore out a totin' things fe
yOu uns ter ever move often wall
sorter reckon it's heap easier
sittin' yere than ter take it afut a
sher way ter Their lountings.
n was long after dark the secon
aay when, thoroughly wearied.
turned into an old tobacco fisld an