Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-07-16
CHAPTER Viii.
Libby Prison. J

CHAPTER Viii.
IL. Libby Prison. 81
#@APTAIN cox sat beside Hunts
couch and conversed with him
in low, earnest tones.
There are other places" said
he, besides the field of battle, where
man can be brave.''
"Oh, no doubt" was the bitter reply.
you find it easy to keep up your cour-
age when am in despair.
What do you mean?" 49,
You know. We were boys together,
and have always put up with second
best You've always stood in front Of
me, Tom Cox-at school, at sport, In
business, n love-" -
Tell me one thing" urged Cox.
"Have I ever played you false7''
mo. you haven't. You haven't need.
cd to. Your cursed fatal good luck
does it all for YOU"
"Now you talk like whining child"
mo, don't. At this moment your
hearts inmost thought is Identical with
mine. Marie Mason-great. God! How
my heart beats at the speaking of that
name! Marie-she was the one woman
In all the world to me. Why did you
cross my path there, too, when it was
as sure as fate that her preference
would fall on your -.
IF it was fate, what's the use of
talking about it now?'' retorted Cox
doggedly. "And to what avail to either
Of us now can that girls favor be? You
know she Is an irrevocable southerner,
like all the rest of her family. You
know that came out for the Union,
as you did, when the first gun was
fired on Sumter. Perhaps you don't
know, but will tell you now, that
when left Lexington she-Marie Ma
son-said she would rather see me lying
dead on the battlefield wearing the
southern gray than marching against
her people in the blue uniform Of the
north. That was our parting. Well,
you and 1 have drunk from the same
canteen. We have fought side by side
In the same battles; we have both won
our captains swords-and lost them.
Now, in misfortune, we are still togeth-
err. And yet, on the petty pretext Of
disparity in our lots, you would BAN
ish the one ray of sunshine penetrat-
ing these prison walls-our old COM
radeship."
"You are we'll and strong. am ILL.,"
pleaded Hunt.
II don't forget that, either" MUIR
| INJURED Cox, softening.
"I've talked too much, I suppose.
It's all over now. Here's my hand, If
you will take it."
Cox did not take it Immediately, but
answered:
"1t's all right, Ralph. Only give me
a little time to get over it, for you
cut deep, old fellow"
At this moment sudden silence fell,
and general movement and whisper
made themselves manifest. Enter Cap
tain Jackson Warner, the prison COM
mfssary.
Evening, Yanks," was his gruff but
not unkindly greeting. what devil:
I try are you up to now?' IS -
Talking over old times and old
comrades, captain, that's all.' replied
Cox gently.
"Well, you may have an opportunity
OF seeing some more O. them ere old
comrades O. yourn. reckon, before
long,"
WHAT. Are we going to get out?''
| mo; they're coming In here. I sup.
pose you've heard the newsY'
At these words a young lieutenant
who had sat silently in an opposite
corner reading copy Of the Richmond
Dispatch weeks old, threw down the
paper and listened attentively.
LET us know the worst, Captain
Warner" urged Cox. "We're used to
it-haven't got feelings any more. you
know. What's the news?"
"Oh, some more fighting in the VAL
ley, you know. Yanks licked out o.
their boots again, as usual. More pris-
oners, more hard luck stories.''
"What's that?" cried Deacon Hart.
"Another fight? More prisoners? Oh,
Lord!'
you're on the religious, aren't you?' p
inquired the commissary scoff1ngly.
"I'm a, shouting Methodist these for
ty years, thank the Lord!' answered
the deacon, holding his hand Of cards
behind his back.
"Well, your shouting hasn't benefited
Abe Lincoln nor yourself very much
SO far. You'd better swing around and
pray for jeff Davis, reckon, and be
on the safe SIDE"
"Never, till this right manipulating
out his left with the cards, then jerk.
ing it back and holding up the right
"shall lose its cunning"
ooh, 60 ahead, deacon, and pray for
JEFF Davis if they want you to-" sug.
gested Cox. Hell need it before this
{ wars over" i
''You can talk with your friends just
from the front about that" retorted
Warner gruf1ly. "Here's one of ZEN
coming upstairs now"
i A measured tramp was heard ap.
preaching outside. The commissary
!: opened the door, and the new Union
prisoner was marched in between two
guards. He saluted and introduced
> himself. -. - @...&
Gentlemen, permit me. I am Colo.
mel Coggswell Of the Forty-second New
4 York"
:'The .Tammany regiment of New
York cityv' exclaimed Lieutenant Bed.
loe, soto voce.
I Captain Cox returned the newcom.