Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1913-06-06
TwoKnaves
Of Hearts
And the Result Of Their
Meeting
By ARNOLD HORTON

The soldier boy of 1861-65 was a very
different parsonage from the white
haired, wrinkled, lettering old man of
the present day. Bob Meriden entered
the Union army at eighteen and came
out at twenty-five. When he was mus
tered into the service he was a rosy
checked boy with perpetual smile on
his face. To look at him no one would
have thought that he was going south
to stand up to be shot at. Yet the
only time when he looked serious was
at being ordered north on recruiting
service He was afraid he would miss
a fight.
But this was in the beginning of it.
The enthusiastic young men of that
period got quite enough of fighting be-
fore they were through with campaign
ing, and those who struggled with dis
ease and wounds had a harder time
still. But this story is of the earlier,
reckless, devil may care period when
the youngsters who went into the war
felt that they were off on picnic.
Bob Meriden was as full of the r0-
nance of war as any soldier in the
northern army. He had read stories of
spies and their doings and was espe-
cially ambitious to do secret service
work. So he told his captain that if
there was any call from headquarters
for volunteers to so south for informa-
ton to let him know. One day Bob
was notified that such service was re-
Quired, and if he cared to undertake 1t
he was to report in person at head
quarters. He lost no time in doing so,
and the general after looking him over
said to him:
Can you talk like a southerner?"
Reckon was Bob'S reply.
''Let me hear you say New York"
''Nieu Yauk."
81 expect you'll get on in that re-
spect. Have you ever done any secret
service work?'
mo, general"
The general was silent for a few
moments. He realized the dangers
the boy was about to meet and hest
tated to send him. He told Bob that
he ran a considerable risk of being
hanged and advised him not to under
take the Job. But the young soldier
begged to be permitted to go, and the
| general finally consented. Bob was to
proceed south to the Confederate lines,
note the positions and numbers of the
| troops and secure such other informal
ton as would be valuable to his com
mander
That evening after dark the spy,
| dressed in a suit of ''butternut" and a
faded straw hat, presented a pass at
the picket line for Abner Shock. He
was permitted to go forth and after
walking few miles, in order that he
might not be found near the Federal
lines, went into bivouac in a wood
In the morning he was awakened
by the sun shining through the trees
and, sitting up, looked about him. The
birds were chirping in the trees, the
| air was balmy. Indeed, the scene was
| 40 POASOAOL slo GAAAJ -Il1C JOh1lS LAIdli udu
| ever experienced. 1t was difficult fO1
him to realize that he was between
two armies. whose business it was ia
slaughter each other, and that if he
were known to be a Union soldier in
disguise he would be swinging of
from the limb of tree.
Arising from his earthly bed, he
made his way to the turnpike and
walked southwark. Coming to farm
house, he asked for a breakfast and
received some corn pone and a cup OF
chicOry in lieu of coffee. Being asked
where he came from and where he
was going, he said that the Yanks had
destroyed his fathers farm and he
was going down to enlist in the Con
federate army.
After breakfast, for which he paid il
Yankee shinplasters of the period. ht
took to the road again. He had no
| =