The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-03
THE DARKEST HOUR
~ oARRARD HARRIS.
(Copyright.l

/ VIVIAN nAAAs
News from the front was scarce at
| the Cove.
The boy calculated that If he did not
| pillow too deep old Betsey could make
| It to the roadside end Of the furrow
| about the time the horseman arrived.
The boy looked admiringly at the
man, who refined in his horse and eyed
the sturdy youngster standing on next
the bottom rail of the fence in order
to see over the top. The stranger
wore a weather-beaten Confederate
uniform, and on his sleeve was the
insignia of a captain.
"Howdy, sonny?" he said, guiding
his mount to the shade Of Towering
locust tree in the fence corner.
Pretty fair, thank'ee cap'n."
The boy was proud of his ability to
distinguish the rank of the officer.
where's your folks?"
MAS up yander at the house. Rest
Of ems in the army"
"How many?"
"Pa an Tom-they went the first
year of the war; then VIII next year,
an Joe last year. Joe warn't but sew
enteen when he went" The youngster
spoke proudly. But we amt never
hearn tell of a one Of 'em since they
left" he added with a catch in his
voice. Its most KILN ma-she wor.
ries So"
ooh, I reckon they're all right. Folks
} don't have time to do much letter
writin' in the army. How old are you
and what's your name?'
I'm fifteen, goin' on sixteen, an
my names Henry Wilson"
Come on and 60 up to the house
with me. want to talk to your ma
and get drink CT water"
Il Henry loosened the traces from the
pillow, and left old Bet to browse. He
proudly led the way up the weed
choked lane to the log house nesting
in the shade of giant white oak
From within came the whine and buz,
of a spinning wheel.
Against the light of the open dool
in the rear was silhouetted the fact
of the boys mother, as she wound thu
Z yarn back and forth. She did not hea
J them enter until the captain and Henr!
/ stood before her. A glance at the uni
/ form of the soldier caused her to drol
! the skein Of yarn and clutch her throa
in terror.
1t was moment or two before sh
could break the silence.
"Any--any word of pa an the boys?
she faltered, dreading the answer
whatever it might be.
mo, mam-no news of EN-. Mayb
the old sayin' of no news is goo
= news will do you?"
8 That's the turrible thing about thi
= here war. Folks goes to the from
The army just keeps on a-swalleril
'em up. an you don't know II they'r
: in Virginny, Or a sufferin' torment !
some hospital or in prison."
There was an awkward silence, an
the soldier cleared his throat ner'
ously.
"What have you all been Twin on
he asked
"Well. durin' Tie winter we bee
mighty near in the fix the mule wa
in, but since spring has come there
poke salad an dandelion salad. Onl
we have to eat it cooked with salt al
water; we amt had no meat for tw
months. Then the huckleberries al
wild strawberries-an' Henry found
bee tree, an we had some honey. H
traps a few rabbits an squirrels, al
partridge or two once in a while. W
eked along on the dab of meal v
had, but it's about out"
Again a brooding, nervous silent
came over the group. The woma
gazed far across the hills with u
seeing eyes. The boy dug with h
toe at a button which had lodged
one OF the cracks in the floor.
"As I was sayin'. ma'am. the va
KEGS has been givin' us fits"
The woman looked inquiringly
him.
"An-an' President Jefferson Dav
has issued call for all boys over T
teen an all men not over sixty-five
An awful silence fell upon them, al
horror opened her eyes until thu
stared mutely. A dry. choking SO
half groan, escaped her lips.
"You-you amt a-goin to take n
boy-are you. mister?" she almo
whispered. "Why-why, he amt not
in but a baby-my baby child"
She buried her face in her han
and scbbed shiveringly. The soldi
gazed out across the foothills, radia
in their April greenery. Here al
there cleaned an ivory speck whe
dogwood tree blossomed, and Z
redbud bushes made faint blotches
purple color on the hillsides.
IL amt get no discretion, ma
The time has come when we got
rob the cradle an the grave, too,
the sayin' is, IL we expect to keep
fightin'."
"Why should we keep on fightin'
she cried raucously. What air '
fightin' for? Why don't them ri
folks what owns niggers do the fig
in? We amt got any niggers,
don't want none. What air my HI
band an my boys up there KILN fol-
an maybe gittin' killed fer? Stat
rights they say, Amt We wom'
folks an we pore folks got Sol
rights? They don't never think
u.s."
"wel. mum that there States REL
question is politics. an amt so DC