The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-05
THE DARKEST HOUR
sy oARRARD HARRIS.
(Copyright)

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 . weather-beaten Confederate
uniform, and on his sleeve was the
insignia Of q captain.
"Howdy, sonny?" he said, guiding
his mount to the shade of Towering
locust tree in the fence corner.
Pretty fair, thank'ee csp'n."
The boy was proud Of his ability to
distinguish the rank Of the oficer.
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 warnt but sew.
enteen when he went" The youngster
spoke proudly. But We amt never
hearn tell Of . one Of EN- since they
left" he added with q catch in his
voice. ITS most KILN ma-she wor-
ries So"
"Oh, 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 manner"
I'm fifteen. goin' on sixteen, an
my names Henry Wilson"
"Come on and 60 up to the house
with me. I want to talk to your ma
and get drink of water"
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 a giant white oak.
From within came the whine and buzz
Of q spinning wheel.
Against the light of the open door
in the rear was silhouetted the face
Of the boys mother, as she wound the
yarn back and forth. She did not hear
them enter until the captain and Henry
stood before her. A glance at the uni
form of the soldier caused her to droI
the .skein Of yarn and clutch her throat
in terror.
It was q moment or two before she
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 'em. Maybe
the old sayin' of no news is goot
news will do your"
That's the turrible thing about THU
here war. Folks goes to the front
The army just keeps on a-swallerin
'em up, an you don't know II they'r
In Virginny, or a sufferin' torment II
some hospital or in prison."
There was an awkward silence, an
the soldier cleared his throat nery
ously.
what have you all been Twin on?
he asked.
"Well, durin' the winter we beef
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 an
water; we amt had no meat for tw
months. Then the huckleberries an
wild strawberries-an' Henry found
bee tree, an we had some honey. H
traps q few rabbits an squirrels, ar
q partridge or two once in a while. w
eked along on the dab Of meal W
had, but it's about out"
Again a brooding, nervous silenc
came over the group. The woma
gazed far across the hills with ur
seeing eyes. The boy dug with hi
toe at q button which had lodged 4
one Of the cracks in the floor.
! "As I was sayin', ma'am, the Yar
KEGS has been givin' US ITS"
II The woman looked inquiringly q
him.
"An'-an' President Jefferson Davi
has issued q call for all boys over a
teen an all men not over sixty-five.
An awful silence fell upon them, an
horror opened her eyes until the
stared mutely. A dry, choking sol
half groan, escaped her lips.
"You-you amt a-goin' to take m
boy-are you. mister?" she almos
whispered. "Why-why, he amt notl
in but baby-my baby child"
She buried her face in her hand
and sobbed shiveringly. The soldie
gazed out across the foothills. radian
in their April greenery. Here an
there cleaned an ivory speck wher
q dogwood tree blossomed, and tn
redbud bushes made faint blotches {
purple color on the hillsides.
IL amt got no discretion, man
The time has come when we got
rob the cradle an the grave, too. q
the sayin' is, IL We expect to keep o
nghtin'."
why should we keep on fightin'' y
she cried raucously. What afr "
fghtin' for? Why don't them nc
. folks what owns niggers do the Ugh
in? We amt got any niggers. al
don't want none. What air my hu
band an my boys up there killin' folk
an maybe gittin' killed fer? State
rights they say! Amt we womel
folks an we pore folks got som
rights? They don't never think
u.s."
"wen. mum that there States rirh'
/. question is politics. an ! amt so DO,