The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1922-02-02


ole Johnnies couldn't whipped flea
They didn't know how to fight any at
all. did they, Grnndpaf
"Oh, yes. they didr
"What7" The boy was astounded.
Weren't they all just regular de cow
ards. Grandpaf"
mo" said the grandfather. They
were pretty fine so,divfG
"They were1 Well, they ran away
whenever you began shootin' at 'ern.
didn't theyY'
Sometimes they did. but most times
they didn't. Sometimes they fought
like wildcats-and sometimes we were
the ones that ran away"
But the Johnnies were bad men,
weren't they, Grandpar'
"No."
The Boys forehead, customarily Va.
cant, showed some little vertical
shadows. produced by q struggle to
think. swell, but" he began slowly.
Listen, Grandpa, listen here You
said-you said you never got scared
the ole Johnnies were goin' TO win"
They did win pretty often" said
the grandfather. They won q good
many battles."
II mean, you said you never got
scared they'd win the war"
mo. We were never afraid OF that"
swell. but II they were good men
and fought like wildcats, Grandpa,
and KEEP winning battles and every.
thing. how could that bef How could
you help bein' scared they'd win the
war;"
The grandfather's feeble eyes twin
killed. brightly. why, we knew they
! couldn't, Ramsey"
At this. the little vertical shadows
ON Ramsey's forehead became more
/ pronounced. for he had succeeded In
/ thinking. well. they didn't know they
, couldn't. did theyf he argued. They
thought they were goin TO win, didn't
| theyf'
"Yes; guess they did But you
see they were wrong"
swell, but" Ramsey struggled.
Listen! Listen here, Grandpa Well.
anyway. II they never got scared we'd
win, and nobody got scared they'd win
| well, I don't see"
| "You don't see whatf"
But Ramsey found himself unable
| to continue his concentration. "Oh,
nothin' much" he murmured.
II see" And his grandfather laughed
| again. You mean: II the Johnnies
| felt Just as sure Of winning the war
ms we did and kept winning battles.
why shouldn't we ever have had any
doubts we were going to win1 That's
| u, Isn't III"
| 81 guess SO. Grandpa"
| swell. I think II was mostly because
we were certain that we were right"
II see." said Ramsey. THE Johnnies
knew they were on the side OF the
devil" But at this, the grandfather's
laugh was louder than II had been be-
fore. and Ramsey looked hurt "Well.
| you can laugh II you want toi" he
objected In an aggrieved voice. "Any-
way, the Sunday school Superintendent
told US when people knew they were
on the devils side they always"
81 dare say. dare say" the old man
interrupted. a little impatiently. But
In this world mighty few people think
they're on the DEVILS side, Ramsey.
The South thought the devil was on
our side, you see"
well. that kind o. mixes II all up
more'n ever"
Suppose you look at II this way
The South was fighting for what II
believed TO be Its right to be a coun-
try by itself: but we were fighting for
Liberty and Union. now and forever.
one AMI inseparable.' There's the rea-
son we had the certain knowledge that
we were going to win the war. How
plain and simple Il Isl"
Ramsey didn't think so. He had be-
gun TO feel bored by the conversation,
and 20 undergo the oppression he us
ually suffered In school. The earnest
| old voice OF the veteran was only a
sound In the boys ears.
Boom" The veterans had begun
| 10 nfe tnelT cunnOn on tne CREST OF the
low hill, out at the cemetery; and from
a little way down the street came the
rat-a-tat ~ a toy drum and sounds Of
a fife played execrably. A file Of chill
dren In cooked hats made Of newspa.
pers came marching Importantly up
F, the sidewalk under the maple shade
trees; and In advance, upon a yeloci-
pede, rode tin-sworded parsonage.
shrieking lncessant commands but not
concerning himself with whether or
not any military obedience was there
by obtained. Here was reyiyifylng
effect upon young Ramsey his slug
gard eyelds opened electrically; he
leaped 10 his feet and. abandoning his
grandfather without preface or apollo
Ky, sped across the lawn and out Of
the gate charging headlong upon the
commander Of the company.
You get on that 1ocIpede. Wesley
Benderr he beloved. you gimme
that sword What rights you got 20 90