The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, May 23, 1894, Image 2
1 'Kunnin as fast as the rest of us."
"And Mr. Kenton rallied yon?*'
"He did, ma'am. Abner Jenkins was
carryin oar company flag, and he tum?
bled down and left it lyin on the ground.
I was right behind him with Kenton,
and the Yankee lifts it ap, waves it
about and yells for us to halt and rally.."
"And did the officers rally, too?" per?
sisted Marian.
*'Waal, yes, but they was purry slow
about it We had got the cannon and
were drawin it off afore I saw any of
.'em. Beckon they feel mightily cat up
over it, far they alias said the Yankee
wouldn't stand fire. "
Steve Brayton was not a close observ?
er, or he might have discovered a secret
that afternoon. Both mother and daugh?
ter exhibited the greatest interest and
asked him many questions, and when
he took his departure be said to himself:
"Durn my hide if they wasn't more
interested than half the men!"
Two or three days later Captain Wy le
appeared, and Steve Brayton vanished.'
- The captain expected to create a sensa?
tion, bnt was bitterly disappointed. Ev?
erybody was friendly, bat Brayton had
told the story of the rally and pat the
credit where it belonged. He had plen?
ty of excases to urge, and his story was
quite different from Brayton's, bat
somehow it failed to go. While he was
congratulated on his promotion, which
was strong evidence in itself of his good
standing with his superior officers, he
had not rallied his flying company and
led it back, and no one could be quite
satisfied with his record. On the sec- I
end evening of his arrival he called
upon the Percys. His sole reason for
returning home at that time was to
make this call. The victory which he
had helped to achieve, his promotion,
the laudatory notices be had received
in his home newspaper, all these things j
went to make him believe that he would (
be accorded a frank welcome by mother
and daughter and that opportunity ,
might be given him to plead his cause.
The captain's welcome was cordial .
enough, and after the first salutations J
conversation naturally turned to the
war. He took an early opportunity to
laughingly remark:
"Well, I suppose you have heard all ,
about oar Yankee?" }
"To whom do yon refer, captain?" \
stiffly inquired Marian. y
"Why, to Kenton, of course. 1 be- j
Keve you both knew him ? I ha d no idea j
He drew up his musket and deliberately <
fired to kOL
that he could be induced to enlist, and <
I am surprised that he did not desert to ?
his friends before the battle opened. " t
"Mr. Kenton believed it his duty as <
a citizen of Virginia to take ap arms in .
her cause," replied the mother. ?
"And instead of deserting he seems j (
to have led your company to victory," j (
quietly added Marian. I ,
"He was simply in the rear s we j j
meed about and was carried along with j j
the rush," explained the captain, j
"Nevertheless he is a brave man, and 1 ?
hope he is in earnest."
"Why shouldn?t he be?" asked the j
girl- I ?
** 'Blood will tell* is an old saying, j .
I shan't be surprised to wake up some | i
morning and find that he bas deserted j j
to the enemy." ! t
' * Yoa do Mr. Kenton g ross inj ustice! ' ' j
exclaimed Marian as her color came (
and went, and her eyes looked brighter (
than he had ever seen them before. "I 1
have seen nothing in him to lead me to
believe that he would countenance any- !
thing dishonorable, and brave men are
never recorded as deserters. "
If the captain had planned to make
her betray her trae feelingo toward
Royal Kenton, he had succeeded. Her
looks and demeanor, added to the words
she utteied with so much spirit, satis?
fied him that his own cause, unless
something unforeseen should arise, was ?
hopeless. While he was a man of hot
temper he had a great self control, and
when he left the house neither mother
nor daughter suspected his bitterness of
feeling.
"It's no use to deceive myself !" he :
mattered as he walked slowly down the
street. "If the Yankee doesn't desert,
and if he is not killed in battle or other- i
wise, he will return to wed heir. With
him removed my path is clear. It will
be my fault if something doesn't hap?
pen to him very soon!"
Something did happen-two or three
somethings-before the captain's return
to camp. Ike Baxter thoroughly under?
stood what Captain Wyle desired, and
he was eager for an opportunity to car?
ry out his wishes. One night when
both were on guard aboat the camp he
wheeled in his beat, drew up his musket
and deliberately fired to kill. Kenton
UGHTCD t894 BY AMCRICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION.
was hardly 20 feet distant, face turned
away and completely at his mercy. The
heavy bullet passed between his arm
and side and sped across the .camp and
killed a poor sergeant as he lay sleeping
on his bed. The would be assassin plead*
ed accident, and it was natural to be?
lieve that it was such. Kenton was one
of the first to excuse him, and not the
slightest suspicion of the soldier's mur?
derous intentions found lodgment in his
mind.
Another incident, and one with far
more pleasant surroundings, occurred
the very next day. A message came to
the commanding officer of the guards
from Stonewall Jackson to send Private
Kenton to bis headquarters. The gen?
eral looked at the young man before
him for half a minute before saying:
"You headed the detachment which
captured the gun ina hand to hand
fight. You did nobly. Who is captain
of your company ?' '
"Captain Wyle, sir.7*
"Ah, yes. Captain Truesdale was
wounded and crippled for life. I see.
And you are still a private?"
"Yes, sir."
"H'm ! 1 ought to have remembered
you, but I have been busy-very busy.
Is your captain with his company ?"
"No, sir. He left several days ago on
furlough. "
"H'm! And haven't you asked for a j
furlough too?"
"I have not."
"Well, we'll see about it later on.
Tomorrow I shall be away. The day
after at 10 o'clock in the morning I
wish you to report here tome. Stay! 1
will write an order to that effect, which
will be your authority for leaving camp.
Show it to your commanding officer."
And when Kenton returned to the
guards and related his interview and
exhibited the order all congratulated
?lim-all except Ike Baxter. That in?
dividual felt himself greatly wronged,
ind his mutterings took the form of
words:
"Drat that dumed Yankee, but be's
[est g wine to boss this hull army if the
?ptain donn' dun hurry back to cam p ! "
CHAPTER VIII.
As with the Federals at Arlington, so
with the Confederates on the fields and
meadows to the sooth. Battles were
"ought on the eastern coast and on the
western rivers-battles which made
aistory were fought in North Carolina,
Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri, but
?he Army of Virginia remained in its
?mps. Its leaders realized from the
beginning that Virginia would be the
real battleground of the war, and that
the Army of Virginia would be called
apon to render heroic defense. Every
hour gained was an advantage, every
lay a gain -of men and material and
experience.
When Royal Kenton reported to
General Jackson as per order, he was
asked if he knew the country to the
aorth of the Confederate outposts. He
was forced to reply that he was entirely
ignorant of it.
"This is a disadvantage, but one yon
an overcome," said the general. ** We
ire in need of a few more brave men at
?he front to act as scouts. Would you
save any objection to serving in that
?apacity?"
"I-I should not like to act the part !
)f a spy.'* stammered Kenton in much
infusion.
"Nor would 1 ask you to. A spy is
generally a brave man and often moved
jolely by patriotism, but few of them
ire soldiers, and the profession is un
ler a stigma. As a scout you go in
pour uniform, secure such information
is you can in a legitimate way, and if
captured you are treated as a prisoner
)f war. You can take a comrade with 1
pou or go alone, as you elect. Do not
be afraid to state your objections if you j
aaveany."
"I will go and go alone," replied
Kenton after a moment's thought.
"Very well, 1 am glad to hear it
You can now return to your company,
and during the day I will send the
proper order to your captain. Upon
pour return report to me direct, and I
have no doubt you will bring informa- I
tion of value."
That afternoon Captain Wyle return?
ed to his company, and when he re?
ceived the order detailing Private Ken?
ton for temporary duty at headquarters !
and learned its object he was almost
tempted to congratulate him. As be
tween captain and private or between
man and man, he would have done so j
with great heartiness, but as a rival
toyer he could not. When Ike Baster !
had related the story of the attempted j
"removal," as he called it, he expected
words of praise, but they were not ut?
tered. On the contrary, his action was
leverely criticised, and he went away
to sulk and growl. j
"Understand me," said the captain
as Ike betrayed his disappointment by
word and look, "I don't want murder
or assassination. I hate him because
he's a Yankee and because he is an en?
emy among us. I want to drive him j
out-force him to desert to his own I
Bide. I want the news to go back home j
that he has deserted and is a traitor to I
us. Bring that about, and I'll do any- !
thing I can to reward you, but don't i
shoot him down in cold blood. Now j
that General Jackson has taken him un- :
der his wing we must be more careful
than ever."
Armed with a pass that would take I
him through the Confederate lines and j
pickets, Royal Kenton made his way to- |
ward Washington. When he reached
the last outpost, the officer in command
gave him the lay of the country along
mat front, t?i? position of the Federal
videttes so far as known, and named
many farmers who sympathized with
the Confed?rate canse and wotild give
him shelter. It was about fb o'clock
in the forenoon when Kenton left the
last post behind him and disappeared in
the woods. He knew in a general way
what was required of him. It was. first,
to push as near the Federal lines as pos?
sible, and then to estimate the strength
of camps or marching columns, locate
forts and earthworks and seek to dis?
cover the strength of positions. Spies
go in disguise and often remain in a
camp for cfcys. Scouts are saved from
the halter whon caught only because
they are not "an enemy in disguise."
The spy is detested simply because be is
generally moved by a financial consid?
?ration and is often a person who will
work for the side paying him the best.
The neutral ground between the two
armies was a strip of territory from
three to six miles wide. Reconnois?
sances were almost of daily occurrence
from one side or the other, and cavalry
commands patrolled the highways at
frequent intervals.
The sentiment of the Virginia farm?
ers was overwhelmingly Confederate,
and whenever Kenton identified himself
he was given all information at band.
During the first two days he had several
narrow escapes from Federal cavalry
patrols, and on the third day he was
treated to a double surprise. The farm?
er with whom he bad remained over
night had recommended him to one
much nearer the Federal outposts to se?
cure additional information. He reach?
ed this place about ll o'clock in the
forenoon, and the first face he saw was
that of Marian Percy, the next that of
The first face he saw was that of Marian
Percy.
her mother. The meeting appeared to
be as pleasant to all as it was unex?
pected. The Percys had arrived only
two days before in hopes to remove the
farmer's wife, who was a relative, to
their home in the valley. The woman
was ill-too ill to stand the journey,
and they would wait for a few days in
hopes of an improvement. The house
had been visited daily by parties from
both armies, but thus far no violence
had been offered nor had anything been
taken from the farm.
For almost the first time since he had
known her Royal Kenton was left alone
with Marian Percy for an hour. They
sat under the apple trees, and he told
her the details of the battle of Bull Run
as far as he had gathered them, of bis
interviews with Jackson, the object of
bis scout, his hopes and fears of the fu?
ture.
"You enlisted to serve your state,"
she said when opportunity came. ' ' This
is no longer a question of what a state
may or may not do. It is no longer Vir?
ginia, but a southern confederacy. Do
you feel the same obligation?"
"Does the same obligation exist?" he
queried in reply.
* * Certainly not. J have dared to so as?
sert and have almost been called-a trai?
tor for my language. One does not need
to be a politician or the daughter of a
politician to realize that the success of
the pewborn confederacy means the j
downfall of the republic. And yet Vir- j
ginians cannot return to their homes j
and lay aside their weapons of wr ?\"
"Thus far I have cast my fortunes
with Virginia," replied Kenton, "and
it is too late to retreat now. even if I so
desired. What the end will he no man
can predict. ' '
They talked of other things as they ;
sat on the rude bench Farmer Hastings
had constructed that he might smoke
his pipe in the shade and still look out
over the dusty highway which ran past
his door. There was no declaration of j <
love byword of mouth, but I think that j
some conclusion was arrived at just the j
same, and that both were happy over it
in a silent way.
Dinner had just been eaten when one |
of the colored servants announced the :
approach of a body of Federal cavalry ;
from the direction of Washington. Ken- ;
lon counted them while they were yet ?
half a mile away and made the number j (
to be 20. It was a patrol, and it might
stop or pass on. | |
"You see the situation, " said Marian i 1
as she approached Kenton, who W?M j j
carefully examining his revolver. "You | ]
could not beat them off single handed, i
and if you are discovered here you will j ]
be taken prisoner and the rest of ns sui?- j
jected to annoyance and insult. You j 1
must go at once." j 1
"And leave yon unprotected?" ; j
"Our people have an idea that the
Yankees have horns and hoops," she
laughed,4 4 but I have lived among them ?
for years, as you know. They will not
make war on old men and defenseless
women. Go! There is no time to lose!
They are surely going to stop here!"
Kenton retreated through the orchard
to the cover of a stone wall 200 feet in 1
rear of the house. He was scarcely
sheltered when the troopers filed into j
the yard through the gate and surround?
ed tho house. The captain in command
dismounted and was about to rap on the
wide open front door when Marian ap?
peared.
44 Well?" she queried as he looked at
her in the greatest surprise for half a j
minute. j
"Ab, excuse me!" he stammered. ,4I
am looking for some one-a man-a !
man who is supposed to be a Confeder
ate scoot or spy. "
"There is only one white man here
the old farmer himself. ?We have seen
no stranger. You are at liberty to
search."
"Oh, no, no! The word of a lady is
amply sufficient. Perhaps he took the
other road. Sergeant, re-form the men
in the highway."
CHAPTER IX.
When the troop had disappeared np
the dusty highway, Kenton returned to
the house to say goodby to its inmates,
and half an hour later he had turned
his face south ward, satisfied that he had
secured all information possible for a
scout to pick up. The farmer posted
him as to where he would likely strike
the Confederate outposts and warned
him what highways to avoid, but on
that very day McClellan was pushing
his cavalry forward and seizing new
territory. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon
as Kenton, who had been traveling in
the fields and under coyer of the forest,
was about to cross a highway he heard
the click, click of a carbine, and a voice
called to him:
"Halt where you are, or you are a
dead man!"
It was a Federal vidette, dismounted
and posted among the bushes which
fringed the highway. Kenton looked
up to find himself covered by a carbine.
Both were on the same side of the road.
He had approached the vidette in rear,
and had he exercised more vigilance
would have detected bis presence in
time to avoid bim. The men were not
over 30 feet apart when Kenton got the
summons to halt.
Many of the Federal troops were still
dressed in the gray uniforms supplied
by their respective states, while the
Confederates had a variety of uniforms,
and it was difficult to detect one side
from the other. The vidette had done
bis duty in halting the prowler, but be
was not sure what sort of game he had
bagged.
"Throw np your hands!" he com
manded as he advanced.
Kenton obeyed. He was armed only
with a revolver, and as that was hidden
from sight he appeared defenseless.
"Now, then, who are you?" asked
the Federal as he came to a bait scarce
six feet away.
"I might ask you the same question,"
replied the scout, making a great effort
to appear cool and indifferent.
"I know you might, but I guess you
won't! Answer my question!"
"Ihave information to give."
"What is it?"
" Which side are you on?"
"Oh, it makes a difference, does it?
Well, I'm a Confederate. What's your
news?"
Kenton looked about bim in an un?
easy manner as if be had fallen into a
trap and contemplated making a bolt to j
escape.
"Say, you look like a reb, but act like !
a Yank," laughed the man as he low
Bred his carbine. "I guess you've got !
oews, and I guess you want to go to j
headquarters."
"Will you kindly tell me which way :
to go to strike headquarters?"
"I'll do better'n that-I'll go with
foo to the picket post and see that you
are passed along. Have you been scout?
ing?"
"Yes."
"Seen any rebs?"
"Plenty of them."
"Well, come along, and I'll ride
?own the road with you to the post.
We are posted along here in hopes to
?atch a reb scout who's been sneaking
along our front for two or three days.
What did you say your name was?"
"Kenton."
"And mine is Fisher. Hear anything
about when we are going to move?"
"Not a word, though the army seems
to be all ready."
"It is ready, and why McClellan
doesn't push down and walk all over the
"Throw up your hands?' he commanded j
as he advanced.
Confederate army is a puzzle to me.
Seems as if he was waiting to let them j
get a good ready. Everybody is giving
him hail Columbia, but I suppose he j
knows what he's about. What com?
mand do you belong to?"
The pair had been slowly walking
3ide by side down to where the cavalry
man's horse was hitched to the limb of j
a tree. The Federal had quite accepted I
Kenton as belonging to his side and was I
planning to (lo him a good turn by
guiding him to the reserve. Kenton
must avoid that. He had hoped to do it
by strategem, and he had excuses al?
ready on his tongue when asked for his
command. Answer he must, but as he
did not know the exact location of a
single Federal regiment his answer j
would probably betray him. He was j
hesitating when the trooper repeated:
4 ' What regiment do you belong to, and
where is it stationed?"
"I'm independent," replied the scout |
as he suddenly snatched at the carbine
and twisted it out of the other's grasp, j
"Now throw up your hands! Up high?
er! I see you have a revolver, but if
you drop your hands by so much as an
inch I shall fire on you! Forward! I
March into the woods!"
*'By George, but yon don't tell
yon are a rebel!" exclaimed the ash
ished and bewildered cavalryman.
"I don't know yet whether I am
not," replied Kenton. **I*m a Virg
ian and in the Confederate army, a
whether we are rebels or patriots i
question I haven't settled. Keep to i
left."
"And you may be the very rebel sc(
we were hoping to capture!"
"You are pretty near right abc
that. Keep right on-I'm coming! N<
halt and keep your hands still up!"
" What are you going to do with me
asked the man as he was disarmed a
permitted to face about.
? "flow far is it to the nearest Confe
j erate outpost?"
"About two miles down this road.
"How many videttes between us a:
j the post?"
"Three or four. You are not goi:
to kill me ont here in cold blood?"
"Yon may rest easy on that score
j replied Kenton. "A year hence w
will mean devastation, destructic
murder and assassination, but mer
hearts are not brutalized yet. I mt
reach the Confederate outpost, but
can't do it by the road."
"I don't think you could fool all t
! others as you did me, " said the cavalr
I man, with a sickly smile,
j * ' The question is what to do with yo
If I set you at liberty, you'll raise ;
alarm,"
"Gness I would-in fact, I know
would."
"And I have nothing to tie you i
with until I can get safely away."
"That's so. You remind me of tl
chap who caught the bear and dasn
let go."
"I must take you along with me
the Confederate outpost. We shall ci
across the fields and woods to reach i
You go ahead, and I will follow. It
needless"
"I'm no fool!" bluntly interruptc
the Federal. "When I'm down and tl
other feller has got his thumbs in m
eye and my nose in his jaws, I kno1
enough to cave. You won't have 1
shoot me, and I want to ask a favor c
you."
"Well?"
"Don't walk me ia a prisoner."
"I'll see about that. Let's go on."
They struck through the woods, cross
ed an old field, skirted a meadow an
entered another piece of woods. As the
were traversing this they came upon
negro cutting firewood, and he informe
them that the Confederate outpost wa
only 20 rods below them on the high
way.
"At this stage of the game one pris
oner more or less is of no earthly cen
sequence," said Kenton as h9 looked a
the cavalryman. "I'm going to let yoi
return."
"And I've concluded to be taken pris
oner and sent to Richmond, ' ' replied th'
man.
"For what reason?"
"Plain as a pumpkin on a gatepost
If I go back without my arms, whal
can I say? I'd just have to admit thal
a Johnny reb came along and playee
me for a sucker and got the best of me
That would mean ridicule and disgrac<
forever. If I don't go back until ex
changed as a prisoner, I'll be all right,
I'll sort o' give out that I was tackiec
by about six of you, you know."
"I am sorry that I was obliged to de
ceive you to save myself, " said Kentoi
after a moment of thong ht, "and there
is no need to disgrace you. Here are
your weapons, and you are free to re?
turn to your post. The war has not fair?
ly begun yet. There will be hate and
bitterness and rancor after awhile, and
there will be few opportunities to extend
courtesies."
"Say, Johnny, that's a square deal !':
joyfully exclaimed the Federal as he
received his weapons, "and I want tc
shake hands with you! Put it there!
Can't tell but what we may meet again
before this row is over, and if we do I
hope it'll come my way to do the fair
thing. So long to you !"
Kenton watched him out of sight and
then walked down to the highway to
find himself at the post of a vidette. He
was directed hack to the reserve, his
pass examined, and he was then within
the Confederate lines and ready to push
on to Manassas and Jackson's head?
quarters. When his information had
been laid before the stern faced man,
whose title of "professor" had been
changed to that of "general" within a
few brief months, he quietly said :
"You have done excellently. My
command is ordered into the valley. I
shall have further need of your services
in this line, but you may return to your
company at present."
CHAPTER X.
No part of the south witnessed so
much of the wreck and misery of war
as the Shenandoah valley. Its high?
ways, fields and forests, its houses, barns
and sheds, its every breeze by day and
night for three long years, echoed the
fierce shouts of contestants and the
groans of wounded men. Nature made
it a garden. War converted it into a
vast graveyard.
The Federals had begun their march
up the valley from Harper's Ferry.
Jackson was ordered over to bar the
way. Historians may write with prej?
udice and politicians speak in bitter?
ness. Let us be fair and conscientious,
even if we cannot be neutral. Jack?
son's first battle was on the broad fields
of Kernstown." All historians who have
written for the future have pronounced
him a wonderful man in the science of
war. Before his command was fairly in
the valley Royal Kenton and others
were far ahead, scouting for informa?
tion. Their reports decided Jackson on
moving swiftly up and attacking the
Federals as they reached Kernstown.
He was beaten back and fairly routed,
but that was to be the first and only
time.
As Jackson's own brigade swept for?
ward into the fight Kenton was in the
ranks of the Shenandoah guards. On
his right was Steve Brayton, on his left
Ike Baxter. He had known but little
of his company since detailed for scout
duty. He divined that Captain Wyle's
bitterness had intensified, and that the
prejudice against him among his com
r?desTiad rather increased with his ab?
sence. He had been detailed from his
company, and his return to it as Jack?
son ordered an advance and everybody
knew that a battle would be raging
within a couple of hours proved his
metal in the eyes of all. And yet not
over a dozen men in the company had a
nod or a word for him. Ike Baxter, un?
der the tutorship of his master, was car?
rying out a plan to drive him out in dis?
grace.
"He un's yere fur no good, and yo'
kin lay to that!" Ike had whispered
from man to man. 'Jist yo' fellers
keep yo'r eyes open! I'm gwine to do
it, and if he un tries to play the traitor
I'll put a bullet straight into his car?
cass! Mebbe he un kin fule Gineral
Jackson, but he un can't play no Yan?
kee tricks on me!"
As they marched forward on the high?
way Steve Brayton found opportunity
to say:
"Look yere, Kenton. Ike's gom to
play yo' some onery trick if the chance
comes, and yo'd better be ready fur him.
He cn hates yo' like pizen, and he nu's
try in to make all the rest do the same."
"I am aware of that," replied Ken?
ton, "but can you tell me the reason
for it?"
"Beckon thar ar' several. In the
fust place, yo' didn't happen to be bo*n
down yere, while Ike Baxter and the
rest of us critters did. In the second,
yo' took the shine out o' the officers at
Bull Bun. In the third, as nigh as I kin
make out, thar's a gal in the case.
Looks to me like Ike had been hired to
talk agin yo'. At any rate, he's got the
boys all stirred np, and yo?d better be
keerful not to git too fur ahead of the
crowd in case we hev a fout down yere !"
"How does it happen that you are
not down on me with the rest?" asked
Kenton.
"Beckon thar ar'several reasons in
that too. Fustly, yo' could hev got
away to the Yankee army if yo' had
wanted to. Yo' didn't, and that's a
porty good sign yo' un ar' all right.
Nextly,*yo've got pluck, and I like a
plucky man. Mo' nextly, the mo' men
we hev the less chance of my bein hit
myself. Lastly, I've seen Captain Wyle
and Ike Baxter with their heads together
about yo', and I've heard that both
yo' and the captain was sweet on
the same gal, and I've sorter put two
and three together and made seven. I'm
goin to be right alongside o' yo' in this
font, 'cause I like yo'r way o' figbtin,
but yo' jist mind what 1 tell yo'! The
bullet which hits yo' today is liable to
come from our side!"
Jackson's command, numbering not
quite 6,000 men, made a rapid march
of 40 miles down the valley to strike a
blow at General Shields' command of
8,000. They were waiting for the Con
federates. Jackson attacked at once.
Even while the rear of his marching
column was still two miles away he at?
tacked. It was a tierce and bitter tight.
As daylight began to give way to twi?
light on that dismal March afternoon
the guards were ordered to charge a
battery which was making a portion of
the Confederate line untenable. They
dashed forward .to be met by a volley
which killed pr^gunded a dozen men1,
and a swift movie? on the part pf *a Fed?
eral regiment resulted in the capture of
nearly one-half of the others. An hour
later Jackson was retreating. He had
been defeated.
Ike Baxter was among the wounded.
With others he was taken to the field
hospital to be cared for, while the un?
wounded were marched to the rear and
placed under guard. Ike bad been hit
in the shoulder. While his hurt was
being dressed he said to the surgeon :
TO BB CONTISUSD.
Mr. jr. N. Cooley
Claremont, South Dakota.
Another Victory
A Bad Sore Threatens the
Loss of a Limb
Hood's Sarsaparilla Routs Disease
and Gives Renewed Health.
"C. I. Hood & Co., Lowell, Mass. : ,
" I have used several dozen bottles of Hood's
Sarsaparilla ia my family and know its merits.
I had a sore on one of my limbs below the knee
which baffled the skill and treatment of several
physicians. They were uncertain whether to
call it erysipelas, cancer, scrofula or blood
poisoning. Owing to my old age they thought
I would have to nave my leg amputated. It
was badly swollen, nearly twice its usual size,
and raw as well as painful, with a
Burning, Itching Sensation.
" I had used Hood's Sarsaparilla before and so
having great faith in its merits, I took it and
effected a perfect cure of the eruption on my*
limb and aleo renovated and purified my whole
system. Two years have since elapsed and I am
now passed 75 years of age, and yet I have more
energy and work harder than the average of
men at 40. I have 250 acres under cultivation
and work more hours per day than many men.
** My wife has not been able to attend to her
household duties much of the time during the
ten years we have lived in Dakota on account of
Nervous Prostration. i
She has been taking Hood's Sarsaparilla for the
past year and has never beeu as well as now.
HOOD'S
Sarsaparilla
CURES
Formerly her weight was 125 pounds, now she
weighs 154 pounds and attends to all her house?
hold duties." JAKES N. COOLEY, Claremont,
South Dakota. Be sure to get Hood's.
Hood's Pills cure all Liver Ills, Biliousness,
Jaundice, Indigestion, Sick Headache. 25c.