passages from an old volume of life-第13章

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l　grant　it；　and　he　will　very　commonly　consent　to　the　thing　asked；　were　it　to　commit　hari…kari。　　The　Captain　acceded　to　my　postulate；　and　accepted　my　friend　as　a　corollary。　　As　one　string　of　my　own　ancestors　was　of　Batavian　origin；　I　may　be　permitted　to　say　that　my　new　friend　was　of　the　Dutch　type；　like　the　Amsterdam　galiots；　broad　in　the　beam；　capacious　in　the　hold；　and　calculated　to　carry　a　heavy　cargo　rather　than　to　make　fast　time。　　He　must　have　been　in　politics　at　some　time　or　other；　for　he　made　orations　to　all　the　〃Secesh；〃　in　which　he　explained　to　them　that　the　United　States　considered　and　treated　them　like　children；　and　enforced　upon　them　the　ridiculous　impossibility　of　the　Rebels　attempting　to　do　anything　against　such　a　power　as　that　of　the　National　Government。

Much　as　his　discourse　edified　them　and　enlightened　me；　it　interfered　somewhat　with　my　little　plans　of　entering　into　frank　and　friendly　talk　with　some　of　these　poor　fellows；　for　whom　I　could　not　help　feeling　a　kind　of　human　sympathy；　though　I　am　as　venomous　a　hater　of　the　Rebellion　as　one　is　like　to　find　under　the　stars　and　stripes。　　It　is　fair　to　take　a　man　prisoner。　　It　is　fair　to　make　speeches　to　a　man。　　But　to　take　a　man　prisoner　and　then　make　speeches　to　him　while　in　durance　is　not　fair。

I　began　a　few　pleasant　conversations；　which　would　have　come　to　something　but　for　the　reason　assigned。

One　old　fellow　had　a　long　beard；　a　drooping　eyelid；　and　a　black　clay　pipe　in　his　mouth。　　He　was　a　Scotchman　from　Ayr；　dour　enough；　and　little　disposed　to　be　communicative；　though　I　tried　him　with　the　〃Twa　Briggs；〃　and；　like　all　Scotchmen；　he　was　a　reader　of　〃Burrns。〃　　He　professed　to　feel　no　interest　in　the　cause　for　which　he　was　fighting；　and　was　in　the　army；　I　judged；　only　from　compulsion。　　There　was　a　wild…haired；　unsoaped　boy；　with　pretty；　foolish　features　enough；　who　looked　as　if　he　might　be　about　seventeen；　as　he　said　he　was。　　I　give　my　questions　and　his　answers　literally。

〃What　State　do　you　come　from？〃

〃Georgy。〃

〃What　part　of　Georgia？〃

〃Midway。〃

＇How　odd　that　is！　　My　father　was　settled　for　seven　years　as　pastor　over　the　church　at　Midway；　Georgia；　and　this　youth　is　very　probably　a　grandson　or　great　grandson　of　one　of　his　parishioners。＇

〃Where　did　you　go　to　church　when　you　were　at　home？〃

〃Never　went　inside　'f　a　church　b't　once　in　m'　life。〃

〃What　did　you　do　before　you　became　a　soldier？〃

〃Nothin'。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　to　do　when　you　get　back？〃

〃Nothin'。〃

Who　could　have　any　other　feeling　than　pity　for　this　poor　human　weed；　this　dwarfed　and　etiolated　soul；　doomed　by　neglect　to　an　existence　but　one　degree　above　that　of　the　idiot？

With　the　group　was　a　lieutenant；　buttoned　close　in　his　gray　coat；　one　button　gone；　perhaps　to　make　a　breastpin　for　some　fair　traitorous　bosom。　　A　short；　stocky　man；　undistinguishable　from　one　of　the　〃subject　race〃　by　any　obvious　meanderings　of　the　sangre　azul　on　his　exposed　surfaces。　　He　did　not　say　much；　possibly　because　he　was　convinced　by　the　statements　and　arguments　of　the　Dutch　captain。　　He　had　on　strong；　iron…heeled　shoes；　of　English　make；　which　he　said　cost　him　seventeen　dollars　in　Richmond。

I　put　the　question；　in　a　quiet；　friendly　way；　to　several　of　the　prisoners；　what　they　were　fighting　for。　　One　answered；　〃For　our　homes。〃　　Two　or　three　others　said　they　did　not　know；　and　manifested　great　indifference　to　the　whole　matter；　at　which　another　of　their　number；　a　sturdy　fellow；　took　offence；　and　muttered　opinions　strongly　derogatory　to　those　who　would　not　stand　up　for　the　cause　they　had　been　fighting　for。　　A　feeble；　attenuated　old　man；　who　wore　the　Rebel　uniform；　if　such　it　could　be　called；　stood　by　without　showing　any　sign　of　intelligence。　　It　was　cutting　very　close　to　the　bone　to　carve　such　a　shred　of　humanity　from　the　body　politic　to　make　a　soldier　of。

We　were　just　leaving；　when　a　face　attracted　me；　and　I　stopped　the　party。　　〃That　is　the　true　Southern　type；〃　I　said　to　my　companion。　　A　young　fellow；　a　little　over　twenty；　rather　tall；　slight；　with　a　perfectly　smooth；　boyish　cheek；　delicate；　somewhat　high　features；　and　a　fine；　almost　feminine　mouth；　stood　at　the　opening　of　his　tent；　and　as　we　turned　towards　him　fidgeted　a　little　nervously　with　one　hand　at　the　loose　canvas；　while　he　seemed　at　the　same　time　not　unwilling　to　talk。　　He　was　from　Mississippi；　he　said；　had　been　at　Georgetown　College；　and　was　so　far　imbued　with　letters　that　even　the　name　of　the　literary　humility　before　him　was　not　new　to　his　ears。　　Of　course　I　found　it　easy　to　come　into　magnetic　relation　with　him；　and　to　ask　him　without　incivility　what　he　was　fighting　for。　　〃Because　I　like　the　excitement　of　it；〃　　he　answered。　　I　know　those　fighters　with　women's　mouths　and　boys'　cheeks。　　One　such　from　the　circle　of　my　own　friends；　sixteen　years　old；　slipped　away　from　his　nursery；　and　dashed　in　under；　an　assumed　name　among　the　red…legged　Zouaves；　in　whose　company　he　got　an　ornamental　bullet…mark　in　one　of　the　earliest　conflicts　of　the　war。

〃Did　you　ever　see　a　genuine　Yankee？〃　said　my　Philadelphia　friend　to　the　young　Mississippian。

〃I　have　shot　at　a　good　many　of　them；〃　　he　replied；　modestly；　his　woman's　mouth　stirring　a　little；　with　a　pleasant；　dangerous　smile。

The　Dutch　captain　here　put　his　foot　into　the　conversation；　as　his　ancestors　used　to　put　theirs　into　the　scale；　when　they　were　buying　furs　of　the　Indians　by　weight；so　much　for　the　weight　of　a　hand；　so　much　for　the　weight　of　a　foot。　　It　deranged　the　balance　of　our　intercourse；　there　was　no　use　in　throwing　a　fly　where　a　paving…stone　had　just　splashed　into　the　water；　and　I　nodded　a　good…by　to　the　boy…　fighter；　thinking　how　much　pleasanter　it　was　for　my　friend　the　Captain　to　address　him　with　unanswerable　arguments　and　crushing　statements　in　his　own　tent　than　it　would　be　to　meet　him　upon　some　remote　picket　station　and　offer　his　fair　proportions　to　the　quick　eye　of　a　youngster　who　would　draw　a　bead　on　him　before　he　had　time　to　say　dunder　and　blixum。

We　drove　back　to　the　town。　　No　message。　　After　dinner　still　no　message。　　Dr。　Cuyler；　Chief　Army　Hospital　Inspector；　is　in　town；　they　say。　　Let　us　hunt　him　up；perhaps　he　can　help　us。

We　found　him　at　the　Jones　House。　　A　gentleman　of　large　proportions；　but　of　lively　temperament；　his　frame　knit　in　the　North；　I　think；　but　ripened　in　Georgia；　incisive；　prompt　but　good…humored；　wearing　his　broad…brimmed；　steeple…crowned　felt　hat　with　the　least　possible　tilt　on　one　side；a　sure　sign　of　exuberant　vitality　in　a　mature　and　dignified　person　like　him；　business…like　in　his　ways；　and　not　to　be　interrupted　while　occupied　with　another；　but　giving　himself　up　heartily　to　the　claimant　who　held　him　for　the　time。　　He　was　so　genial；　so　cordial；　so　encouraging；　that　it　seemed　as　if　the　clouds；　which　had　been　thick　all　the　morning；　broke　away　as　we　came　into　his　presence；　and　the　sunshine　of　his　large　nature　filled　the　air　all　around　us。　　He　took　the　matter　in　hand　at　once；　as　if　it　were　his　own　private　affair。　　In　ten　minutes　he　had　a　second　telegraphic　message　on　its　way　to　Mrs。　K　at　Hagerstown；　sent　through　the　Government　channel　from　the　State　Capitol；one　so　direct　and　urgent　that　I　should　be　sure　of　an　answer　to　it；　whatever　became　of　the　one　I　had　sent　in　the　morning。

While　this　was　going　on；　we　hired　a　dilapidated　barouche；　driven　by　an　odd　young　native；　neither　boy　nor　man；　〃as　a　codling　when　't　is　almost　an　apple；〃　　who　said　wery　for　very；　simple　and　sincere；　who　smiled　faintly　at　our　pleasantries；　always　with　a　certain　reserve　of　suspicion；　and　a　gleam　of　the　shrewdness　that　all　men　get　who　live　in　the　atmosphere　of　horses。　　He　drove　us　round　by　the　Capitol　grounds；　white　with　tents；　which　were　disgraced　in　my　eyes　by　unsoldierly　scrawls　in　huge　letters；　thus：　THE　SEVEN　BLOOMSBURY　BROTHERS；　DEVIL'S　HOLE；　and　similar　inscriptions。　　Then　to　the　Beacon　Street　of　Harrisburg；　which　looks　upon　the　Susquehanna　instead　of　the　Common；　and　shows　a　long　front　of　handsome　houses　with　fair　gardens。　　The　river　is　pretty　nearly　a　mile　across　here；　but　very　shallow　now。　　The　codling　told　us　that　a　Rebel　spy　had　been　caught　trying　its　fords　a　little　while　ago；　and　was　now　at　Camp　Curtin　with　a　heavy　ball　chained　to　his　leg；a　popular　story；　but　a　lie；　Dr。　Wilson　said。