the red acorn-第18部分

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　it。　But　there　goes　the　drum　for　roll…call。　　I　must　go。　　Good　evening；　and　very　many　thanks。〃

〃The　young　fellow's　no　callow　milksop；　after　all；〃　said　the　Surgeon　Denslow；　as　his　eyes　followed　Harry's　retreating　form。　　〃His　gristle　is　hardening　into　something　like　his　stern　old　father's　backbone。〃





Chapter　IX。　　On　the　March。




〃He　smelleth　the　battle　afar　off；　the　thunder　of　the　Captains　and　the　shouting。〃　　Job。


The　weary　weeks　in　Camp　of　Instruction　ended　with　the　Summer。　September　had　come；　and　Nature　was　hanging　out　crimson　battle…flags　every…whereon　the　swaying　poppy　and　the　heavy…odored　geranium。　The　sumach　and　the　sassafras　wore　crimson　signals　of　defiance；　and　the　maples　blazed　with　the　gaudy　red；　yellow　and　orange　of　warlike　pomp。

The　regiment　made　its　first　step　on　Kentucky　soil　with　a　little　bit　of　pardonable　ostentation。　　Every　one　looked　upon　it　as　the　real　beginning　of　its　military　career。　　When　the　transport　was　securely　tied　up　at　the　wharf；　the　Colonel　mounted　his　horse；　drew　his　sword；　placed　himself　at　the　head　of　the　regiment；　and　gave　the　command　〃Forward。〃　　Eleven　hundred　superb　young　fellows；　marching　four　abrest；　with　bayonets　fixed；　and　muskets　at　〃right　shoulder　shift；〃　strode　up　the　bank　after　him　and　went　into　line　of　battle　at　the　top；　where　he　made　a　short　soldierly　speech；　the　drums　rolled；　the　colors　dipped；　the　men　cheered；　and　the　band　played　〃Star…spangled　Banner〃　and　〃Dixie。〃

Three　years　later　the　two　hundred　survivors　of　this　number　returning　from　their　〃Veteran　furlough；〃　without　a　band　and　with　their　tattered　colors　carefully　cased；　came　off　a　transport　at　the　same　place；　without　uttering　a　word　other　than　a　little　grumbling　at　the　trouble　of　disposing　of　some　baggage；　marched　swiftly　and　silently　up　the　bank；　and　disappeared　before　any　one　fairly　realized　that　they　were　there。　　So　much　had　Time　and　War　taught　them。

〃Now　our　work　may　be　said　to　be　fairly　begun。〃　　said　the　Colonel；　turning　from　the　contemplation　of　his　regiment；　and　scanning　anxiously　the　tops　of　the　distant　line　of　encircling　hills；　as　if　he　expected　to　see　there　signs　of　the　Rebels　in　strong　force。　　All　the　rest　imitated　his　example；　and　studied　the　horizon　solicitously。　〃And　I　expect　we　shall　have　plenty　of　it！〃　continued　the　Colonel。

〃No　doubt　of　that；〃　answered　the　Major。　　〃They　say　the　Rebels　are　filling　Kentucky　with　troops；　and　gonig　to　fight　for　every　foot　of　the　Old　Dark　and　Bloody　Ground。　　I　think　we　will　have　to　earn　all　we　get　of　it。〃

〃To…day's　papers　report；〃　joined　in　Surgeon　Denslow；　〃that　General　sherman　says　it　will　take　two　hundred　thousand　troops　to　redeem　Kentucky。〃

〃Yes；〃　broke　in　the　Colonel　testily；　〃and　the　same　papers　agree　in　pronouncing　Sherman　crazy。　　But　no　matter　how　many　or　how　few　it　takes；　that's　none　of　our　affair。　　We've　got　eleven　hundred　good　men　in　ranks；　and　we're　going　to　do　all　that　eleven　hundred　good　men　can　do。　　God　Almighty　and　Abe　Lincoln　have　got　to　take　care　of　the　rest。〃

It　will　be　seen　that　the　Colonel　was　a　very　practical　soldier。

〃First　think　we　know；　the　Colonel　will　be　trying　to　make　us　'leven　hundred　clean　out　'leven　thousand　Rebs；〃　growled　Abe　Bolton。

〃Suppose　the　Colonel　should　imagine　himself　another　Leonidas；　and　us　his　Spartan　band；　and　want　us　to　die　around　him；　and　start　another　Thermopylae　down　her　in　the　mountains；　some　place；〃　suggested　Kent　Edwards；　〃you　would　cheerfully　pass　in　your　checks　along　with　the　rest；　so　as　to　make　the　thing　an　entire　success；　wouldn't　you？〃

〃The　day　I'm　sent　below；　I'll　take　a　pile　of　Rebs　along　to　keep　me　company；〃　answered　Abe；　surlily。

Glen；　standing　in　the　rear　of　his　company　in　his　place　as　file…closer；　listened　to　these　words；　and　saw　in　the　dim　distance　and　on　the　darkling　heights　the　throngs　of　fierce　enemies　and　avalanches　of　impeding　dangers　as　are　likely　to　oppress　the　imagination　of　a　young　soldier　at　such　unfavorable　moments。　　The　conflict　and　carnage　seemed　so　imminent　that　he　half　expected　it　to　begin　that　very　night；　and　he　stiffened　his　sinews　for　the　shock。

Lieutenant　Alspaugh　also　heard；　studied　over　the　unwelcome　possibilities　shrouded　in　the　gathering　gloom　of　the　distance；　and　regretted　that　he　had　not；　before　crossing　the　Ohio；　called　the　Surgeon's　attention　to　some　premonitory　symptoms　of　rheumatism；　which　he　felt　he　might　desire　to　develop　into　an　acute　attack　in　the　event　of　danger　assuming　an　unpleasant　proximity。

But　as　no　Rebels　appeared　on　the　sweeping　semi…circle　of　hills　that　shut　in　Convington　on　the　south；　he　concluded　to　hold　his　disability　in　abeyance；　by　a　strong　effort　of　the　will；　until　the　regiment　had　penetrated　farther　into　the　enemy's　country。

For　days　the　regiment　marched　steadily　on　through　the　wonderfully　lovely　Blue　Grass　Region；　toward　the　interior　of　the　State；　without　coming　into　the　neighborhood　of　any　organized　body　of　the　Rebels。

Glen's　first　tremors　upon　crossing　the　Ohio　subsided　so　as　to　permit　him　to　thoroughly　enjoy　the　beauties　of　the　scenery；　and　the　pleasures　of　out…door　life　in　a　region　so　attractive　at　that　season　of　the　year。

The　turnpike；　hard　and　smooth　as　a　city　pavement；　wound　over　and　around　romantic　hillshills　crowned　with　cedar　and　evergreen　laurel；　and　scarred　with　cliffs　and　caverns。　　It　passed　through　forests；　aromatic　with　ripening　nuts　and　changing　leaves；　and　glorious　in　the　colors　of　early　Autumn。　　Then　its　course　would　traverse　farms　of　gracefully　undulating　acres；　bounded　by　substantial　stone…walls；　marked　by　winding　streams　of　pure　spring　water；　centering　around　great　roomy　houses；　with　huge　outside　chimneys；　and　broad　piazzas；　and　with　a　train　of　humble　negro　cabins　in　the　rear。　　The　horses　were　proud　stepping　thoroughbreds；　the　women　comely　and　spirited；　the　men　dignified　and　athletic；　and　all　seemed　well…fed　and　comfortable。　　The　names　of　the　places　along　the　route　recalled　to　Harry's　memory　all　he　had　ever　read　of　the　desperate　battles　and　massacres　and　single…handed　encounters　of　Daniel　Boone　and　his　associates；　with　the　Indians　in　the　early　history　of　the　country。

〃This　certainly　seems　an　ideal　pastoral　landa　place　where　one　would　naturally　locate　a　charming　idyl　or　bucolic　love…story！〃　he　said　one　evening；　to　Surgeon　Paul　Denslow；　after　descanting　at　length　upon　the　beauties　of　the　country　which　they　were　〃redeeming〃　from　the　hands　of　the　Rebels。

〃Yes；　answered　Dr。　Denslow；　〃and　it's　as　dull　and　sleepy　and　non…progressive　as　all　those　places　are　where　they　locate　what　you　call　your　idyls　and　pastorals！　　These　people　haven't　got　an　idea　belonging　to　this　century；　nor　do　they　want　one。　　They　know　how　to　raise　handsome　girls；　distil　good　whisky；　and　breed　fast　horses。　This　they　esteem　the　end　of　all　human　knowledge　and　understanding。　Anything　moer　is　to　them　vanity　and　useless　vexation　of　spirit。〃

At　last　the　regiment　halted　under　the　grand　old　beeches　and　hickories　of　teh　famous　Camp　Dick　Robinson；　in　the　heart　of　the　Blue　Grass　Region。　　In　this　most　picturesque　part　of　the　lovely　Kentucky　River　Valley　they　spent　the　bright　days　of　October　very　delightfully。

Nature　is　as　kindly　and　gracious　in　Central　Kentucky　as　in　any　part　of　the　globe　upon　which　her　sun　shines；　and