the red acorn-第19部分

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Nature　is　as　kindly　and　gracious　in　Central　Kentucky　as　in　any　part　of　the　globe　upon　which　her　sun　shines；　and　she　seemed　to　be　on　her　best　behavior；　that　she　might　duly　impress　the　Northern　visitors。

The　orchards　were　loaded　with　fruit；　and　the　forest　trees　showered　nuts　upon　the　ground。　　In　every　field　were　groups　of　persimmon　trees；　their　branches　bendingunder　a　burden　of　luscious　fruit；　which　the　frost　had　coated　with　sheeny　purple　outside；　and　made　sweeter　than　fine　wine　within。　　Over　all　bent　softly　brilliant　skies；　and　the　bland；　bracing　air　was　charged　with　the　electricity　of　life　and　happiness。

It　was　the　very　poetry　of　soldiering；　and　Harry　began　to　forget　the　miseries　of　life　in　　a　Camp　of　Instruction；　and　to　believe　that　there　was　much　to　be　enjoyed；　even　in　the　life　of　an　enlisted　man。

〃This　here　air　or　the　apple…jack　seems　to　have　a　wonderfully　improving　effect　on　Jake　Alspaugh's　chronic　rheumatics；〃　sneered　Abe　Bolton。

It　was　a　sunny　afternoon。　　Bolton　and　Kent　Edwards　were　just　ouside　of　the　camp　lines；　in　the　shade　of　a　grand　old　black　walnut；　and　had　re…seated　themselves　to　finsih　devouring　a　bucketful　of　lush　persimmons；　after　having　reluctantly　risen　from　that　delightful　occupation　to　salute　Lieutenant　Alspaugh；　as　he　passed　outward　in　imposing　blue　and　gold　stalwarthood。

〃I've　been　remarking　that　myself；〃　said　Kent；　taking　out　a　handful　of　the　shining　fruit；　and　deliberately　picking　the　stems　and　dead　leaves　from　the　sticky　sides；　preparatory　to　swallowing　it。　　〃He　hasn't　had　an　attack　since　we　thought　those　negroes　and　teams　on　the　hills　beyond　Cynthiana　was　John　Morgan's　Rebel　cavalry。〃

〃Yes；〃　continued　Abe；　helping　himself　also　the　mellow　date…plums；　〃his　legs　are　so　sound　now　that　he　is　able　to　go　to　every　frolic　in　the　country　for　miles　around；　and　dance　all　night。　　He's　going　to　the　Quartermaster's　now；　to　get　a　horse　to　ride　to　a　dance　and　candy…pulling　at　that　double　log…house　four　miles　down　the　Harrodsburg　Pike。　　I　heard　him　talking　to　some　other　fellows　about　it　when　I　went　up　with　the　squad　to　bring　the　rations　down　to　the　company。〃

〃Seems　to　em；　come　to　think　of　it；　that　I　HAVE　heard　of　some　rheumatic　symptoms　recently。　　Remember　that　a　couple　of　weeks　ago　Pete　Sanford　got　a　bullet　through　his　blouse；　that　scraped　his　ribs；　don't　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Abe；　spitting　the　seeds　out　from　a　mouthful　of　honeyed　pulp。

〃Well；　the　boys　say　that　Jake　went　to　a　candy…pulling　frolic　down　in　the　Cranston　settlement；　and　got　into　a　killing　flirtation　with　the　prettiest　girl　there。　　She　was　taken　with　his　brass　buttons；　and　his　circus…horse　style　generally；　but　she　had　another　fellow　that　it　didn't　suit　so　well。　　He　showed　his　disapproval　in　a　way　that　seems　to　be　the　fashion　down　here；　that　is；　he　'laid　for'　Jake　behind　a　big　rock　with　a　six…foot　deer　rifle；　but　mistook　Pete　Sanford　for　him。〃

〃The　dunderhead's　as　poor　a　judge　of　men　as　he's　marksman。　　He's　a　disgrace　to　Kentucky。〃

〃At　all　events　it　served　as　a　hint；　which　Alspaugh　did　not　fail　to　take。　　Since　that　time　there　has　been　two　or　three　dances　at　Cranston's；　but　every　time　Jake　has　had　such　twinges　of　his　rheumatism　that　he　did　not　think　it　best　to　'expose　himself　to　the　night　air；'　and　go　with　the　boys。〃

〃O！…ouw！…wh…i…s…s…s…sh！〃　sputtered　Abe；　spitting　the　contents　of　his　mouth　out　explosively；　while　his　face　was　contorted　as　if　every　nerve　and　muscle　was　being　twisted　violently。

〃Why；　what　is　the　matter；　Abe？〃　asked　Kent；　in　real　alarm。　　〃Have　you　swallowed　a　centipede　or　has　the　cramp…colic　griped　you？〃

〃No！　　I　hain't　swallowed　no　centerboard；　nor　have　I　the　belly…acheblast　your　chucklehead；〃　roared　Abe；　as　he　sprang　to　his　feet；　rushed　to　the　brook；　scooped　up　some　water　in　his　hands；　and　rinsed　his　mouth　out　energetically。

〃Well；　what　can　it　be；　then？　　You　surely　ain't　doing　all　that　for　fun。〃


〃No；　I　ain't　doing　it　for　fun；〃　shouted　Abe；　angrier　still；　〃and　nobody　but　a　double…and　twisted　idiot　would　ask　such　a　fool　question。　I　was　paying　so　much　attention　to　your　dumbed　story　that　I　chewed　up　a　green　persimmonone　that　hadn't　been　touched　by　the　frost。　It's　puckered　my　mouth　so　that　I　will　never　get　it　straight　again。　It's　worse　than　a　pound　of　alum　and　a　gallon　of　tanbark　juice　mixed　together。　　O；　laugh；　if　you　want　tothat's　just　what　I'd　expect　from　you。　　That's　about　all　the　sense　you've　got。〃

…

There　was　enough　excitement　in　camp　to　prevent　any　danger　of　ennui。　The　probability　of　battle　gave　the　daily　drills　an　interest　that　they　never　could　gain　in　Ohio。　　The　native　Rebels　were　numerous　and　defiant；　and　kept　up　such　demonstrations　as　led　to　continual　apprehensions　of　an　attack。　　New　regiments　came　in　constantly；　and　were　received　with　enthusiasm。　　Kentucky　and　East　Tennessee　Loyalists；　tall；　gaunt；　long…haired　and　quaint…spoken；　but　burning　with　enthusiasm　for　the　Government　of　their　fathers；　flocked　to　the　camp；　doffed　their　butternut　garb；　assumed　the　glue；　and　enrolled　themselves　to　defend　the　Union。

At　length　it　became　evident　that　the　Rebel　〃Army　of　Liberation〃　was　really　about　crossing　the　Cumberland　Mountains　to　drive　out　the　〃Yankees〃　and　recover　possession　of　Kentucky　for　the　Southern　Confederacy。

Outposts　were　thrown　out　in　all　directions　to　gain　the　earlies　possible　intelligence　of　the　progress　of　the　movement；　and　to　make　such　resistance　to　it　as　might　be　possible。　　One　of　these　outposts　was　stationed　at　Wildcat　Gap；　an　inexpressibly　wild　and　desolate　region；　sixty　miles　from　Camp　Dick　Robinson；　where　the　road　entering　Kentucky　from　Tennessee　at　Cumberland　Gap　crosses　the　Wildcat　range　of　mountains。

One　day　the　startling　news　reached　camp　that　an　overwhelming　Rebel　force　under　Gen。　Zollicoffer　was　on　the　eve　of　attacking　the　slender　garrison　of　Wildcat　Gap。　　The　〃assembly〃　was　sounded；　and　the　regiment；　hastily　provided　with　rations　and　ammunition；　was　hurried　forward　to　aid　in　the　defense　of　the　threatened　outpost。

Nature；　as　if　in　sympathy　with　the　gathering　storm　of　war；　ceased　her　smiling。　　The　blue；　bending　skies　were　transformed　intoa　scowling；　leaden…visaged　canopy；　from　which　fell　a　chill　incessant　rain。

When　the　order　to　prepare　for　the　march　came；　Glen；　following　the　example　of　his　comrades；　packed　three　days'　cooked　rations　in　his　haversack；　made　his　blankets　into　a　roll；　tieing　their　ends　together；　threw　them　scarf…fashion　over　his　shoulder；　and　took　his　accustomed　place　as　file…closer　in　the　rear　of　his　company。　　He　was　conscious　all　the　time；　though　he　suffered　no　outward　sign　to　betray　the　fact；　that　he　was　closely　watched　by　the　boys　who　had　been　with　him　in　Western　Virginia；　and　who　were　eager　to　see　how　he　would　demean　himself　in　this　new　emergency。

He　was　shortly　ordered　to　assist　in　the　inspection　of　cartridge…boxes　and　the　issuing　of　cartridges；　adn　the　grim　nature　of　the　errand　they　were　about　to　start　upon　duly　impressed　itself　upon　his　mind　as　he　walked　down　the　lines　in　the　melancholy　rains；　examined　each　box；　and　gave　the　owner　the　quantity　of　cartridges　required　to　make　up　the　quota　of　forty　rounds　per　man。

Those　who　scrutinized　his　face　as　he　passed　slowly　by；　saw　underneath　the　dripping　eaves　of　his　broad…brimmed　hat　firm…set