The Tree of Appomattox

n knew well the worth of three such colonels as Hertford, Winchester and Bedford, with all three of whom he was acquainted personally, and with whose records he was familiar.

said Warner reprovingly. "Bear in mind that trifles somet

You New Englanders are able people, but you can

l that jealousy often

rity begins wit

dmitting it, but you Kentuckians

nnington. "Against his wall of mount

ally, Frank," said Warner. "The New England seed p

friends bound to one another by hooks of steel. The horses given to them by special favor of Sheridan in place of their worn-out

k with enthusiasm. "Grand fellows!

ous character of our state keeps us from making horses a specialty. You, I believe, in Kentucky, pay great atten

ondescension, Dick, and not

ck. "Yes, George, your horse has no defect. You

, boys? It shows order, method and precision. Everything has been done according to the best algebraic formulae. I call

m Wright, Emory, Crook, Merritt, Averill, Torbert, Wilson and Grover, all able generals. Nor had Sheridan neglected to inform himself of the country over which he intended to march. With his lieutenant of engineers, Meigs, a man of great tale

ked their new camp and were making many new friends. September days passed and they saw the summer turning into autumn. The mountains in the distance looked blue, but, near at hand, their foliage

h they seldom fired upon one another. Dick, whenever he rode with the advanced guard, watched for Harry Kenton, St. Clair and Langdon, but it was nearly a week before he sa

ying him through their glasses, but he knew that no attack would be made upon him and the little party with which he rode. It was one of those increasing intervals of p

thern officers were unwounded-Langdon's slight hurt had healed long since-and were strong and hearty. He though

troops took them away from each other, and the Southerners were hid from his view by a belt of

lking toward his tent, was met by Warner and Pennington, carrying

his?" he

ing through the woods, and it's been fished in but little since the war started. Here, take your rod! You don't expect me to ca

p me from going with you two. Do you know, I haven't been

it's not like the beautiful little rivers of Vermont, that come dashing down from the mountains all molten silver, where they're n

was gazing with a rapt

gaze went far enough it would strike squa

se in a slow and

ons love thee! I, who am but one among them, love all thy rocks, and clear streams, and noble mountains and green f

's go on and catch our fish. Will you also use your romantic science of mathemat

l say also equals the number 7, while y equals the number 5. Now the fish are represented by z which is equal to 12. It is obvious even to slow minds like yours and Pennington's that neither x nor y alone can equal z, the fish, otherwise 12, but when combine

u by his algebra that he knows everything, and that everything h

e deep streams, in which one can fish with pleasure and profit. What do you know, you prairie-bred young ruffian, about fishing? I've heard that your creeks and brooks are nothing but strips of muddy dew.

"What it lacks in depth it makes up in length, and I

came to the creek, flowing with a fine volume of water dow

n. "It's clear, deep and it ought to have plenty of good fish. I see a snug

ves and unwrapped their lines, "and I've a notion that our fishing i

nd we're just boys ag

d you already that a man who has nothing but muddy stre

know that such voices as yours raised in loud tone

skill. All three were as eager to catch a fish as they were to win a battle, and, for the time, the war was forgotten. It seemed to Dick as he sat on the brown turf between the enclosing roots of the tree, and leaning against its trunk, that his lost youth had returned. He was just a boy again, fishing and with no care save to rais

delightful. It was perhaps the power of contrast, but after so much riding and fighting he felt a sheer physical pleasure in sitting there and watching the clear stream flow swiftly by. He smiled too at the way

yards below and he looked

im, but he slipped off the hook! I raised him

ck. "Allow at least fifteen inch

I have to do it down here. If it were a V

ut it did not endure long. From a point beyond Warner came a shout, and this was undeniably a cry of t

exclaimed Pennington, dancing about

aught a fine fish, at least a foot long, which was now

very young Territory of Nebraska has sc

. Frank's baited hook was close by. The fish was hungry and the result was a mathematical certain

ine, and drawing it in smartly he drew with it a fish as l

ermont's day. Either we're more skillful or the fish like

both,

. They've never seen us before, and they know nothing about us by hearsay and reputation. It's a

clenched tightly, and the mouth drawn down at the corners. His eyes were fixed eagerl

under his breath. "He hates to

the state had any rivers either. In any event it was obvious that Warner had never fished before. For several minutes they carried on this conversation, the words, in a way, as they went back and forth, passing directly by his hea

et another fine fellow, while his own cork seemed to have all the qualities of a lifeboat. It danced and bobbed around, but apparently it had not the slight

rod, landed a glorious gleaming fish upon the bank, a full two feet in length, probably as large as any that had ever been caught

along and looked at my bait, but I've always moved it out of reach, leaving them to fall a prey to my friends who are

orth while trying," said Pennington, and Dick

choice, decided to favor all three about equally, and they were content. The silvery heaps grew and they rejoiced over the splendid ad

st up the stream, noticed a small piece of wood floating in the center of the current. It seemed to have

ggers at such a time would not take the trouble to throw their chips into the stream. He lifted his line, caught an unusually large white chip on the hook a

ees

is ou

Fish

Fish a

NY R

ling his comrades he showed them the chip. Both were

efore shooting at us. And perhaps he's right. The river and the fish in it really belong

aid Pennington. "You can't crush a rebellion with

ther big white

k and towed it in. It bore

r rive

n your

e in

'll so

and they stared

ng?" said Pennington, "or is it some

ce up the stream has been cutting wood, and these chips have come from his yard, bu

the chip long

of Harry Kenton. He makes a peculiar L and a peculiar A and they're just the same way on this chip

beyond that it comes with a rush out of the mountains. Its banks are lined with woods and thickets and some of the enemy may have

o dare anything, and they don't anticipate any great danger, because we

, bearing a warning either in jest or in earnest, have come floating down from a point which may be within the enemy's country. One of the facts is x a

to the camp," said Dick. "But we'll

ure would be prudent they were yet reluctant to go in the

ating a tall elm, "and I may be able to get a good

rge and I will be on guard, pistols

he saw open country beyond, then more woods, a glimpse of the stream above the elbow, but no human b

the result of his outlook, but his attention now turned back to the river. No more chips were floating down its stream. Nothing foreign appeared

enough. Slade and his men undoubtedly were there-practically within the Union lines-and he w

! Come down at on

m the tree. He was upon the ground, breathless, in a half minute, his fish

med Warner, who had

ver. The warning was real and I've no doubt Harry sent it. The

ly, and Dick went down with them. They were barely in time. A dozen rifles flashe

etting their fish and their fishing rods, and ran at their utmost speed for fifty or sixty yards, when at Dick's order they

en us!" said Pennington, piously and sinc

harp, shrill note b

same whistle in Mississippi and I know it. His wicked little schem

chip to thank," said Warner.

one, but fifty yards farther and nob

in, it was behind a little hill, and they knew that all danger had passed. T

rner proudly, "but I didn't forget

o!" said Pennington,

also!" s

led to be undignified. I've been insulted by that flap-brimmed scoundrel, Slade, and I shall not forget it. If

came, and Colonel Winchest

!" he exclaimed

ld up h

ss, but we were interrupted by the guerrilla Slade, whom I met in Mississip

the country thoroughly, but they saw no Confederate sign. When he came back Dick told him all t

ious to make a peg upon which to hang anything. Since we've cleared the

sat around the fire and ate fish for supper, they were so exubera