THE disturbance2 in the Deacon's family when Shorty's note was delivered by little Sammy Woggles quite came up to that romance-loving youth's fond anticipations3. If he could only hope that his own disappearance4 would create a fraction of the sensation he would have run away the next day. It would be such a glorious retribution on those who subjected him to the daily tyranny of rising early in the morning, washing his face, combing his hair, and going to school. For the first time in his life the boy found himself the center of interest in the family. He knew something that all the rest were intensely eager to know, and they plied6 him with questions until his young brain whirled. He told them all that he knew, except that which Shorty had enjoined7 upon him not to tell, and repeated his story without variation when separately examined by different members of the family. All his leisure for the next few days was put in laboriously8 constructing, on large sheets of foolscap, the following letter, in which the thumb-marks and blots10 were more conspicuous11 than the "pot-hook" letters:
dEER shoRty:
doNt 4git thAt REblE guN u promist mE.
thAir wAs An oRful time wheN i giv um yorE lEttEr.
missis klEgg shE cride.
mAriAr shE sEd did u EvEr No Ennything so Ridiklus.
si hE sed thAt shorty kood be morE Kinds ov fool in A minnit
thAn Ary uthEr boy hE Ever node, Not bArrin Tompsons colt.
thE deAcon hE wAntid 2 go 2 the tranE & stop u. When hE
found hE kooddEnt do that, hE wAntid 2 tElEgrAf 2 Arrest u &
bring u bAk.
But si hE sEd bEttEr let u run till u got tirEd. Ude fEtch
up sum whAir soon. Then thEy wood sHp a bridlE13 ovEr yore
hEAd & brink14 u bAk.
i hAint told mAriA nothin but u hAd bEtEr sEnd thAt gun rite15
off.
ile look 4 it EvEry dAy til i git it.
mi pen iz bAd, mi ink iz pAle, send thAt gun & NEVEr f ALE.
YorEs, SAM.
As soon as he saw that he was likely to remain at Headquarters for some time. Shorty became anxious about that letter from Sammy, and after much scheming and planning, he at last bethought himself of the expedient16 of having the Chief Clerk write an official letter to Sam Elkins, the postmaster and operator at Bean Blossom Creek17 Station, directing him to forward to Headquarters any communications addressed to Corp'l Elliott, 200th Ind. Vols., and keep this matter a military secret.
In spite of his prepossessions against it, Shorty took naturally to Headquarters duty, as he did to everything else in the army. He even took a pride in his personal appearance, and appeared every morning as spick and span as the barber-shop around the corner could make him. This was because the General saw and approved it, and—because of the influence Maria had projected into his life. The Deacon's well-ordered home had been a revelation to him of another world, of which he wanted to be a part. The gentle quiet and the constant consideration for others that reigned19 there smoothed off his rough corners and checked the rasping of his ready tongue.
"I'm goin' to try to be half-white," he mentally resolved; "at least, as long's I'm north o' the Ohio River. When I'm back agin at the front, I kin12 take a rest from being respectable."
He was alert, prompt, and observant, and before he was himself aware of it began running things about the ante-rooms to Headquarters. More and more the General and Chief Clerk kept putting the entire disposal of certain matters in his hands, and it was not surprising that he acted at times as if he were the Headquarters himself, and the General and others merely attaches. Shorty always had that way about him.
"No, you can't see the General today," he would say to a man as to whom he had heard the General or the Chief Clerk hint was a bore, and wasted their time. "The General's very busy. The President's layin' down on him for his advice about a campaign to take Richmond by a new way, and the General's got to think at the rate of a mile a minute in order to git it off by telegraph."
Don't You Know Better Than to Come To Headquarters Like That? 156
"Here," to a couple of soldiers who came up to get their furloughs extended, "don't you know better than to come to Headquarters looking as if your clothes had been blowed on to you? How long've you bin5 in the army? Hain't you learned yit that you must come to Headquarters in full dress? Go back and git your shoes blacked, put on collars, button up your coats, and come up here lookin' like soldiers, not teamsters on the Tullyhomy mud march."
"No," very decisively, to a big-waisted, dark-bearded man; "you can't git no permit here to open no shebang in camp or anywheres near. Too many like you out there now. We're goin' to root 'em all out soon. They're all sellin' whisky on the sly, and every last one of 'em orter be in jail."
"Certainly, madam," tenderly to a poor woman who had come to see if she could learn something of her son, last heard from as sick in hospital at Chattanooga. "Sit down. Take that chair—no, that one; it's more comfortable. Give me your son's name and regiment20. I'll see if we kin find out anything about him. No use seein' the General. I'll do jest as well, and 'll tend to it quicker."
"No," to a raw Captain, who strolled in, smoking a cheap cheroot. "The General's not in to an officer who comes in here like as if Headquarters was a ward18 caucus21. He'll be in to you when you put on your sword and button up your coat."
It amused and pleased the General to see Shorty take into his hands the administration of military etiquette22; but one day, when he was accompanying the General on a tour of inspection23, and walking stiffly at the regulation distance behind, a soldier drunk enough to be ugly lurched past, muttering some sneers24 about "big shoulder-straps."
Shorty instantly snatched him by the collar and straightened him up.
"Take the position of a soldier," he commanded.
The astonished man tried to obey.
"Throw your chest out," commanded Shorty, punching him in the ribs25. "Little fingers down to the seams of your pants," with a cuff26 at his ears. "Put your heels together, and turn out your toes," kicking him on the shin. "Hold up your head," jabbing him under the chin. "'Now respectfully salute27."
The cowed man clumsily obeyed.
"Now, take that to learn you how to behave after this in the presence of a General officer," concluded Shorty, giving him a blow in the face that sent him over.
The General had walked on, apparently28 without seeing what was going on. But after they had passed out of the sight of the group which the affair had gathered, he turned and said to Shorty:
"Corporal, discipline must be enforced in the army, but don't you think you were a little too summary and condign29 with that man?"
"Hardly know what you mean by summary and condign. General, But if you mean warm by summary, I'll say that he didn't git it half hot enough. If I'd had my strength back I'd a' condigned his head off. But he got his lesson jest when he needed it, and he'll be condigned sure to behave decently hereafter."
Just then ex-Lieut.-Col. Billings came by. He was dressed in citizen's clothes, and he glared at Shorty and the General, but there was something in the latter's face and carriage which dominated him in spite of himself, his camp associations asserted themselves, and instinctively30 his hand went to his hat in a salute.
This was enough excuse for Shorty. He fell back until the General was around the corner, out of sight, and then went up to Billings.
"Mister Billings," said he, sternly, "what was the General's orders about wearin' anything military?"
"Outrageously31 tyrannical and despotic," answered Billings hotly. "But jest what you might expect from these Abolition32 satraps, who're throttlin' our liberties. A white man's no longer got any rights in this country that these military upstarts is bound to respect. But I'm obeyin' the order till I kin git an appeal from it."
"You're a liar33. You're not," said Shorty, savagely34.
"Why, what in the world have I got on that's military?" asked Billings, looking himself over.
"You're wearin' a military saloot, which you have no business to. You've got no right to show that you ever was in the army, or so much as seen a regiment. You salooted the General jest now. Don't you ever let me see you do it to him agin, or to no other officer. You musn't do nothin' but take off your hat and bow. You hear me?"
Shorty was rubbing it in on his old tormentor35 in hopes to provoke him to a fight. But the cowed man was too fearful of publicity36 just then. He did not know what might be held in reserve to spring upon him. He shambled away, muttering:
"O, go on! Grind down upon me. You'll be wantin' to send me to a Lincoln bastile next. But a day will come when white men'll have their rights agin."
Unfortunately for Shorty, however, he was having things too much his own way. There were complaints that he was acting37 as if he owned Headquarters.
Even the General noticed it, and would occasionally say in tones of gentle remonstrance38:
"See here, Corporal, you are carrying too big a load. Leave something for the rest of us to do. We are getting bigger pay than you are, and should have a chance to earn our money."
But Shorty would not take the hint. With his rapidly-returning strength there had come what Si termed "one of his bull-headed spells," which inevitably39 led to a cataclysm40, unless it could be worked off legitimately41, as it usually was at the front by a toilsome march, a tour of hard fatigue42 duty, or a battle or skirmish. But the routine of Headquarters duties left him too much chance to get "fat and sassy."
One day the General and his staff had to go over to Louisville to attend some great military function, and Shorty was left alone in charge of Headquarters. There was nothing for him to do but hold a chair down, and keep anybody from carrying off the Headquarters. This was a dangerous condition, in his frame of mind. He began meditating43 how he could put in the idle hours until the General should return in the evening. He thought of hunting up Billngs, and giving him that promised thrashing, but his recent experience did not promise hopefully that he could nag44 that worthy45 into a fight that would be sufficiently46 interesting.
"I'd probably hit him a welt and he'd go off bawlin' like a calf," he communed with himself. "No; Billings is too tame, now, until he finds out whether we've got anything on him to send him to the penitentiary47, where he orter go."
Looking across the street he noticed Eph Click, whom he had known as a camp-follower down in Tennessee, and was now running a "place" in the unsavory part of the town. Shorty had the poorest opinion of Eph, but the latter was a cunning rascal48, who kept on the windy side of the law, and had so far managed to escape the active notice of the Provost-Marshal. He was now accompanied by a couple of men in brand-new uniforms, so fresh that they still had the folds of the Quartermaster's boxes.
"There goes that unhung rascal, Eph Glick," he said to himself, "that orter be wearin' a striped suit, and breakin' stone in the penitentiary. He's runnin' a reg'lar dead-fall down the street, there, and he's got a couple o' green recruits in tow, steerin' them to where he kin rob 'em of their pay and bounty49. They won't have a cent left in two hours. I've bin achin' to bust50 him up for a long time, but I've never bin able to git the p'ints on him that'd satisfy the General or the Provo. I'll jest go down and clean out his shebang and run him out o' town, and finish the job up while the General and the Provo's over in Louisville. It'll all be cleaned up before they git back, and they needn't know a word of it. Eph's got no friends around here to complain. He's a yaller hound, that nobody cares what's done to him. It'll be good riddance o' bad rubbish."
He stalked out of the Headquarters, and beckoned51 imperiously to a squad52 that he saw coming down the street under the command of a Sergeant53. Seeing him come out of Headquarters there was no question of his right to order, and the Sergeant and squad followed.
They arrived in front of Eph's place about the same time he did.
"Take that man," said Shorty, pointing to Eph, "and put him aboard the next train that goes out. Think yourself lucky, sir, that you git off so easily. If you ever show your face back here agin you'll be put at hard labor9 on the fortifications for the rest o' your natural life. Hustle54 him off to the depot55, a couple of you, and see that he goes off when the train does. The rest o' you bring out all the liquor in that place, and pour it into the gutter56. Sergeant, see that nobody's allowed to drink or carry any away."
Nothing more was needed for the crowd that had followed up the squad, anticipating a raid. Bottles, demijohns and kegs were smashed, the cigars and tobacco snatched up, and the place thoroughly57 wrecked58 in a few minutes.
Shorty contemplated59 the ruin from across the street, and strolled back to Headquarters, serenely60 conscious of having put in a part of the day to good advantage.
That evening the Provost-Marshal came into Headquarters, and said:
"I'm sorry, General, that you felt that Click place so bad that you were compelled to take personal action. I have known for some time that something ought to be done, but I've been trying to collect evidence that would hold Glick on a criminal charge, so that I could turn him over to the civil authorities."
"I do not understand what you mean, Colonel," answered the General.
"I mean that Glick place that was raided by your orders today."
"I gave no orders to raid any place. I have left all those matters in your hands, Colonel, with entire confidence that you would do the right thing."
"Why, one of my Sergeants61 reported that a Corporal came from your Headquarters, and directed the raid to be made."
"A Corporal from my Headquarters?" repeated the General, beginning to understand. "That's another development of that irrepressible Shorty." And he called:
"Corp'l Elliott."
"Yes, sir," responded Shorty, appearing at the door and saluting62.
"Did you raid the establishment of a person named"
"Eph Glick," supplied the Provost-Marshal.
"Yes, Ephraim Glick. Did you direct it; and, if so, what authority had you for doing so?"
"Yes, sir," said Shorty promptly63. "I done it on my own motion. It was a little matter that needed tending to, and I didn't think it worth while to trouble either you or the Provo about it. The feller's bin dead-ripe for killin' a long time. I hadn't nothin' else to do, so I thought I'd jest git that job offen my hands, and not to have to think about it any more."
"Corporal," said the General sternly, "I have not objected to your running my office, for I probably need all the help in brains and activity that I can get. But I must draw the line at your assuming the duties of the Provost-Marshal in addition. He is quite capable of taking care of his own office. You have too much talent for this narrow sphere. Gen. Thomas needs you to help him run the army. Tell Wilson to make out your transportation, so that you can start for your regiment tomorrow. The Provost-Marshal and I will have to try to run this town without your help. It will be hard work, I know; but, then, that is what we came into the service for."
Shorty grumbled64 to another Orderly as he returned to his place in the next room:
"There, you see all the thanks you git for bein' a hustler in the way of doin' your dooty. I done a job for 'em that they should've 'tended to long ago, and now they sit down on me for it."
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1
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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2
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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3
anticipations
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| 预期( anticipation的名词复数 )； 预测； （信托财产收益的）预支； 预期的事物 | |
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4
disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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5
bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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6
plied
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| v.使用（工具）( ply的过去式和过去分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意 | |
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7
enjoined
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| v.命令( enjoin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8
laboriously
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| adv.艰苦地；费力地；辛勤地；（文体等）佶屈聱牙地 | |
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9
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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10
blots
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| 污渍( blot的名词复数 )； 墨水渍； 错事； 污点 | |
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11
conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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12
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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13
bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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14
brink
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| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
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15
rite
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| n.典礼，惯例，习俗 | |
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16
expedient
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| adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计 | |
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17
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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18
ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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19
reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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21
caucus
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| n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议 | |
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22
etiquette
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| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
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23
inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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24
sneers
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| 讥笑的表情（言语）( sneer的名词复数 ) | |
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25
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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26
cuff
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| n.袖口；手铐；护腕；vt.用手铐铐；上袖口 | |
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27
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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28
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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condign
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| adj.应得的，相当的 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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outrageously
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| 凶残地； 肆无忌惮地； 令人不能容忍地； 不寻常地 | |
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abolition
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| n.废除，取消 | |
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liar
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| n.说谎的人 | |
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savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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tormentor
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| n. 使苦痛之人, 使苦恼之物, 侧幕 =tormenter | |
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36
publicity
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| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
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37
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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38
remonstrance
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| n抗议，抱怨 | |
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inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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40
cataclysm
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| n.洪水，剧变，大灾难 | |
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41
legitimately
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| ad.合法地；正当地，合理地 | |
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42
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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43
meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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nag
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| v.(对…)不停地唠叨；n.爱唠叨的人 | |
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45
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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46
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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penitentiary
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| n.感化院；监狱 | |
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48
rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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bounty
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| n.慷慨的赠予物，奖金；慷慨，大方；施与 | |
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50
bust
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| vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部 | |
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51
beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52
squad
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| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
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53
sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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54
hustle
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| v.推搡；竭力兜售或获取；催促；n.奔忙(碌) | |
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55
depot
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| n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站 | |
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56
gutter
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| n.沟，街沟，水槽，檐槽，贫民窟 | |
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57
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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58
wrecked
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| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
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contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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60
serenely
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| adv.安详地，宁静地，平静地 | |
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61
sergeants
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| 警官( sergeant的名词复数 )； （美国警察）警佐； （英国警察）巡佐； 陆军（或空军）中士 | |
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62
saluting
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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63
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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64
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
参考例句： |
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