. Outing. eminute. I knew that something had tobe done and done quickly, so I gave theorder to fire. Those guns seemed to be all hingesand muzzles. They flopped around,bucked, two-stepped, and went off in alldirections—and they didnt stop either,but whirled, backed, and sputtered likea bunch of firecrackers. They tore upthe sod, sat down, got up and wandered tion strips ran out and I could breathewithout strangling, I looked up. Thearmy of the Great Liberator had left thefield of glory and I, its general of artil-lery, was the only survivor. Their re-treat had been a masterful piece of ma-neuv
. Outing. eminute. I knew that something had tobe done and done quickly, so I gave theorder to fire. Those guns seemed to be all hingesand muzzles. They flopped around,bucked, two-stepped, and went off in alldirections—and they didnt stop either,but whirled, backed, and sputtered likea bunch of firecrackers. They tore upthe sod, sat down, got up and wandered tion strips ran out and I could breathewithout strangling, I looked up. Thearmy of the Great Liberator had left thefield of glory and I, its general of artil-lery, was the only survivor. Their re-treat had been a masterful piece of ma-neuvering on the stricken field. Below me was the magnificent armyof the president loading and firing, someat the wreckage beyond me on the hill,some at the town, others even out tosea, but firing, always firing. When themusketry died down I tied my handker-chief to a stick and waved it above thegrass. Enter the president. Where Iwas going to alight, I didnt know, butI was all for the president, you can THESE GUNS ARE THEY YOURS? HE ASKED, POINTING AT THE JUNK. Who are you? he asked, as he cameup, sword in hand—all gold lace, trussedup in full-dress uniform, heavily paddedin front. On his head was a steel hel-met from under which the sweat poureddown in streams. I am an American citizen, I an-swered in the regular way. What are you doing here? Theseguns—are they yours? he asked, point-ing to the junk. No, I answered, theyre only inmy company. I delivered them as acommercial transaction,—not being ableto think of anything more appropriate tothe occasion. You delivered them! he guns—they were bought for me—my government—my great Republic!Why did you not deliver them to me,sir? Then the wheels began to turn againand I suddenly remembered that the manwho had bought and paid for the stuffwas not the same man who had seen theboxes aboard and marked them. Itdawned upon me that some one hadgiven the president the double secrecy, the great haste to
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade, booksubjectsports, booksubjecttravel
