EDITOR'S WALLET.

Otago Witness, Issue 1928, 2 November 1888, Page 37

EDITOR'S WALLET.

Grant on Gnard. It was a drizzly day, oniy a short time before General Grant drove the enemy from Petersburg and moved toward Five Forks and Appomattox. A chill north-east gale made overcoats comfort-able even there, and more men who could wore them than left them off. A sentinel down toward the river near some storehouses shivered as he strode to and fro' on his post, his gun-lock under his arm to keep off the wet. He was a raw recruit -from " down East," sent out to help fill the ranks of a regiment which had lost one-half its men since the campaign began. ' He saw a man in a regulation overcoat and with a slouch hat, but with the steady carriage of a veteran, passing along a few rods away, and he called out to him : "Say, friend, have you any terbacker in yer clothes ? " The passer-by was smoking a cigar. " No," he replied. " I can give you a cigar.'but I don't chew." " And I don't smoko, but I'm starving for a chaw," replied the sentinel, as he looked over to the other wistfully. " An' I chaw, and dasn't smoke on po3t. Say, couldn't you stand post a minute till I run over to the sutler's yonder ? " "I could," said the other, with a grim smile on his face ; and then he added, " I will. Give me your gun and orders." " There isn't no orders, only to hail anybody going a-nigh them stores, and to stop 'em as has no business there." So the sentinel, relieved of his post, hurried to the sutler's for the desired tobacco. Returning promptly, he took his gun and quietly said : " If I git a chance I'll do as much for you, friend. What regiment be you in 1 " " Not any. I belong to headquarters." 11 What, to the General's guard 1 What's your name?" The quiec-looking man puffed out a cloud of smoke and said : " My name is Grant." " Great Jerusalem 1 " gasped the sentinel ; " I've been relieved by General Grant himself, and didn't know him." How could he when not a mark of the General's rank was in sight, and the poor fellow was yet too green in service to know what a fault he had committed in yielding post and gun to any but his regular relief ?