RACEALONG 13 



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did you ever know that I was a soldier in the war?" 



"Of course I said *No' in order to let him run along 

 a little and brighten up matters. 



" 'Well, I was/ he replied. *I enlisted shortly after 

 the Baltimore mobs began attacking the troops when 

 they were marching across the city to take the trains 

 to Washington. Before leaving New York, I decided 

 that I would crush a little of the rebel spirit in that 

 city if any of them bothered my company. In order 

 to be prepared, I ordered a sword six feet long and 

 four inches wide. Some of the officers tittered when 

 they saw the weapon and offered to detail a couple 

 of men to carry it. 



" 'When the company detrained at Baltimore the 

 crowd was there as usual and before long a few 

 stones and bricks dropped into the ranks. I did not 

 do anything until I got well out in front. Pulling the 

 sword out of the scabbard I gave it a couple of whirls 

 over my head,' rising to his full height as he said 

 it, 'and with a sweep cut off the heads of eight of 

 them.' 



*'A11 of the company except myself was horrified 

 at the statement while Larry sat down and in a 

 loud whisper said to me 'And would you believe it, 

 Frank, their feet were so big that none of them 

 fell over for half an hour.' 



"The southern people walked into the hotel in 

 disgust but their turn was coming. For several days 

 Larry had been bothering me by picking a special 

 brand of cigars that I had* out of my vest pocket. I 

 knew he did not want the cigars and was only doing 



