to kill me.
For choice I had rather have been killed by a volley from a platoon of
soldiers, but I recognized the fact that the general had a perfect right
to kill me. In fact I wanted him to shoot me. I was trimming the limbs
off a sapling for a makeshift flag staff, when I saw the crowd open, and
the general walked towards me. His face was a trifle pale, except where
the red clay from the road covered it, and I felt that the next moment
or two would decide in what manner I was to meet my doom. I remembered
what the colonel had told me, about the general being a strict
disciplinarian, and wondered if it wouldn't help matters if I should
fall on my knees and say a little prayer, or ask him to spare my life.
I wondered if I would be justified in drawing my revolver and trying to
get the drop on the general. But I had no time to think it over, for he
come right up to me, and said:

"I beg your pardon, my young friend, for the trouble and annoyance I
have caused you. I should have known better than to ride so near you,
and frighten your horse, when you had only one hand to guide the animal.
Are you hurt? No; well, I am very glad. Ah, the flag staff is broken!
Let me help you tack the flag on the sapling. Orderly, bring me some
nails. Let me whittle the bark off the sapling, so it will not hurt your
hands. When we get into camp tonight, and the wagons come up, I will see
that you have another staff. There, don't feel bad about it. There is no
damage."

Bless his soul! I could, have hugged him for his kindness. When he came
towards me, I was mad and desperate, and when he spoke kind words to
me, my chin trembled, and I felt like a baby. He stopped the brigade for
half an hour, to help fix up my flag, and all the time talked so kindly
to me, that when the thing was fixed, I felt remorse of conscience, and
said: "General, I am entirely to blame myself. I tried to perform the
impossible feat of saluting you and holding the colors at the same time,
which I am satisfied now cannot be done successfully. Lay it all to me."

"I knew it," said the good old general, "and I was going to tell you
that you are not expected to salute anybody when you have the colors.
You are a part of the flag, then. You will learn it all by and by," and
he mounted his horse and rode away about his business, as cool as though
nothing had happened, and left me feeling that he was the best man on
earth. Further acquaintance with the old man taught me that