ad cleared off a little, I went in the tent sly and
still, to go to bed without letting Jim hear me. I was ashamed, and
didn't want to talk. I heard Jim roll over on his bunk, and he said:

"Bet ten dollars, pard, that you lost all you had."

"Jim, I won't bet with you. I have sworn off betting intirely."

"Help yourself," said Jim, as he reached over his greasy old pocketbook
to me. "Take all you want, now that you have come to your senses. But
you must admit that what I said about your being a fool, was true."

"Yes, and an idiot, and an ass," I said, as I handed back Jim's money.
"But that settles it. I will never gamble another cent's worth as long
as I live, and if I see a friend of mine gambling, I will try and break
him of the habit. There is nothing in it, and I went to sleep, and
didn't dream any more about winning all the money in camp."

Two days before Christmas our cavalry, consisting of a full brigade,
started on a raid, or a march through the enemy's country, and as I
could not act as an officer very well, before my commission arrived, and
as the colonel seemed to hate to see me in the ranks when I was looked
upon as an officer, he sent me to brigade headquarters on a detail to
carry the brigade colors. The brigade colors consisted of a blue guidon,
on a pole. The butt end of the pole, or staff, was inserted in a socket
of leather fastened to my stirrup, and I held on to the staff with my
right hand when on the march, guiding my horse with my left hand, When
the command halted the colors were planted in the ground in front of
the place which the brigade commander had selected. On the march I rode
right behind the brigade commander and his staff, with the body guard
to protect the precious colors. I was glad of this position, because it
took me among high officials, and if there was anything I doted, on it
was high officers. The colonel had told me that I must be on my good
behavior, and salute the officers of the staff, whenever they came
near me. He said the brigade commander was a strict disciplinarian, and
wouldn't put up with any monkey business. The first hour of my service
as color bearer came near breaking up the brigade. I was perhaps forty
feet behind the brigade commander and his staff, riding as stiff as
though I was a part of the horse, and feeling as proud as though I owned
the army. Suddenly the colonel and staff turned out of the road, and
faced to the rear, and started to ride back to o