The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-14
ONE OF sECEsH's PIcKETs.
by ORPmEUs c. KERR.

ONE OF sEcEsH'S PIcKETS'
by ORPHEUs c. KERR.
The starpanglcd banner, my hoy, in
triumph shall wave Ger the land Of the
flea and jeff. Davis grave. The march
Of the Grand Army has commenced, amid
the roar Of excited cannon and the ShriekS
Of every roasting pig and traitorouS chick
en- within reach Of our contiScating pick
cts. We have taken the upper Potomac,
my boy, by n cup de main and | saw
six brigadcs take the oath yesterday by a
bic cwt dc brandy. My head swclls with
patriotic pride wtrr, + cautiously remark
that the Mackcrel Brigade occupy thcpoSt
Of honor to the left OF Bull Run, which
they also left on the day we celebrated
The banner which was presented to us
by the women of America, and which it
took the orator Of the day six hours and
forty minutes to describe to us, we are
using in the shape of blazing neckticS,
and when the hard.up sun Of Virginia
shines upon the glorious red bands around
the sagacious necks Of our veterans. they
oil look as though they had just cut their
threats. The effect is CORY, my boy
extremely CORY and respectable.
at the special request of Secretary Sew
ard, who wrote six letters about it to the
Governors Of all the States, | have been
appointed picket Of the arny--of the
army of the upper Potomac. In your
natural ignorance, my boy, you may not
know why man is called picket. lie
is called picket, my boy, because il any
body drops pocket-book or watch any
where. his natural gifts would cause him
to pick-it up. II he saw a pocket, he
would not pick it-oh, no! But pick it
picket.
The Picket, my boy, has been an insti-
tuition ever since wars began, and his per-
lis are spoken Of by some Of the high old
poets in these beautiful lines
The chap thy tactics doom to bleed to day
Had he thy reasons, would he poker play;
Pleased TO the last, he does deal Of good,
And ticks the man just sent to shed their blood. "
4 I am weeping, my boy.
While on my lonely beat, about an hour
ago, a light tread attracted my attention,
and, on looking up, beheld one Of SeceSh's
plChetS StuuNllIlS OCIOiC
"Soldier," said he, "yOu remind me Of
my grandmother, who expired before |
was born; but this unnatural war has
made us enemies, and must shoot you.
Give me chew tcrbacker."
lie was young man, my hoy, in the
prime of life, and descended from the
First Families of Virginia. That is to
say, his mother was u virgin. At lsast,
that's what | understood by the First
Families Of Virginia.
looked at him, and says L
"Let's compromise, my brother"
"Never!" says he 1.-THE South is
fighting for her liberty, her fireSdcs, and
the pursuit of happiness, and desire
most respectfully to welcome you with
bloody hands to hoSpitable grave"
"Stand off ten PAGES" says ], "Nnd
let's see whose name shall come before
the coroner first"
He took his place, and we fired stimuli
taneously. heard a ball go whistling by
a barn about quarter Of mile on my
right; and, when the smoke cleared away,
saw the secesh picket approaching me
with an awful expression Of woe Oh his
otherwise dirty countcnancc.
"Soldier," says he, "was there any
thing in my head before you fired"
Nothing says I, save few harm
less insects"
AZ speak not of them, says he. "Was
there anything inside Of my hcad?"
Nothing" says |.
swell" says he "just listen now"
He shook his head mournfully. and |
heard something rattle in it.
"What's that ?" exclaimed.
"That." says he, ais your bullet, that
has penetrated my skull, and is rolling
about in my brain. | die happy, and
with an empty stomach but there is one
thing which should like to see before |
perish for my country. Have you
quarter about your"
Too much affected to speak, drew the
coin from my pocket and handed it to
him.
The dying man clutchcd it conyulSivcly
and stared at it fcvcriShly.
"This," says he, lis the first quarter
I've seen since the fall Of Sumter; and had
I wounded you, should have been total
ly unable to give you any quarter. All
how beautiful it is how bright, how cX-
Quisite, and good for four drinks! But
have not time to say all feel" --
The expiring soldier then laid down his
gun, hung his cap and ovcrcoat on the
branch Of a tree, and blew his nose,
He then died.
And there | stool, my boy, On that
lonely beat, looking down upon that fallen
type of manhood, and thinking how sin
gular it was he had forgotten to givc'me
back my quarter. The sight and the
thought so affected the, that was obliged
to turn my back to the corpse and walk
little away from il. When returned to
the spot the body was gone! Had it
gone to Heaven? Perhaps so, my boy
perhaps so; but haven't seen my quarter
since. Your own picket,
ORPnEUs c. KERR,
HorrssnouJeuf v !" lC,rruru