The weekly Butte record., 1861-12-07
One Of Secesh S Pickets.
BY oRPHEUs C. KERR.


jeff Davis's grave. The march of the Grand
Army has commenced, amid the roar ofexcited
cannon and the shrieks of every roasting pig
and traitorous chicken within reach of our
confseating pickets. We have taken the
upper Potomac, my boy, by cap de main
and I saw six brgadiers take the Oath yester-
day by hie-cup de brandy. My head swells
with patriotic pride when l casually remark
that the Mackerel Brigade occupy the post Of
honor to the left of Bull Run, which they also
left on the day we celebrated. The banner
which was presented 10 US by the women of
America, and which it took the orator of the
day six hours aud forty minutes to describe to
US, we are using in the shape of blazing neck
ties, and when the hardup sun of Virginia
shines upon the glorious red bands around the
sagacions necks of our veterans, they all look
as though they bad just cut their throats.. The
effect is CORY, my boy-extremely cory and
respectable.
AT the special request Of Secretary Seward
who wrote six letters about to all the Cover
nors of all the States, have been appointed a
picket of the army of the upper Potomac. In
your natural ignorance, my boy, you may not
know why man is called picket He is
called picket, my boy, because if anybody
drops a pocket-book or watch anywhere, his
natural gifts would cause him to pcket-it up.
If he saw pocket, he would not pick-it-oh,
no But pick-it-picket.
The Picket, my boy, has been an institution
ever since wars began, and his perils are spoken
of by some of the high old poets in these beau
tiful lines:
The chap thy tactics doom to bleed to-day
Had he thy reasons, would he poker play?
Pleased to the last he does a deal of good
And licks the man just sent to shed his blood"
am weeping, my boy.
While on my lonely beat, about an hour
ago, light tread attracted my attention, and,
on looking up, I beheld one of secesh's pickets
standing before me.
Soldier" says he, you remind me of my
grandmother who expired before l was born !;
but this unnatural war has made US enemies,
and l must shoot you. Give me chew ter
backer."
He was young man, my boy, in the prime
of life, and descended from the First Families
of Virginia That is to say, his mother was a
virgin At least, that's what understand by
the First Families of VIRGINIA
looked at him, and says l:
" Let's compromise, my brother
"Never l'' says he. "The South is fighting
for her liberty, her fresides, and the pursuit of
happiness, and | desire most respectfully to
welcome you with bloody hands to a hospita-
BILE grave"
"Stand off ten paces," says T." and let's see
whose name shall come before the coroner
first"
He took his place, and we fred simultane-
ously l heard ball go whistlng by barn
about quarter of a mile on my right and,
when the smoke cleared away, saw the secesh
picket approaching me with an awful express
"Soldier," says he, was there anything in
my head before you fired ?"
Nothing" says l, {" save few harmless
insects"
81 speak not of them," says he. "Was
there anything inside my head?"
" Nothing y says I.
"Well," says be, just listen now"
He shook his head mournfully, and heard
something rattle in it.
"Whats that ?" I exclaimed.
"That," says he g is your bullet, which has
penetrated my skull and is rolling aoout in my
brain. l die happy and with an empty stom-
ack ; but there is one thing should like to
see before perish for my country. Have you
quarter about you ?"
Too much affected to speak, drew the coin
from my pocket and handed it to him.
The dying man clutched it convulsively, and
stared at it feverishly.
"This," says he, = is the first quarter I've
seen since the fall of Sumter and, had |
wounded you, should have been totally una
BILE to give you any quarter All how beauti-
full it is how bright, how exquisite, and good
for four drinks But have not time to say
all l feel"
The expiring soldier then laid down his gun,
hung his cap and overcoat on branch of
tree, and blew his nose.
He then died.
And there 1 stood, my boy on that lonely
beat looking down on that fallen type of man.
hood, and thinking how singular it was he had
forgotten to give me back my quarter. The
sight and the thought SO effected me, that l
was obliged to turn my back to the corpse and
walk little way from it. When l 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,
ORPHEUs G.. KERR.
Washington Cor. N. Y. Mercury.