Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1861-11-28


<Ths Bos ~ Post IL the following
good nature, Mari Tspley species q
letter from one ofSts correspondents
Car Gcxpow DIN, Army Of the Potomscl
November. 1851.
Mxssas. EDIroRs Billy Briggs and
/ still remain in the army. The other
morning was standing by him in our
tent. "IIand me them scabbards, jim
| N.Y." said he. "Scabbards r said look
| ing al ound. "Yes, boots, I mean" Bill
Iy arranged himself in his scabbards-s
CLAP dated pair Of fashionable boots
| and stood up IN . very erect and digni-
fed manner. ssThose boots Of mine, /
don't think, we're any relation to that
beef We bad for dinner to day, Jimmy"
SAIL !c. "No," said l. "If they were
only as tough as that becf,an vics versa,
it would have been better"
81 sly, Cradle" he called out, "where
are your" Cradle was our contraband,
o genuine darkey, with a foot Of extra
ordinary length and extra heels to match,
giving him a queer look about those ex-
irem lies. "Wbat do you call him Cra-
die for, Billy 2" said "tbst's queer
NAME" What would you call him.Jim-
nv il be amt cradle, what's he put
! on rockers for - Cradle appeared with
PAR Of perforated stockings. 'It's no
use" said Billy, looking at them. "Them
stockings will do to put on sore throat,
but they won't do for feet. It's humil-
| ;o,;,. 80. N ,,,on i;L.. MN 90 ka ~u;thout
stockings; man may be bald headed
and It's genteel, but to be barefooted is
ruination. "Ihe legs are good, too" he
added, thoughtfully, "but the feet are
gone. There is something about the
heels Of stockings and the elbows of
stovcpipes in this world that is all wrong,
Jimmy"
A supply of stockings had come that
day and we're just being given out; =
pair Of very large ones fell to Blly's lot.
Billy held them up before him. "Jim-
N.Y." said he, "those are pretty bags TO
give little fellow like me. Them stock
ings were knit for the President or a
young gorilla, ccrtain;;'' aud he was
was about to bestow them upon Cradle,
when soldier in the opposite predica-
mcnt made an exchange. "Them stock
ngs made me think Of the Louisiana
volunteer scared SO the other day, said
Billy. SLOWS that 2" said !. Gle was
among our prisoners and saw a big pair
Of red Icggings with feet, hanging up
before tent. He never said q word
Til he saw the 4eggins and then
be asked me what they we're fol"
'.Them'' said !. ''them is Gen. Banks
stockings" He looked scared. "He's
big man, is Gen. Banks" said l, sbut
then he ort to be the way be lives"
Chow % said he. "Why," said /, "his
regular diet is bricks buttered with NOR
tar" The next day Billy got present
ola pair OF stockings from lady nee
soft pair with his initials in red silk upon
them. He was very happy. "J'mmy."
said he, "just look at them," and he
smoothed them down with bis hand
marked with my initials, too; b for
my Christian and W. for my heather
name. How kind They came just in
the right time, too; I've got such sore
heel for its a fact, jimmy, that if
there's ANYTHING in life worse than un-
,equitled love, its sore heel" Orders
came to ''iaIl in." Billy was so over
joyed with his new stockings he didn't
keep the line very wei. "Steady,
there !" growled the sergeant, "kecp
your place and don't be trav cling around
like the Boston Post Office" We were
soon put upon the double quick. After
a few minutes Billy gave groan.
What is it, Billy ?" said l. "It's all
up with them," said he. l don't know
what he meant, but his face showed
something very bad had happened.
When we broke ranks Billy hurried to
the tent, and when l got there, there he
stood,the very picture Of despair, with his
shoes fl, and his heels shining thro' his
stockings like two crockery door knobs
"rhem new stockings Of yours is breech
loading, amt they ?" said an unieel,ng
volunteer. "Better get your name on
both ends, so YOU can keep them to-
gether," sad another. "Shoddy stocs-
ing.," sad another. Billy was sien, !
saw hi, heart was break ing, and l said
nohng. We held council on them,
aud Billy not feeling s,roog-hesrt,d
enoug h Tor the task. gave them to Cradle
with directions to sew up the small
holes. | came INTO the tent soon ate,
aud he Was d'a~ing a portrait wi b a
piece ct charcoal, on board. "That's
good portrait OF Fremont" said /,
he 10 Ks jus, like that ; that's The way
he parts his hair in the n.iddle." "1ha,
ISN'T portrait OF Fremon - ss,d Billy,
Its map Of the United States j; tha,
hue i" the III id e, YOU thought ~as y
part in his hair is the NJ ssissipp, river
ooh - said saw him ~ ain before
supper he came to NE, looking wors.
than ever, the stockings 10 bis hand.
Jimmy" said be, !" You know gave
them to Cradle, and told him TO sew co
the small holes, and shat do you think.
he has done ? He's gone and sew ed ~
the heads" "It's hard case, Billy,
said ], SIN such case tears are almos.