Smyrna times., 1861-12-26
SELECT STORY.
From the Home Journnl
A WIFE AND A DUCKING.
AREcRuITIN0 ADVENTURE,

Il vas one OF the most beautiful nights in /
August that our mess were seated beflre the !
quarters at Fort Corcoran, courting the muses. !
ad tseauntlng tales Of flood and lield OBJ ,
- had related laughabie story about
1.-the holy ground
Of poieen aud pUtatoRs."
W-ihfOwn US into hys cries with Larry /
81 Hale, when, with one acc ord. the boys sp
pealsd 10 R--fOr something sentimental
R--w"a handsome young fellow Of about
Hwealy.four, and as fand OF the girls as a duck
40 OF water. His easy nonchalant manner,
combined with spice ofdsgiltry, u fine voice,
ssiUral talent tor music and " good pair Of
ssgr" made him a general favorlte with the
Een Ter sex aRd if he took q little advantage
at tai' fact 1t is excuseable On the ground that
- all 10 fair in@lnve and war" Ifmodesty was
'sns of hs inherent characteTistics, its develop.
Aeat had been sadly neglected so, without
further IndUcement, he relatsd The following,
which, as near as | can recall, ! give in his
own language.
YOa see, boys, before | was transferred to
shs prlson-houso, | was in charge of as awk-
wsrd set OF recruits ss ever shoudered a
aausket or wore uniform. They had rushed
wih wIllIag hesrts ard sturdy arms from work.
~ssa and heId TO the defence of constitutional
"ssrty, kaowing as much about military tactics
@s elsshsnt absut rops- liking. Morning,
~eos ssd aIght, | manGuvrea those fellows
SastIi ar;u became regular bore. Just as
shsy had attained a respectable proficiency.
and WAS ready to enjoy the satisfaction which
accompanies all good works, the following was
P.evd ia my hands:--
Head Quarters. Army Of the Potomac.
Lau'snant R-w will prepare for particu-
Ear service snd report for instructions at hea d.
GtrIsrs BY order of
Brigadier.General Mcdowell,
Commanding.
4. A. Smith. military Secretary.
The routine OF camp life had quite tai ken
Hke romance out OF soldering, and | hailed
with delight any change from it's dgll mon 10 ony.
xe. after hearty breakfast, | donned nv best
Glsthss, mouHIed my pet pony, and rode up TO
Asad quarters, where | was informed that strict
attention to nay duties in camp for several
aaoaths, having much gratifed my colonel, by
Ffs request [ was temporarily relieved from
setiye services, and ordered to northern New
fork thars TO supertend the enlistment and
Esr~srsing of recruits 10 the seat of war.
Bawing my Ihanks wIth Ss much calmaess
IS could s1mtnand, | backed out Of the pre-
ssacs Of my superior officers. RENOVATED my
haSss. rode off TO tell the mess of any good luck,
sacked up my traps. and left in the first train
ast Thousand miles from Troy. My instruc-
tess amouaIed to little less thaa furIough,
Ehs ssuperintendenee consisting 10 riding aboHt
to several recruiting stations to Overlook the
business.
"Ofnecessity, the entra nee ofa dashing dSa-
gpOa. all boated aud spuTred some what dis
lsfbed the rspsse ct l., and more than
Aas par OF bright eyes glIstened through the
Bowed shutters, as rode up 10 the PhGnIx
leo called. suppose. because it arose from Its
ashss,) gaze my horse 20 the groom, AID en-
tered uy nane-LIeutsnant R, Uulled
States Army, in farIhg characters on the
register.
at required but short time for a scion o
Uncle Sam, fresh from the seat Of war, to make
hImsslf acquainted; aud the second afternoon
tOasd me In COMPANY with Charley {,
hns fellsw who isn't but ought TO be, a soldier
10 presence Of three as pretty and agreeable
young ladies' as Que need wish TO pass u n eve
mag ~Iih. There 10 a fatality 10 my exIsIence
Wasvee rains but pours. The desire to have
nrIstIOn was supreme, but bow TO choose tron
thfse equally sttraetive and pleasant was diff
cut "A AIwever. what indecisIoa failed 4
srtag sboat. chance sccsrp pished and in les
Ahsn Ihrss ,days Emma Il drop the Miss, a
merely eOaseaIIona) aud myself we're skIrm
ishing with our hgh. artillery Of glsnces, oe
e's'uaaliy waited on my part by throwing in
lev valleys sf tender speeches, ali sOpporte
by reserve fSfcs Of sighs whose import was ur
ns'siaksbls la the mssn time, Mary was b
no means neg ected; sad as she lived in 30
s'hers part at slhsl toSa. = the tive afaGres
eear seld,m conf ciedi while Jennie, VIII
nsalfssted q guo,hrrly interest in all of q
""ssa psriieulsrly 10 the w eliare of Emma, b,
epprn and visitor. ...,s j, a !
Pc nie., drives. sails, ard surprise pari
ass.lsa old Father Time 10 travel with unus
alsspidl's. and began torealizs that my ho
ssy~as drawing rapidly 10 close. The fr
eseni.l almost eensia At. assoc aiion wi
E'nns. Aad sxctedin. my heart sonnet ing mo
.hsu ssaslsfory interest. aithoegh was har
" ~illng 10 euacede. even to niyssIf, that
vas hhly csngbt sin she pes wessa forihI
bszlgo saaM