Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-11-18


Practical jokes are not now the exclusive
prerogattve Of college students. Every body
knows that they are also a ruling propensity
with soldiers, especially when In camp with
but little to do aud no prospect of an imme
diate march. The officers of q certain regi'
ment in Camp Dennison have of late been
indulging in the luxury Of spirits. We do
not mean such spirits as enter the mouths
of men and "steal away their braius," totte
them against lamp posts or into the gutter,
but an inferior order OF Satan's well-trained
imps that perform the same topsy.turvy
processes for tables and chairs which have no
brains. Curious reader take peep behind
the scenes and learn to touch not, taste not
handle mott the former and lend not your
credulity to the latter.
The sutler of the aforesaid regiment had
been so unfortunate as to drop remarks
leading his companions to understand that
he was at least partial believer in the now
almost obsolete doctrine of spirit rsppings.
Upon this hint they acted, knowing full
well that his highly sensitive imagination
would give double force to all the mysteries
in which they might involve him. Gimlet
holes were bored in the roof of the Quarter
masters Office, threads were attached to va
rious articles in the room, aud with one upon
the roof to "play upon the strings" they
were often surprised in the dusk of the even.
ing to see articles hitherto very quiet and
orderly, make a sudden jump, apparently
without cause or provocatiOD, from
one side of the room to the other.
In this way a cup was made to dance
quite respectable jig. Clothing left its
proper place on the shelves to fall upon the
heads of persons present. OF course the
threads were broken, the strings were drawn
up out of sight, and though there were plenty
of "ambidextTous' performers, no "presti-
giator" was present to point them out
Some one suggested Spirits" All ac-
| knowledged the mystery, though some would
and others would not accept the spiritual
| hypothesis as the correct solution. The
matter must be tested, and the sutler was
appointed chief interrogation. III" said he
on one occasion, these are really spirits
why can they not prove it by knocking thi:
candle out of my hand ~ why can
they2" echoed the others. And sure enough
no sooner said than it was thrown violently
against the opposite wall and extinguished
no one being any wiser for the operation bu
the performer, whose knuckles panied hin
for a whole day thereafter.
"At another time," said some one, 'ifthert
are really spirits, why can they not FIRE {
pistol2n
Bang was the reply.
"a cannon q cannon !" stammered tn
terrified sutler. And there was
-''whspering with white lips,
The foe They come they Gomez
The individual who fred the pistol, as b,
lay safely epsconced under the floor, wa
perfectly confident that the "foe' was ful
two hundred miles away.
Again it was agreed that the matte
should be thoroughly tested by the rappinI
process. The spirit on this occasion had
piece of iron under the leg of his pantaloons
which. was dropped aud raised by a strin
extending to his pocket. The interrogato
proceeded
care there any spirits PRESENT."
Rap rapi rap
as it the spirit of deceased relative?
Rap rapl rapl
Whose relative is it? The ouartermas
teI's2" Rapl
1.-THE Adjutant's2" Rapl
''Mine2" Rap! rapl rap
"Is there any one in the room who hs
committed any c.r-i-m.e?" Rap rap rau
"Is it the Qusrtermaster?' Rap
'Is it the Colonel2' Rapl
as it the Lieutenant-Oo Rapl
as it the Adjutant?" Rapl
SIS it the Surgeon2" Rap
as it m m -me?" Rap rapl rap!
"Oh yes l know it' exclaimed the cor
science. stricken Sutler; 81 was Methods
class leader and preacher, and no I'm her
drinking whisky I'll go and pray p An
accordingly the individual departed, leavin
the rest of the company as solemn as th
grave. But one after another made up a
excuse to leave, and sub rosa, or sin the
sleeves" probably, such laughing never WI
done before or since, as by those who wei
in the secret.
These manifestations wrought strange
/; upon the feelings of those who were victim
ized. The Sutler reported that he had praye
in the morning and felt much relieved.
| | wrote to his friends in Indianapolis to il
quire whether any spirits had visited ther
ard at last the performers finding their jol
was fast becoming serious matter, divulge
the whole secret to prevent the individu
from being drivento distraction.