Weekly Trinity journal., 1862-11-29
Opheus G. kerr's Inst.


Tho foet 10 nv hoy many respectable though
married Mack .rrls entered the army ot IN" Ac
cnmac when they we're in the prime OF i'e' ANA
az old ag,. steals snflly upon them as the seasons
aud the bases Of operations run through ihelr
!. changes and year succeeds year. the sv"stTht OF
many NJ Them WAKES dim aud fails in the process
of Nature | know some thousands of Mack"-
rels. nv hov, who are already 50 blind that they
have not seen a r, hr for six months; aud hence,
no ahvarc movement cln he jndici usiy made
until the higade is supplied with sp"cotcl =
Without these, The doliz General OF the NacRe-
rel Brigade will not do anvihtg until he gets
ready. 1t was the want of those, as now dls-
cover. that prevented our troops hom seeing 'he
RAID across Alkwyrt rivcE Let the spectacles be
at once procured, my boy; or an indignant and
berdng nation will at once demand change Ia
! the Cabinet i
with glasses, and WI therefore selected to make
q reconnaissance toward Paris. under Colonel
Wobert Wobnson, on Tuesday afternoon, Tor the
purpose of discovering VII th'r the C"nt'drra-
cies there were very tired of waiting yet GlarlnG
through their sp"ctaclrs, those gallant lngS al
vanced until they met Parrott she'll going the
/ other way, aud then returned with hasiy discl
/ plne. bringing with them captured contran'hd,
who was so anxious to rrm,in in their company
that he actually ran very fast
/ Upoa rrganfhg the camp in Aceomac, my boy,
the Colonel had the Intelligent contrabtnd
brought before Vim, aud says he:
." If | mistake not, friend Africa, yon were
escnping from the bonds OF oppression when we
took your
Tn" Intelligent contraband shifted silver
soup -ladle from one pocket to the other, and says
he:
." Yes, mas'r Colonel, hab left my ole mars'r
for de good of his Dressed sodl" Here the AT
/ tached hondmln snitf'd and shook his head.
| \ AVn Colonel NnDtuS0N,
much affected 10y such autexample OF humble de-
| voton.
Yes, mars'r, is dat" says the fond creature,
wiping his brow with a silk vest from his dress
! coat pocket, ''an wished to save my ole mars'r
from de- sin of de wicked, | know dat il was
wrong for him to own niggas, and dat he was
move sinful de more he done It, And am ran
away, Mars'r Colonel, to say" dat ole man's bres'
sum soul from any more dun
Colonel Wobinson took OH his spectaces in
order that the steam from his tears might not
dim them, aud says he
al had not looked tor this in one so black
Leave these silver sp,ols with me, friend Africa,
aud 4 will sand them To my wife. Sergeant, CON
vey this dark being who has taught us all such "A
lesson of slt -ncrifGe, TO tie Chaplain; aud tell
the Chaplain to lopk out for his pocket
How beautiful it is, my hoy, to see in the un
Couth, unl"ttrred slave, spirit OF piety So shlh-
inglv practical When | behold the bruthliz ID
bonlm;,n pvince such signs of religion, | am re
/ minded nf those tender aud precious litlle babes
who suin"tim - delight their mothers with exalted
u,trrancrs of the like, and an Inclined to lirve
that one knOwS jaSt as much about 1t as the other
dos.
II pains me deeply to say, my boy, that Cap
hin William Brown so Tar forgot himS''lf on
| Wrdne,dlv, upon discovering the non arrival oi
his sprctacles that h' used hngu, ,gr OF an lncrh
diary description against the beloved General ot
the MAckrrel Brigad", thereby proving hlmS"'
TO be one of those crazy fanatics who are try'hg
| to ruin our distracted country. lie sad. my
boy, that the adnrrd General of the Mackerei
4 Brpad, was u dead beat, aud fnrhermore on
served that he would be very sorry To take MS
\ word
4 Such Language could not pass unnoticed, and a
4 Court of Inquiry, composed al Captains bno
| Shortly, Samynle Sa mitn and Cot, W0brt won
insnn was Instantly called. The Court had u de-
canter and tumblrr, only, to aid its deliberations,
it being Determined by the War Department that
no fact which could be detected even by The ald
of glass should 60 uninspected.
William having been summoned to the pres
encp Samyule declared the Court in session, aud
says he; ,.,,o.,.
ccrling charges against IA brother in arms which
has h"rptufnre been The mirror OF chiyalry. IL
is specified against hm
First--That said Captain William Brown,
Ek wire, did affirm declare, avow, tr'tlty, ana
arlicul,Ie, with his tongue lick'r, aud nrgan OF
speech. that the General Oi the Mackcrel Brigade
! was dead beat
ascend That aforesaid Captain William
Brown, E.krvire, did proclaim, utter, enunciate
anl illuminate that h. would aoi take tn word ol
| the General of the Mtckerel Brigade"
What has The cnlpril t. say 10 hose char ses
Did he say shat our idoIized commander was IA
dead beat?'
William smiled calmly, and says he "The
! lhn n IN v
lips"
"Confne yonrself to English" says Colonel
Wobinson. maj 'slicaly. "What did you mean
by the observation Z"
"Why," says William, pleasantly, 81 meant
that before he was beaten he mu.t be- dead Aud
alter death. you know says William, reaching
one hand ab~tractedly toward the drcanlrI, "af
ter death, you know. we must all Beaten by
worms"
This explanation, my boy, was satisfactory and
conveyed grave moral lesson but the Court
felt convinced that the second charge could not
be thus simply answered
Captain Samyule 81 NTH set down the tumbler
for moment, aud says he
"You're not guilty on the first count, William /;
but didnt you say that you wouldn't take the
word of The General OF the Mackerel Brigade ~
(which did, says William
"And what excuse have You to offer. my
trooper 7" says Captain Bob SHORTLY, pointing
bis question with his spoon.
Is the General genIIeman?' p says William,
searchingly.
The Court believed him to be such.
"Ahl' says William, 4" then il he's gentle
man he always keeps his word, aud OF course II Is
EinpnsShr for aAy one tn tafe it,
Verdict Of - uOL guilty, with a recommends
ton to mercy"
Courts OF Inquiry, my boy, are calculated TO
draw out the rich bumor OF military character,
and are equally useful aud appropriate with all
other jokes in times ot devastating war.
Yours, smlIugly, ORPdEUs U, KERR.
IT may be an advantage to the rebel soldiers