Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-03-14
Miscellaneous.

COgIC NOTEs IRON THE CATITAL.-EdItor
T. r.: | never really knew what the term
"mud-sill" meant, my boy, until | saw
Captain Bob Shorty on Tuesday. ! was out
in q field, just this side of Fort COrcoran,
trimming down the cars Of my gothic steed
Pegasus that be might LOOK less like a
Titanic rabbit, when | saw approaching me
an object resembling brown-stone monu-
tnent. As it came nearer, | discovered an
eruption OF brass buttons at intervals ID
front, and presently | observed the linea-
ments of Federal face.
"Srange being p says |. taking down a
pistol from the natural rack on the side OF
my stsed, and at the same time m0tloning
toward my sword which had hung on one
of his hip bones, ''art thou the shade of
Metamora, or the disembodied spirit Of a
sand bank2"
"My ducky darling" responded the
molian voice OF Captain Bob Shorty, you
behold a mud-sill just emerged from a IL
quilted portion Of the sacred soil. The mud
at present inclosing the Mackerel Brigade is
unpleasant 10 the personal feelings Of the
eorrs, hut the effect at distance Is unique.
As you survey that expanse Of mud from
Ellington Heights" continued Captain Bob
Shorty, with the veterans OF the Maekerel
B yL3a wad.Dg about in it up to ;hair
l.ss -or are forcibly reminded of a limit
l,s- TN pudding, well stocked with ami
- -i-ins."
irend, ;" says I. 1.-THE comparison is
Ia, ara reminds me of Shakespeare's hap.
uier forts But tell me, my Pylades, has
the dredging for those missing regiments
near Alexandria proved successful ?''
Capt. Bob Shorty took the mire from his
ears. aud then, says he
"Twu bligades were e1cavated this NOR
nirg and are at present building RATS TO 20
duwn 10 Washington after some soap, Let
Us not utter complaints against the mud"
continued Capt. Bob Shorty, refsctively, for
it has served to develop the genius OF New
England We dug out Yankee regiment
from Boston first, and the moment those
wooden nutmeg chaps got their breath, they
went work at the mud that had almost sutfJ-
Gated them, mixed up some spoiled flour with
it, and are now making their eternal for
tunes by peddling it out for pateut cement. "
This remark Of the captains, my boy,
shows that the spirit of New England still
retains its natural elasticity, and is capable
Of greater efforts than hgnumvite hams and
clocks made of barrel-hoOps and old coffee
pots. have heard my ancient grandfather
relate an example of this spirit during the
war of 1872. lie was with select assort-
ment of Pequog chaps at Bladensburg, just
before the attack on Washington, and word
came secretly to them that the Britishers,
down in the Chesapeake were out Of -four,
and would pay something handsome for
supply. Now these PequOg chaps had no flour,
my boy: but that didn't keep them out of
the speculation. They went into the nearest
graveyard, dag up all the tombstones, put
them into an old quartz-crushing machine
pounded them to powder, sent the powder to
the coast, and sold Il TO the Britishers for ths
rery best -four, at f,Gs're dollars and 4 half a
barrel
"New England needs no bulwsIks,
No towers along the steepi
she manufactures everything,
And sells it mighty cheap.
Rule New England, New England rule
the trade,
There's not thing that grows or goes
New England hasn't made "
And can such people as this be con-
quered by horde of goddess rebels? Never
1 repeat it, sir-never Should the JEFF.
Davis mob ever get possession of Washing
ton, the Yankees would build wall around
the place, and invite the public to come and
see the menagerie, at two shillipgs head.
On Wednesday some Of our dryest piokets
caught shabby, long haired chap loating
around the camps with big block and
sheet of pa per under his arm, and brought
him before the General Of the Mackerel
Brigade.
'Fwen, Samyule," +" says the general to one
of the pickets, "what is your charge against
the prisoner ?'
4" He is young man which is spy,
replied Samyule, holding up the sheet of
paper; land take this here picture of his
to be the Great Seal of the Southern Conled-
eracy."
"Nhy thlnkest thou so, my cherub? and
what does the work of art representa- in-
quir-d the general.
"The drawing is not one OF the best, - res
bonded Samuyle, closing one eye, and view
Ing picture critically; ''but | should SAY
.aa5 il represents ham with fiddle laiC
ac.css it, and beefsteaks in the corners. "
Miserable vandal =" shouted the long
haired chap excitedly, ''you know not wha
vou saw. | am Federal artist and tina
map is picture of the coast of North Caro-
Ina. for New York daily paper"
"rnunder 80 says the general-''if that
d map, patent gridiron must be a who'll
ail4s.
| believe biIa my boy
Asa person Of oruditiUn, IT plcases u
greatly, my boy, to observe that our NOR
moral New York Regiments cultivate a tast
Tor reading, and are even SO literary tina
they can't so much as light their pipes with
out leaf out Of hymn book. was tals
ing to an angular-shaped chap from Mont
gomery county the other day about this, an
says he:
Talk about reading, Why. there's fift
newspapers sent in wrapper to our Officer
alone every day. There's ten each Of tn
Tribune and Iwes, ten each Of the Bosto
Post and Gdzete, ten Of the Montgomer
Demorat. and one New York Herald
Look here my second Washington
SAYS I, "your story don. hang togetheI-
y5u say you have so papers daily; but al
cording to nv account that COPY Of II
Herald makes ST.
g Did not tell you that they came in
wrapper" says the chap with great dignit..
You did, says L.