The Camden confederate. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1861-1865, 1862-06-20
An Incident.

A correspondent OF the Lynchburg Tirgin-
ian. in recent letter from the camp near
Richmond, relates "an incident that occurred
few evenings since, which shows how. keenly
alive the soldier, though the creature of cir
cumstances, is to the memories of home-how
susceptible to the kindlier and better feelings
of the heart"
We were on brigade drill and were passing
through coppice Of woods, when we came
suddenly upon sunny-haired little girl of
some three summers, and bright-eyed little
boy apparently little younger, reposing un-
der the shade of an oak and deeply interested
in the movements of the "muster men," Our
whole command suddenly paused. Wehalted.
The reins of our bride dropped from our hands.
thousand recollections crowded upon our
memories. The shril notes of the fife-the
rolling drum were no longer heard. Back,
back, our thoughts ran, till we saw other chill
dren sporting along the streamets bank,
amid the bright garden, plucking gay flowers,
now swinging on the willows pendent boughs
now sleeping on mossy bank, dreaming
sweet dreams. The present was forgotten.
We were living in the past. The voice of COM
mand soon broke our dreams. And when we
turned to our command and saw other cheeks
wet with drops, other than those of perspiration,
l could not but think how blissful was child
hoods inconsistencies of the pains and sor-
rows of life. Its sky is ever bright, its flowers
are ever blooming, and as we hear its Joyous
shout and unstudied laugh, how few of us sigh
out,
"Oh what world of beauty fades away,
With the winged hours Of youth"
Our SLAvEs.-I remember to have seen
letter from Missionary in Africa, in which he
says speaking of the slaves and of the South.
"Would that all Africa were there; would that
tribes of this unhappy could be transferred to
the privileges which the slaves of the South
enjoy. would rather take my chance of a
good or bad master. and be slave at the South,
than be as one of these heather people. In
saying this, refer both to this world and the
next" need not say, he is an enemy to the
slave trade.
A missionary who spent much time among
the Zulu people, was appealed to by a jealous
antislavery person to commserate our slaves as
beng much worse off than the Zulus.
"Madam," said he, ''if our Zulus were in the
condition Of your slaves, eternity would not be
long enough to give thanks. s."-Rev. ". adams,
ID. d., of Boston, IN "Ihe Sable Cloud"
How POWDER IS TEsTED.-Powder is tested
at the Bridgesburg Arsenal philadelphia in
the following manner:
piece of artillery-one of large calibre
generally being used-is placed in position, a
small hole being drilled through the side near
the breach. A spring plug, made Of steel and
containing plunger, is tightly screwed in the
hole made, the plunger working loosely, and
connected with the interior of the piece. At
tached to this plunger is sharp piece Of steel
knife shaped. A circular piece of copper is
fitted in the plug, and tightly wedged there.
On the piece being discharged, the force of the
explosion drives the plurger outwards, the
knife attached striking the circnlar piece Of
copper fastened in the plug, the strength oftbe
powder is made manifest by the depth Of the
incision made.