The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1863-12-24
A STRANGE IMPOSITION.

Until quite late period, the custom of
militia mustcrings was kept up fully in
Pennsylvania. For the same time, too,
volunteer or Independent military COM
panies existed and the yearly grand en-
campmrnt was held. The Mexican war
however in the main, put an end to all /;
to the militia, most likely, because para
dings with such harmless implements as
wooden guns or cornstalks, began to up-
pear q little too much like a farce in the
presence Of the grim reality of wut; ; to
the companies, because the brave men,
hers went into actual service aud the
rest did not want to make themselves
too conspicuous as folks that might go
and didn't. The principle, il the true
one with them, certainly is incorrect, and
happily does not now interfere with that
,eparatioR for war which is the surcst
pledge for peace, or rather one of the
surest, in this wicked world.
There was volunteer company Of long
standing at the county seat of B-Co.,
which had been the pride Of the place,
and the great show" of all the boys for
years. Unfortunately, when the war
with Mexico broke out, the red lcggings
disappeared and the word passed IRON
one wondering and kcenly-regretful ur-
chin to another that It was disbanded.-
The older folks understood things better
and sarcastically cracked some Of tie
dry Jokes that have been current during
the present war about &" volunteers to de-
; fend the country in time of peace" &c.
One member ofthe Co. only entered
the service and of him is my story
Lieut.. NJ. was the only son and one o.
the two children of a widowered and very
aged gentleman OF the town, who hat
been through the war of 1912 as a regu
lar. The honorable motive alleged by the
young man in enlisting bore evidence
of reality and his service corresPonded.-
He received applause from the comman
ding officers for bravery and was rapidly
promoted. His friends heard frequentl,
, from him for time and then not wor'
came even oihim for weary months
} After considerable inquiry, their suspens'
was partially though painfully relieves
. by the receipt OF intelligence that he ha'
fallen victim Of disease, though, fror
= the want of any old Ocquaintances in tn
same Co., no particulars could be oh
tanned. The family believed the wors
and went into mourning accordingly
The grief Of the dotingly-attnched futhe
aud sister may be imagined from III
Z scenes which, alas nov daily TAX
: place around us. There seemed yet
: CLEAN Of hope, however, and that WI
: no doubt secretly, unconscously cherisl
? ed BY them. +. s...-.t..
Just then, there came to a hotel oftl
z town, very mysteriously, man in soldi,
dress, apparently suffering from a seyel
) wound. His face was disfsured by
3 almost beyond the possibility of recol
Z nizipg feature and his mind SCENE
3 wandering except at momentary inte
: vals, from the same cause. He tslke
? necessarily and his attendants, VIII
=. knew NJ. well, sooa became impresse
z with the idea that he was none otht
:, \ than tho missing Lieut.. with whom b
:, corresponded in size and form Of body
% The free expression of this opinion q
= once produced profound sensation 4
the community, First and foremost, th
l' father and sister hurried trembling TO hi
bedside and sought TO find some evidene
Of relationship. But the instincts of
>. common blood utterly failed. The con
; duct Of the sickman in their presence wa
(! singular, indeed, but his few apparentl.
lucid moments were speut seemingly il
|. painful effort at collecting his seuscs il
order to comprehend where he was, an
questions gained no Ineligible reply
He always nodded assent 10 the inqui
ing from the old man and his daughte
"a whether he knew them. 4, Half hoping
600, * it s35lci irN s'l.1 "a d.