, 1864-02-27

old Billings leap for joy when he come to
see my vast earnings-the savings of my
manly labor" Oh ye Gods of fate while
in this train of musing, [ unfortunately up.
set my wheelbarrow and broke it, and could
find no one so charitable as to do me rever-
ence either in the way of mending my bro
ken wagon or advancing me the wherewith
to pay my weeks board, and my landlord,
whom had puffed up with the assurance
that he would most certainly get his bill at
any time, now positively refused to give me
any farther board or lodging. With true
mien, so Characteristic of the Billings family,
Indignantly asked mine host, who had SO
grossly insulted me, for my board bill, and
made one weeks board bill clear if l did go
two days without anything to eat--fully de-
termined in my own mind to patronise no
such brute of landlord.
1t is an old saying, but a true one, "that
often when seemingly in the midst of adver-
sity, we are in the hight of prosperity" and
never was the good old adage more fully ex-
emplifed than in my own case, for after two
days fasting, (Christians you know, often
fost,) the tickle GODDESS of fortune again Wis
tied me; but this time in the shape of Gre
cruiting officer" And what caught me
was, the first thing he did was to ask me
round to take a drink with him. All
what delicious thing a good drink is when
a man has been two whole days without any
and my folks were always used to their
"nips." The next thing was to invite me
to dinner. Of course l was not so lost to
all sense of propriety as to openly violate
the rules of hospitality by saying no, but
cheerfully accompanied rejoicing from the
inermost depths of my soul, that at last
had found friend. After dinner my friend
invited me to come and spend the evening
with him, for, said he, | perceive that you
are man Of discrimination and judgment
That touched me in tender spot, for if the
Billingss ever had failing it was fond
ness for fattery. When | left him in the
evening, he gave me four bits to pay for my
lodging, two bits to be appropriated to buy
ing morning bitters, and four bits more to
get my breakfast with; -(that caught me)
What nice clever fellows these recruiting
officers are. | give this fellow credit for one
thing-that of being good physiognomist
He was fishing for a soft snap and caught
it. Those two drinks before breakfast is
what done the thing Magnificent prospects
rose up in my minds eye and not far dis
tant either Me-thought | caught sight Of
pair of shoulder straps gracing the shoul-
ders of one of the Billings family. Fame,
glory, renown and a powerful prestige
awaited me- A military hero, an honor to
old Billings-the idolzed of the family
the great defender of civil liberty and cham
pion Of human rights; things never to be
realized only in air castles and the brain of
soft snap. With my love of country pre-
dominating over all things else, | mmedi-
ately marched to my friends recruiting Of
fee. The gentleman extended to me, a
hearty welcome and whispered something in
my ear about commission. Eagerly
seized the profered pen, down went my
name, and | was sworn in on the spot. And
then soldering began, Shoulder-straps
foated from my shoulders and bright pros
pecIs from my vision l was in for it, done
for it, served up in nice manner, caught
at anothers game. Even the City Fathers
repudiated my contract. The landlord
seized upon and confscated my wagon and
spade for his board bill Alas poor Bill
lings, thou art almost played out A few
short months--a few days more and thy sol
diering will come to close, provided you
don't get caught with the "bg bounty" but
[ think not. And then like poor Williams,
everybody knows Williams) | will be afraid
to even pick up pack-saddle for fear some
one will ask me to enlist. I agree with
Williams in one thing. He says of this
service, that sit is all the time right dress
and attention; all out comes and no incomes
Poor Williams, [ fear the fellow has gone
mad, and if Billings stops much longer in
the service he will be Williams file closer
and boon companion.