, 1864-12-25

wAsuHoron, Dec. -. :.
The military situation Is certainly brighter
and more cheering than ut any former
period Of the struggle. The rebels exhibit
unmistakahle symptoms Of exhaustion and
dcspondcncy. The rank and file Of the com.
mon people Jtfl that they are whipped, and
the leaders l,,o1u that sooner or later they;
must succumb. The tone Of the Richmond
papers Is no longer braggggadocIa and tnso1cnt,,
defiant 'swaggcr., .Thelr editorials aro cries
Of distress and despair. The triumphant
march of shcrman's army struck them will,
CONSERVATION; what now must be their feel
ings when they learn Of the routand dcstruc-
tion of Hoods army? The rebel chiefs hare
but one army left, worthy. the name Of army,
viz: The force Under Lee, defending Rich
dog Grant, who Intends :" to fight It out on
tl,at nne,' If 1t takes to tho year 1900.
Three months ago the rebels had an army
able to invade Maryland aud Tennsylvania;'
and besiege Washington, but gallant Phil.
Sheridan has sent that hostile host to thr
bourne whence no traveller returns. Ea1iy's
skuikcrs, and Washington is safe |: A little
willie ngo, Daddy Pdce, at the head Of Is 90
cyeybacke, invaded Missouri in all the pomp
and p.ila of war. Where is TINT army nowe
Echo answers where. 0nc-lcegged. daredevil
Hood, with army number th1ee, 4, ,0c0 strong,
crossed ,hc Tennessee River and marched to.
cluded to let him march. while he With his
boys In blue explored the mysteries OF the
'sEmpire State Of the South" Hood pursued
hta course Nosih, and went straight to de-
struciion, butting his btains out 4galnst Tie
Thomas, left to the care Of just such madmcn.
as Hood. I must not omit to illustrate the
prescnteonditfon OF Hoods army by relating
o little .story'". told By Father Absanani last
evening. dropped In on him before the
crowd had taken possession Of ths antcroom;
when, after few remarks, the following con-
*Well, Mr. President, the military >sltua-
ton eecms quito cheering; good news comes
IN ftom every quarter; victory follows on the
heels Of victory. =
Yes. things are looking better than At
hope IN speedy and successful ::tesznine-
tton of this csusetess and unnatural, rebellion.
than at any time s'nee the first: gun was
~ am glad to heas yoq cypress yourself SO
asmy left. Hoods army, as military organ
izatlon, is pretty et1ectnaliy destroyed. 1t Is
eycn worse used up. than Prices invaders,
and there is not much LEFT Of them" ~
"That is true. The present condition Of
Hoods army reminds me Of the stoEy Of
OAA o3 AE6 uOEs Ian JOH sAA A%AA 49,
'"No, don't think did" 90. >"
"Nell, the thing happened down below
Beardst6wn, On the Illinois Tiycr,:a good
| many years ago. .sykesuwned long legged,
woldsh, "ycllar' dog. that was IN the
habit Of prowling about and breaking
into the :2.neighbors' meat houses,
/ killing sheep and Committing other depEeda.
lions. People had; tried to shoot and poison
him, but somehow they failed to dispatch the
|: brute. At last aneighbor, named John Hendcr-
son, concluded he would try On experiment on
him. The dog hsd plundeFed his milk house,
+ eaten his c=eaTn, and upset the crooks Of milk.
| So he tool coon's bladder, which one Of his
|. boys had dried, filed It With powder, scooped
out the soft part OF y biscuit, .slipped In tho
| bag OF powder, and vheu-the dog ne1t came
|: In Sight he stuck piece c1 punk In the mouth
|! Of tic bladder, set fire to It, closed up the
! biscuit With butter, and laid it down. In .
minute the 'dorg' came along, suelled the
| bread, and gobbicd 1t down at 4 single gulp.
All right, says Hende1Hog; We shall: soon
see how thlng Is will work. In minute OF
two there wns a, tremendous explosion,
as: If d torpedo ). haa gone of under
one. Of our gnnboats. The" head o
| thc 3ya1lcr doTg, rolled down tho hill
| The hind legs few some distance, catching On
q, fence Stake; the fore. quarters fell on the
|, poseh, and the mtestines scattercd, around on
+ tic Eruund Tor q couple Of foos.
|: well, says = .neighhor who happened e
7 - i.--..E ,+;.;k hs. :.