The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-16
'1t may be possibul," sed I, 'that

"It may be possibul," D." sed l, that
the Genrul moved off our things to take
keer of EN- for us. I reckon we'll get
EN- all back after while"
"Atter wAile ," said Mrs. Arp, like
an echo, and ever since then when l
allood to our Northern brethren she
only replies, "l1tttr while."
BY and by the shattered wanderers
begun to drop in under the welcum
shades of our sorrowfm City. 1t were
delightful enjoyment to greet EN-
home, and listen to the history OF their
sufferings and misfortunes. Misery
loves company, and after the misery is
past there's power of comfort in talk
ing it over and fixin up as big a tale as
any body. I wer standin one day
upon the banks of the Injun river, a
wondorin in my mind who would come
next to gladden. our hearts, when L
saw the shadder Of an objek darkinin
the sunit bank. 1t wer not load OF
hay nor a elefant, but sure enuf it wer
my friend Big John, movin slowly,
but surely, to the dug out landin on
the opposite side. His big round face
assoomed more lattitood when he saw
me, and without waitin for remarks he
sung out in voice some two slaves
deeper than the Southern Harmony
There came to the beach Poor exile of
Erin"
'N[ake him t"t," sed t. and you'll
fill the bill" Prouder to see him than
monkey show, I padded the dug out
over in double quick and bid him wei
cnm in the name of the eternal city
and its humble inhabitants. [ soon
got him afoat in the little canoo, and
before I was aware of it the water was
sloshing over the.gunnels at every wab-
BILE. 'Lay down, my fiend," sed I,
and he laid, which was all that saved
us from wary grave, and the naboor-
in farms from inundatio4L IS When
safely landed I found him wedged in
so tight that he couldent rise, so L re-
ieved him by prize with the cend OF
the paddle. AS his foot touched
the sakred soil he gently separated
countenance and sung with teelln
melody,
Home again-home sgain-from furrin
shore,
The Yanks msy come and the devil too, but
III not run any more"
Rccollektin some skraps of blank
verse myself, I scd with much absent,
''rrll me thou swift Of foot-thou mod
crn .Asahcl-Oh tell mo whero is thy
chariot and steer? Where didst thou
go when 1 did sec thee driving like Jc
hu as we did flee for life"
'J'll tell you all, "Aed hea"I want my
trends to know it. Pm now man of
war, Bill, and I'm glad Of it. I've
done the state some servis and she
knows it. I've handled guns-yes,
guns-weepins Of death. I've slept on
my arms since seed you-night after
night have 1 slept on my arms, with
hundreds of deadly weepins oil AROUND
me. All Bill, patriotism is big thing.
When you once break the ice, great
sluices of glory as big as your arm will
jest spring up like mushrooms in your
buzzum; and make you feel like throw
in yourself clean awaY,for your country.
Let me set down and I'll tell you all 1
know, Bill, but as the feller said in the
theater, when you in your letters these
unlucky deeds relate, speak Of me as |
am-nothing expatiate nor set down hot
in malice"
"Jest so" sed I, "exaaktly-exaaktly
Proseed my hero"
"Eell you see, the night after you
passed me, my steer got away. Hang
the decievin beast I hunted smartly
for him the next mornin, but I hunted
more forreds than backwards. Loavin
my wagon with widow woman, I took
it afoot across the country by settle
ment road called the 'cut off, Devil
OF cut off it was to me. I broke down
in sight of q little log cabin, and never
moved foot farther that day. The
old man had chunk of q nag that
worked in slide, I persuaded him to
haul me to the eend of the cut off, and
I know he done it for fear I'd eat up
his smoke house. Every now and then
he'd look at the old oman, and she'd
look at the smoke-house and then look
at.me. But that sldin bisness were
the most orfullest travellin that I ever
hav had. Exery time the pony'd look
back he'd stop, and when he'd start
agin he Civ such jerk that my con-
tents were in danger. Ny holt broke
on one okkashun, goin down hill
full of gullies. I rolled some twenty
feet into the edge Of the woods, and
cotch up agin an old pine stump that
was full Of yaller jackets. Three Of the
dingd things stung mo before I could
rise, but I got through the cut off, and
fell in with some empty wagins that
I