New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-05-14
For the CrescepEl
Spirits in Moderation.

We had been detailed as the baggage guard Of a
light battery, and occupied part Of a car. No
matter when or where. You wouldn't know if I
told you, Phil. stngray had a ten days dspensa
ton from duty on account of a shell wound in the
head, by virtue Of which we had Deen allowed the
luxury Of sleeping in box car upon a downy
couch, composed Of about equal proportion Of
saddles, harness, empty haversacks, and boxes of
fixed ammunition. He awoke and looked round
"What are we stopping here forF'
"Train halted till further orders'
Amy guelrillas ahead?" asked he yawning,
and adjusting what the boys called his brow
band" and " head STALL and the surgeon dgni-
fed as T bandage.
Ireplied mo, something about yicksburg,
believe"
We slid back the door and looked out. The 10.
connective was simmering on a switch The men
were lying on top of the cars, or seated on the
road side. Many could be seen across the fields
prospecting for a cabbage, setting hen, or any
thing that came handy. They were roaming
around like pointers ranging for a Covey. The
staff of our regiment-the a" was pronounced as
in "falI''-occupied the porch of an adjacent man
sion, and had already planted a sentry to proven
any poaching upon their pre-empton. The ladies
of the mansion were seen fitting between the
house and kitchen, and small negro boy wa
emerging from the garden with large bundle o
mint.
"Ahn said Stngray, as he borrowed my pipe tt
light his own, here we are for time enough tC
eat and sleep You may be certain. Look at thai
pile of tricks the men always called per
sonal property by that name
assented. Drawing few whiffs to assure him
self that his pipe would not go out while he was
talking stingray turned his eye with look o
inquiry.
"Dry as a drum, > replied, fitting up the stop
PEERLESS canteen
"And the hayersack?"
"The mess chest is out foraging," Now tn
mess chest was Private Rogers, Nos of a sectio
of the Light Battery.
Phil walked TO the window, took another survey
of the " staff and remarked:
"D-n that mint"
thought you liked it."
"No, doutn Then pause and the smok
rose for few moments as if from an escape pipe
He turned around, with his back to the window
and said
don't like to see mint in the hands of men n
better than myself, and to feel that must touc
my nat to them, War is terrible leveer. Bl
aus right! it's right pline-unity-is a
that can gain our cause, and for that you ma
ehalk NO. 3 at the gun on the piece of palm
Ghat marks my remains any day. But say, here
the mess chest. Why Rogers, old fel, you'H
sacked plantation. Where in the name -"
me rest OF the phrase was lost in nexpressib
aomHaIloh oil the hayersack. Rogers glowed wi
the honest pride of successful enterprise az
whispered
az we come the provost guard over a Union M
Ter. Me and two boys from the Judgement agree
to parole him for two hundred waite of fou
twenty pound of bacon and gallon of whist
apiece"
We were speechless-the more so, perbaps til
Stngray was sampling the whisky. Apparentl
he could not decide upon its merits. for ba :
peated the test, and handed the eanteen to m
My mouth was too full of bread, meat, and orat
tude for professions.
Rogers went off to secure the spols, and ,
satisfied a hunger that surpassed all the san
of sOyer.
Stingray at last wiped his mouth, resumed
pipe, and adjusted his bandages" He til
SCALED back the tangled masses of his hair
which had not been combed since the last cam
and said
"This id cut is curing up with alarming
pidity. 1 shall be running back that old wheel
week.
"well you should thank God you were Il
planted in that redoubt.n
al do feel thankful and forgving since Roge
got back forgive the staff their mint and i
{ pudence Amt that magnanimous?" Another p
longed pull at the quod restat of the whisky a
the pipe glowed like spontaneous combusdc
for it had grown to be dark. Rogers had, at
request, passed the word to very few frien
who were bound by the most sacred consid
atoms of hospitality not to disclose the mar
which had befalIen u.s. They had brought tn
pipes-inas the pipe was an Indispensable p
of the So $ scant apparel, and seated arou