New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-05-08

M "A. Z.
The Doctor was a Confederate soldie
one of band of young men CT educatc
and family who, in the fervor of enthusiasm
had offered the Confederacy their servic,
in the humblest capacity.
The Doctor had set out upon his militar
career in the flush of complete new suit
fancy uniform, and originally had the usu,
supply of shirts, but this stock of clothin
had wofuly dwindled, the flannel under
shirts being the las. TO forsake him, of hi
original garments.
We are sorry to expose the Doctors ward
robe, but, if the truth must be spoken, W
shall be forced to confess that as the gar
ments disappeared one by one, they wer
not replaced by duplicate suit of uniform
but by ODDS and ends, until preachers IN
mentionables Of seedy black clothed hi
neither extremities, while his upper work
were fain to hide themselves with spoill
taken from the enemy, which was no lest
than long skirted overcoat of the execrateG
blue, with eagle brass buttons and all.
Long after this mysterious blending of
externals, half yankee, half clerical, the
original flannel undershirt yet remained,
and was regarded by himself and his fellow
soldiers as the last link which bound them
to the memory of that glorious day which
saw them crowned with flowers and ush-
cred them on their present dubious career.
But the flannel shirt shrinks by occasional
washings, and frequent perspiration daily
crawled upward, the lower hem gradually
nearing the armpits, until but band of
flannel remained, and then, like the golden
girdle of the White Lady of Avenal it van
ished quite, and the poor doctor had no
more shirt.
The Confederate soldier, however, was
equal to every emergency, and having no
shirt, of course the doctor had but to button
his overcoat closer, and congra tulate him
self that at least he had coat.
One night several soldiers of this COM
pany found themselves tired and terribly
hungry at planters door, begging food
and shelter for the night.
The Confederate enthusiasm had been
terribly tried, and families hard pushed for
their own supplies, had ceased to lavish
hospitality on raveDous soldiers.
30 TINS Planters family turned deaf ear
10 all their entreaties for an extension Of a
nights hospitality. They declared they had
ALREADY been eaten out Of house and home
by the soldiers, besides they were going to
nave little dancing party that night and
positively could not, and would not, enter
tain them.
The emergency sharpened the soldiers
wits, and the old lady incidentally mention
ing that she had a son in the service. the
Doctor seized upon the circumstance to
enlist her sympathies.
"You have sopin the army" he burst
forth, with as much delight in his tone as
If the news was glorious. "You don't saw !.
And where may he BE- ~
well, he is down in Alabam'," responded |
the old lady.
"In Alabam'? Now, do tell! Why, nv |
mother lives in Alabam'! And who can |
say but this very night your son may be at |
her door, tired and hungry, begging for
food and lodging. Now, what if she should
tel MN to ride on, as you tell us ?"
This touch OF natures pleading was too
much for the old lady, and they soon found
themselves in a fair way for luxuriating in
planters comforts not only, but in the
gayety OF dance beside.
The doctor, who was an invincible lady's
man, soon wormed himself deep into the
Old lady's grace and favor, despite his cler-
zeal trousers, Yankee overcoat, and inward
promptings respecting no shirt beneath.
He plunged into the gayeties of the even.
ing with all the humor and enthusiasm of
his nature, and was soon general fayorite.
He danced; he called off the figures. and.
IN his zeal, soon warmed himself into pro-
fuse perspiration, which streamed from his |
forehead like rain.
My dear sir, you must be very warm:D
urged the kind OLD lady. "Do lay aside that
With start the doctor husge his coat
nd ial ktnl. |
deed, am very comfortable;" and into the
fronc he plunged until he came around |
again to the old lady. his long skrted blue
reaching below his knees and the bio head
ed sweat covering his forehead.
lndeed, you must lay aside that coat.r
lnterceded the old lady, "you are very
warm ~
"Oh, no ma'am, not at alp and the Doc
tors start OF terror and nervous grasp at the
buttons was as if he saw it taken from him |
and its consequent revelations.
The Doctor endeavored to avoid his fair | ,
sympathizer, yet, as the enthusiasm of the |
frollc would bring him round, and as it was
OF the utmost Importance to keep the place
he had won in her kind regard the natural |
of galiantry, seconded by in
Ierest, would, ever and anon, bring him
within the sphere of the good lady, and to |
The renewal of her sympathetic compassionr
tor his over heated condition, and her con- |
tlnued suggestions as to laying aside the Cd |
presslve, and to her seeming, quite unneces.
,ary coat.
To US, who were initiated in the facts and
mysteries, it enhanced not little the amuse. ,
nents Of the evening. to hear the old lady's
followed by the Mortified ex-
preston on the Doctors lace, moment be. i
ore beamiug with the intensity Of merri- {
nent and satisfaction.
The horrifying consciousness which | !:
elzed on his counterance as if he had on
sudden encountered the ghost of IMAM
he had murdered, to be slowly displaced |
~ an expression graduating from terror to g
selt.satisfaction that he was not yet be- ,,
rayed, and that as long as buttons held he |
hight hope he should not be, was a study t
Or an artist Then to his rescue came q 9
Dok of sublime impudence and bravado.
8 hugging the coat he declared his physical
tate delightful, and wriggled himself off '
rom his unconscious tOrmentor, his long. 8
allied coat Numbering his knees and =
weating him like Turkish bath-house.
nd again gave himself up, whole. souled, 81
, the delights of the evening. r
We doubt if the Doctor, in the full. blown n
lory OF white kids and Immaculate ball :.
pom attire, ever, on the whole, spent an 81
vening OF more unalloyed and keenly rel b
he'd pleasure; but, as skeleton sits at O.
le Yankee coat kept ever in the Doctors '"
ind that his joy was mortal. IL
However, We were able to Congratulate g
e Doctor on safely passing the ordeal, but fc
this day we doubt if the Doctor can recall :,
at evening without smile and vivid -
collection Of the strange medley Of expe- III
,nce in the life of the Confederate soldier. th
>-:,;cn X,