The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-12-18

business, aiad are worth . great deal
more than they are paying, but don't
you think you could fix yourself and
tight forthe old flag few weeks for
/ S1,e00.n
Remember, my dear, it's for the
old fiagi'
Mr.. Mugridge said he thought he
could, and would if there was any
potency in hair dye.
He did.
"Oh, how proud he stood before me
in his suit of blue" sang Mrs. Mug
ridge, quoting from an excruciatingly
popular song Of the day. as her pstri-
otic husband returned to his fireside
week after the connnbial calculation
before mentioned, inside full suit of
army blue, and outside several rations
of the rational mean; and the bold
Mugridge, catching up the refrain but
with some disregard for the intention
of the author, suggested rather than
sung, "When this cruel war is over
in ali human probability we shall meet
again, Mrs. Mugridge.1 sssss S
Subsequently / met Mugridge in
Virginia. We met under hedge.
whittier, aetuated by q desire not to
Frfgh item the hormcs OF q company Of
caveIry passing that way we had be-
taken ourselves. The cavalry belong
ed to the enemy; but that made no
difference to US. We would no sooner
frighten the enemy's cavalry than our
own.
ssDid you see me streaking It across
that field I" inquired Mr.. Mugridge.
"Y Yes. / replied, 81 thought saw You
moving at q rate of speed that would
have been considered undignified at
funeral"
q That's the point" returned Mr..
Mugridge, Il was trying to avoid a
funeral. Considering my rheumatism
don't see how / did il"
'sGot it bad ~
tsBad I've got it awful. I've got
enough for two or three regiments .
81 haven't done days duty In two
months, and have been only three
months in the service. Kind of hard
isn't it, when q man is willing and
anxious to fight for the old flag to be
cut down in the bud and blossom of
his patriotism, as it were 2"
Yes, / replied, s it seems hard !;
what will be the result ?"
Discharge, 1 am afraid. don't
want TO GO home to Mrs. Mugridge
without having lost leg or an arm,
because, you know, Mrs. Mpgridge
will insist on it that ] haven't given
any value received for the 81. 500: hut
l don't see how 1 can help it. Only
yesterday the captain told me to my
face that wasn't worth The powder
it would take TO blow me into pieces !;
and the captain is man of experience
aud he knows"
Been burnt yet ?"
ssBurntI ratheri The doctor has
cut off half my ribs, trying to open a
canal each side of my backbone
Burnt If they should get up a new
book of martyrs, I should expect to
see myself in a wood-cut, q victim to
my love for the old flag. But it didn't
have any effect. The doctor says mine
is case that battles medical skill, and
when once you have got strong baf-
fie on the doctor, you know you are
nigh onto discharge. It's bad. but
it can't be helped" ~
In your mind" said the patriotic
Mugridge, :. in your mind DO you as
sociate chickens with y nder farm
house ?2
1 observed that the farm house did
have poultry look, and we left the
hedge TO investigate the phenomenon.
When / next met Mugridge he was
still in Virginia ;-bnt he had exchang-
ed the stern an martial occupation of
arms for the more peaceful and rather
more lucrative sutling business.
1t was hot, dusty day in june
The gentleman who superintended
our perigrinations had discovered
during the preceding night, that he
had business in Pennsylvania, which
required his personal attention, W hith-
er he took himself, with most of his
companions, leaving q few of us of
the old flag fellows for rear guard.
Crawling along through the dust,
| the sun heat, and the caIoric of nu-
merous fires, which the preceding fell
lows had kindled out of pure love
for the old flag, at turn in the road
We came upon a s1tler wagon. Il s.
! don't remember ever to have seen
more beautiful suffers wagon. It
had yellow wheels, black body and
| i pleasant seat for the driver and pro-
prietor, with an awning over it to
protect those public benefactors from
the Southern sun.
-Four horses were hitched to the
! front part of the wagon. They were
originally of a native order of arehi-
lecture but through their recent trib-
ulations and short feelings had come
to be of classical or poetic order
Gothic, l think they called it. How
ever, they might as well have been
fastened to the rear end OF the beau
tiful wagon, for they were so reduced
in spirit and in flesh that they refused
to move step, though the wagon was
! loaded with valuable and priceless
freight, and the chiYalric Mosby was
waiting for an opportunity to sheathe
his flashing sabre in q box of sardines.
Mugridge was sitting under the
awning, evidently in deep, dark,
brown study, whereof, perhaps, the
uncertainty of horsefesh aud the ap-
| parent dead certainty of Mosby's COM
! ing were conspicuous features.
'Mugridge," / observed, :" how's
! your rheumatism ?"
Mr.. Mugridge's face brightened.-
s. All, yes,7 he replied. s.Well, the
fact is, felt as if ! onght to do some
/ thing for the old flag, aud as my in
! tirmities prevented my participating
in active field operations, thought 1
would come down and sort OF look
after the boys in the rear.
"There's boy in the rear looking
after you." remarked our captain.
Mr.. Mugridge's face instantly dark
ened.
Don't speak of it, captain, he said.
q But must warn yon," remarked
the captain.
"Moseby's got a family suffering
for sardines. They are so used to
feeding on sardines that they can't
stand any other food. Ten minutes
after we are gone he will be here for
his rationS." -
''It's awful" groaned Mr.. Mugridge,
81 have $1,000 worth of wholesome
supplies that our boys ought to have.'
"Supposing ycu let us have 81 ,00C
worth on account of the old flag. II
/ would tighten your load and possibly
enable you to keep up with us" L sug-
gostsd. We won't waste il"