Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-11-18
He WouIdn't Line the Army,

About noon, yesterday, as the police OH.
GERS were gathering at the station, a very
verdant young man, who said his name was
Allen, and that he hailed from Clear creek,
DeKalb county, entered the office, and after
lounging around awhile, inquired:
SIS this the barracks whar the reg'lars
stay?"
He was answered in the Affirmative, and
was asked whether he had any notion OF
entering the army.
"Y-a-a-s," said he, 81 want to jine."
By this time every man in the Office was
| interested, and the stranger was at once
| furnished with a vast amount of informa-
ton which might have been valuable but
for its noticeable lack of truthfulness. The
result was he became alarmed, and said he
wouldn't join the army after all.
"But you've already jOined," said Capt.
Yater.
'sNo, haint, and wont jine; never in
tended to jine; just dropped in to Ak you
a few questions and now I'm goin'."
But he didn't go just then. They gath
cred around him in the friendlieSt manner
imaginable, and said they'd fix him in
about a minute. Sergt. Hawkins took
down a heavy blue overcoat and told the
young man to throw himself into that and
see how it would fit him, but the latter
wouldn't touch it. Sergt. TignOr picked
up hat with number on it, and under
took to fit it to Aliens head, but Allen
covered his Uranium with his hands, yell
ing ''Go way; 60 way! | don't want to
line your old army. Lemme out femme
out" and he kicked right and left with the
enthusiasm and vigor Of a three year old
mule.
Then Capt. Yater took long pole and
requested Mr.. Allen to stand still while he
took his measure. But the young man
wouldn't stand still. He rushed about the
room, exclaiming, sPlease, gentlemen,
lemme out. / want to 90 home. l hain't
jined yer army yit, II don't intend to-"
At this juncture Mayor Howell entered
the room, aud Allen was told that he was
the commander-in-chief, and that his only
chance to get out of the army now, was to
appeal to him. And appeal he did, with
al the earDestneSs Of his nature. He was
told that he could be put in the Quarter
masters Department and furnished with
team TO drive, if that would suit him bet
ter than carrying a musket.
81 don't want to drive no mules" he
beloved with voice like a young hurri-
cane as it comes sweeping down the gulches
of his own native wilds; 81 don't know
how to drive mules-I never druv liothin'
but steers in all my life. But haint jined
yer army yit'n amt goin' to jine. You
kin take yer old hats, an yer old coats, an
yer old measurin' sticks-they sha'nt none
of 'em tech me; I'll die first" and with this
he backed up against the wall in such de-
termined sort of a way that his tormentors
took pity on him and let him out.
As he passed out into the hall, Revenue
Tax Collector McCann called him aside
and whispered:
"My friend, see you're q stranger in
town; let me give you some good advice.
Don't you lend Nashville man cent"
stranger" responded the D1Kaib coun-
ty youth, in voice quivering with gate
full emotion; stranger, thank you kind
ly. won't; won't lend cent while I'm
in yer burned old town, fur hain't got
cent to lend"
Half an hour later, one of the officers
the verdant youth trying to get
a young darkey to pilot him out to the Leb-
anon depot. Upon seeing him approach,
Allen yelled, go way, Mister-gO way,
l tell you hain't jined yer army, and l
amt goin' to-" and he rushed off down the
street with the evident intention of shaking
Nashville at the earliest possible moment.