The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-08-26

lows OF gamOung tables, with q dense crowd
around each. Some Of the gamblers stop
during service; but many do not. After
all there is no great harm in such gaming !;
for the betting is merely nominal, and pur-
sued as an amusement, or kill time. rather
than for gain. Penny grains at poker"
and 't6ve cent chips at faro, are the aver
age bets"
Up and down past the gamblers, and the
prayer-meetlng, march a swarm of wal
kers'-men who, like a bear chained to a
stake, do nothing but pace to and fro, the
length of their chain, from morning till
night.
High above this cramped pen, with its
restless currents of human beings prone
made the blue-coated sentrys, on the para
pet of the fence. Perhaps, too. there is a
bevy of women, with or without escorts,
come down from Philadelphia to see the
wicked Rebels in their cage
But now the professional voice of the
preacher makes itself heard above the muir
muir of the crowd, as he Zines out the
hymn" Rock of Ages"-is the selection,
and presently a chorus of rough, hoarse,
and unframed threats make a tremendous
noise, if not much melody, or music. 1t is
only the deep earnestness of the singers pre-
vents merriment over the deep discord, of
their attempted concord. After the motse
there is a prayer by one Of the brethren,
and remarks by the preacher, or some one
Of his assistants. The interest is manifestly
on the increase, and something like a ''re-
vival' seems about to happen. Probably
one fourth of the whole number of prisoners
are already attendants on the regular ser
vices. Among the converts" too, are
think it miraculous under the circgm-
stances; for there is every reason to feel
that Providence has little interest Ia our
present condition. For example it is not
ipfrequent, l I'm lerstand, for the small pox-
pitted little jackanapes who acts as Prison
Sergeant to rush into the ''pen" at the hour
DR.. Handy is holding worship, and yel at
the congregation to Get out! Get ont
| Fall in line! Roll call !"-thus be king
up the meeting before fairly begun. Or.
Handy sent a note to Schoepf abouc it, but
he paid not the least notice.
TOSSED UP IN BLANKETS
july 22nd. Another exhibition o. the in
fernal m alice and cruelty of oar kccl ers
Among the officers is an old acq a nance o.
mine, George NJ. E. Shearer, of Mary>vil!e,
major of the 1st Battalion, Nj. Cavalry il
our service. He married Miss Annie
daughter of Gov. Thomas. Of the latte
State, ard is regarded as a daohin-, gallant
fellow. Recently quite a number of "Polit
ical Prisoners" or ''copperheads, from
various border States were put IN prison
and among them were several whose action!
and speech led to suspicion that they wer,
not genuine 'copperheads, but abolition
lists, playing a part to spy upon the conduc
of the prisoners. Finally one Of thes,
treacherous fellows was detected preparin:
a note to Capt. Ali; whereupon he threw
off his mask to the extent Of protesting h
was about to take the OATH and get GU
of the pen, as a great many others has
done. Shearer, who is naturally impetuous
and perhaps rather rough in his ways, tn
result of wild life in the gold regions wher
a youth at once called out-'Let us har
the internal galvanized Yankee" Will
others procured a rope, and threatened t
hang the traitor. Not that there was an
real intention to take his life.
The hypocrite inme liately notified tn
authorities, and Mai. Shearer with tw
others, was called OFT Of the pen. The
were very roughly abused by Ali and hi
understrappers. They were then taken t
the barracks of the Galvanized Yankees,
whe to the number of about $50 occup
quarters outside of our pen, but With
sight Of it. The term galvanized IS al
piled to these wretches because not confer
with deserving from our army, /. c. takln
the oath Of allegiance to the Federal govern
ment- they even enlisted in the enemy
service and though not trusted to the e,
tent of allowing them to have guns,
leave the island, ale clothed 10 Yankee IN
form, and a, it were guaranteed in loyalty
though many of then were heartily ashame
of it. and excused themselves on the groun
that there would be no more exchangin.
and they we're starving in the prison pei
But some OF them became real Yankee
embued with all the zeal and bitterness
fresh converts in a bad cause. To the'
men the three prisoners were turned over
5 be subjected to the cowardly and cruel il
: dignity Of tossing in a blanket. The pr
: cess was as follows: Each prisoner W;
thrown upon a large double blanket, w:ie
was held at the four corners by several
< the galvanized" 10 fact. as many
could. took hold of the blankets, in order
assist in humiliating the victims, who we
hootei at and Kissed, with roars of Taught