The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-11-16

How THE GENERAL PAID 4 woNAs
FOR HER CHICKENS.

Governor Murray tells a laugba-
bic story Of his experiences Of the
Georgia march to the sea which is
worth repeating:
Speaking Of the famous march
through Georgia, " said the Governor,
Il never shall forget the amount Of
money il cost US to keep an old wo-
man from crying herself TO death.
OF course we were obliged to snhsist
off the country as we were going
along, and we naturally took about
the best in sight. One day we took
possession of a chicken rancho kept
by an old lady, who stood at the
front gate with a broom and threat
ened to lick all Shermans' forces if
they did not move on. Now, chick
ems were considered officers meat,
and as we were Internally hungry,
we went for these old hens pretty
lively When she saw that her
favorite fowls were being caught and
killed she keeled right over and be
gan to cry. Presently she began to
scream, and finally you could hear
her screams clear to Atlanta. /
sent the sergeon in to quiet her, but
he failed, and then all the officers
took turns, but the more attention
paid to her the more she howIed.
l then got pretty nervous over the
internal Iioise, because the whole
army would hear it, and they might
suppose somebody was torturing the
woman. Finally Sherman rode up
and asked what it was about, and
when we told him he said: Give
her bushel of confederate bonds
for her hens, and see if that won't
stop her." Acting on this hint, /
proceeded to business, We had
captured a confederate train the day
before with 100000 of confeder-
ate money, and | hunted up the
train at once. The money was
worth about two cents on the dollar.
We'll, stuffed about half a million
into an old carpet sack and march
ed into the house.
Madam, said opening the sack,
"I'll give you 100000 to stop that
noise" 1t was as still as death in 4
minute, and then her face expanded
in broad smile. / laid the pack
ages on the table and i never saw
such a pleased woman. The effect
pleased me, and | continued: Gen
eral Sherman presents his compli-
ments and 100000" / never in
my life saw such delighted old
woman, and l wound up by dump
lug the contents Of the sack right
down on the floor, and telling her
that when it came to contributions
to distressed females | could not be
out done by any living man.
"She invited the officers to sup
per and she cooked every chicken
on the rancho and let out her cider
as free as water. We were having a
pretty good time when long, lank
old coon came in, and she said it
was her husband. Pretty soon his
eye fell on the money. Sarah :"
said he, where in blazes did you
get that burned truck ?"
"'A present from General Sher-
man" said she.
"'That amt worth a continental
cent they're kindlin' fires with it
down in New Orleans
'The old woman rose up, her face
as white as your shirt front, and her
eyes weren't pleasant to meet
SO you are the blk that gave
me this are you 2 she called out,
reaching for the broom.
THE entire mess rose and started
from that house. We never heard
any more of her, and there isn't a
man of the crowd who would meet
that old woman for all that confed-
ate money, if it would bring one
hundred cents on the dollar az the
treasury department, Washington
SAT- lake Tribune.