The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-05-13
THE STORY A VETERAN.
Told for u Drink in "a BnrrOom and Corr
roborated by a Cough and IL Medal.

on Kearny street, two distinguished
looking militiamen were recounting
their numerous campaigns at Sacra- |
mento and San Bruno, when man
with one sleeve of his coat empty |
lounged up to the bar. AS he did so
he touched the elbow Of one of the
bulIion-bound warriors, and at once
apologized to the fierce military glare
fastened on him. !
"Beg pardon,'' said he, "but I'm
always kind of careless when any OF
the boys in blue are round. used to
be one myself"
The warriors in blue and gold did
not deign to respond, but the stranger
was not on the alert for any obvious
sights. l.
al lost this arm," he continued, "at
Vicksburg. And this cough" he add
ed, as he shook on II spasm,s 81 got in |
the same place."
ssRather poor recoInpense, wasn't
it ?'' asked one Of the miiitiamen.
s.Couldn't you get anything better?"
tsYes,'' said the wreck Of humanity,
with touch of genuine pride. 81 got
this, too - and he threw back the lapel
of his RUSTY coat to exhibit small
medal.
AS he unclasped it and handed it
over for inspection, he said: 81 got it
for being the best dressed soldier i'll
the Thirteenth Army Corps at Mill
ken's Bend, before the capture of
Vicksburg. We had been slashin.
around Vicksburg whole month, and
for a change had gone up the White
River and taken Arkansas Post, with
5000 rebs. When we got back to
Vickshurg again we were pretty
tough look ing crowd. We were station
ed in swampy timber ground that
every shower used to make slough
of, and the fellows were mud all over.
The day before Grant took command
at Milliken's Bend we had orders to fix
up for the OCCASION, and it was given
out that the best dressed man in each
regiment would get medal. We all
went to work serubbing and polishing,
but it was no use. A fellow couldn't
rub the mud out of his clothes, and If
he washed it out, the minute they got
half dry they looked az bad as ever.
Most of the fellows gave it up for a bad
job, but I'd mahe up my mind was
going toget the medal. l had Il pretty
good uniform, and after I'd sewed it
no on the elbows and tackled the skirt
of the coat up it looked good enough,
only for the mud. 1t was about as
good as any other uniform in the corps,
but, of course, that wouldn't amount to
nothing; l wanted it to be better.
What do you think l did?'
"Bought a new one 1 SUPPOSE" said
the barkeeper.
The veteran smiled. 81 went down
and stood up to my chin in the Yazoo
for an hour before parade. I'd burnish-
ed up all the buttons and blackened
my shoes with Il piece of burned leather
l. fat I oil
with my wet suit 1 just paralyzed the
crowd. looked as if I'd come out OF
Il handbook when l stuck on my shoes
and cap, and threw my musket over
my shoulder"
land you got the medal 2" said one
of the miiitiamen, handing hack the
trophy.
Eyes, l got it, and more too. l got
the rheumatic and pneumonia. 1t was
in january, you know, and it set in to
blow from the west, and before the
parade was over, l was most ftoze to
death. TO finish me, tho Colonel was
SO tickled with my appearance that I
was detailed for orderly duty at head
quarters and had to marcl, around for
four hours, until the iciclCs were hang
ing cut of my elbows and coat tails,
and do you know what Grant said
after the parade"
"What?'
'I1e remarked, with considerable
feeling. 'It's II long time between
drinks.'"
The barkceper showed three glasses
over tho mahogany. and the militia
men both put their hands in their
pockets to pay.
"Ies, gentlemen said the veteran,
as he wiped his grizzly moustache on
his coat sleeve aud edged toward the
door: "I got the medal, and don't you
forget it."
81 shouldn't wondcr,' said the bar
keeper, as the veteran fitted through
the doorway, "if that fellow isn't an
eightecncara fraud and lost his arm
in a sawmiif."
"You do him an injustice, l assure
you,' said n thoughtful but dilapidated
person, bending over the lunch coun ter
81 recognize him rs an individual who
had a limb shot Off in Virginia City
while robbing wood pile"
The festive All Goo
And Too Hay the fair
They met and tho two
Concluded to pair.
They ttSnppneas ~ Tho ,r,,g