Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1882-03-29
How n Georgia Woman was Paid for
Her Chickens.


Governor Murray tells laughable
story of his experiences in the Georgia
march to the sea which is worth re-
peating:
Speaking Of the famous march
through Georgia" said the Governor,
Il never shall forget the amount of
money it cost us to keep an old woman
from crying to death. Of course we
were Obliged to subsist off the country
rs we went along, and we naturally
took about the best in sight. One day
we took possession Of a ranch kept by
an old lady, who stood at the front gate
with broom and threatened to lick
all of Sherman's forces if they did not
move on. Now, chickens were consid-
cred as officers meat, and as we were
Internally hungry we went for those
old hens pretty lively. When she saw
that her favorite fowls were being
caught and killed, she keeled right
over and began to cry. Presently she
began to scream, and finally you could
hear that woman's yell clear to Atlanta.
l sent the surgeons in to quiet her, but
they failed, and then all the officers
took turns, but the more attention paid
her the more she howed. l then got
pretty nervous over the Internal noise,
because the whole army would hear it,
and they might suppose that somebody
was torturing the woman. Finally
Sherman rode up and asked what ii
was all about, and when VIC told him
he said: Give her bushel of Com
federate bonds for her hens, and see il
they won't stop her. Acting on this
hint, l proceeded to business. We had
captured Confederate train tho day
before, with s4,000,000 of Confederate
money, and hunted up the train at
once. Well, I stuffed about half n
million dollars in an old carpet-sack
and marched into the house.
Madam said l, opening the sack,
III give you $4,000 to quit this mise.
1t was still as death in II minute, and
then her face expanded in broad
smile. l laid the package of money
on the table, and | never saw such q
delighted woman. The effect pleased
me, and | continued: General Sher.
man presents his compliments3nd S100,
000.' / never in my life saw such &
pleased old woman, and | wound up 10y
dumping the contents of the sack right
down on the floor, and telling her that
when it came to contribution for dis
tressed females I could be out done by
no man living.
..She invited the officers to supper
and she cooked every chicken on the
ranch, and set out cider as free rs
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 die
you get all this darned truck p
"'A present from General Sherman,
said she.
"'Taint worth Continental cent
they're kindlin' fires with it down a
New Orleans
"The old woman rose up, her face al
white as your shrt-front, and her eyes
wasn't pleasant to meet.
$50 you are the man that gave me
this, are your she called out, reaching
for the old broom.
"The entire mess rose and started
from that house. We never heard an,
more Of her, and there isn't man il
the crowd who would meet that ole
woman for all that Confederate money
if it would bring loo cents on the dol
lar at the Treasury department, Wash
ingtonP-Salt Lake Tribune.