The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1882-07-13

each others eyes with the leaden.
lustreless glare Of famine stamped
there "A look which I cannot de.
scribe, but which some comrade of
misery will recognize.
The strong often tyrannized over
the weak, and as we see in all gath.
erings OF men, the strong in phisi-
cal health and 10 possessions kept
their strength, while the many weak
grew weaker aud weaker, until they
we're crowded out Of life into the
small space grudgingly allowed
them for graves.
Each mau stood or fell on merits
different from those which had been
valued by friends at home. He
found himself measured by different
standards Of me rit from those used
in any OF bis previous walks Of life.
Rough native force or talent show
cd itself by ingenious devices for
making tho most Of little. He who
could make indian meal and water
into the most palatable form was
looked up to-" He who could cook
with little wood, aud invent from
the need fireplace in which to
save fuel, was q genius The pro.
ducer OF comforts from the squalid
crude material OF life was respected
as much as hunger would allow us
to respect any thing. He it was
who got a start in the prison world,
and managed TO live.
II was desirable on the part Of
prisoners to follow some trade or
occupation which should give to the
individual means to purchase the
few desirable Injuries which could
be obtained OF those who came into
prison from among the rebels with
permission to trade. by this meth
cd there were hopes OF life, even il
existence was misery. Yankee in
genuity was consequently taxed to
the utmost to invent "from the
rough" some kind of business that
would pay-an onion, a potato, or au
extra allowance Of Indian meal per
week.
Uuder the truthful maxim that
necessity is the mother OF inven-
ton" it was surprising how trades
and business started into life. Had
these men been placed in q forest
whore raw material could readily be
got at. 1 believe they would have
produced every ''item" Of O city q
wants, so we'll were we represented
in the trades.
The strivings for life were piteous,
but often comical in their develope-
ments. Some traded their hats and
boots, or slyly kept watch, for
beans or -four, aud with this ele-
mentary start began suffers busi-
ness.
Another genius developed pro-
cess for converting Iudiau meal into
beer, by soaking it in water. Aud
''sour beer" as it was termed, speed
lily became one Of the institutions
This beer was vended around the
camp by others, who pronounced il
o cure for the scurvy, colds, fever,
gangrene, aud all other ills the
stockade was heir too, and they were
many. You would at one part o.
the stookade hear q voice loudly
proclaiming a cure tor scnrvy; you
approach, and fnd him vending
''sour beer" another proclaiming
loudly cure for diarrhoea he
would be selling "sour beer," and SO
through long catalogue OF evils
would be proclaimed their remie-
dies.
One day I was almost crushed 10
O crowd who were attracted by q
fellow crying aloud, "Stewed beans
with vinegar on to um." The vine'
gar turned out to be 'sour beer"
Stuck upon shiigle observed
"a sign which read, "old Brewery
Bier for Sale, by the glass or buck.
etful, hole sale. retail, or no tail a,
ALL"
| remember one ingenious fellow,
who. with iack-knife and file and
a few bits of wire, was engaged in
getting into ticking order played
out" watches, that had refused to &c
unless they were carried aud the
ingenuity he displayed in coaxine
them to tick was surprising. In
ono instance the watch tinker men
toned made for friend Of mine al
entire watch spring Of whalebone
which SGT the watch ticking in sucl