Arizona weekly enterprise., 1882-02-11
The Story of A Veteran.

LII h 1dSulOudO10 bd1OOu OA hOdIAJ street, two distinguished-looking militia men were recornting their numerous campaigns at Sacramento and San Bru- no, 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 bullion-bound warriors, and at once apologized to. the fierce military glare fastened on him.
 "Beg pardon, said he, "but I'm al- ways 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.
 "I lost this arm," he continued, "at Vicksburg. And this cough, ," he add ed, as he shook on spasm, "I- got in the same place."
 Rather poor recompense, wasn't it?" asked one of the militiamen. "Couldn't you get anything better?''
 "Yes," said the wreck of humanity, with touch of genuine pride, "I got this, too, and he threw back the lapel of his lusty coat to exhibit 8 small medal.
 As he unclasped it and handed 1t over for inspection, he said: "I got it for being the best-dressed soldier in the Thirteenth Army Corps at A1illiken's Bend, before the capture of Vicksburg. We had been slashing around Vicksburg a whole month, and, for change, had gone up the White river and taken Ar kansas Post, with 5000 rebs. When we got back to Vicksburg again we were pretty tough-loohng crowd. We were stationed ill swampy timber ground that every shower used to make a slough of, and the fellows were mud all over. The iay before Grant took command at Mil iiken'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 scrubbing and polishing, but 1t 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 lows gave 1t up for bad job, but I'd made up my mind I was going to get the medal I had pretty good uni form, and after I'd sewed 1t up on the elbows and tackled the skirt of the coat up it looked good enough, only for the mud. It was about as good as any other uniform in the corps, but, of course, that wouldn't t amount to nothing; I wanted 1t to be better. What do you think did?"
 Bought new one, I suppose" said the barkeeper.
 The veteran smiled. 'sI went down and stood up to my chin in the Yazoo for an hour before parade. I'd bur nished up all the buttons and blackened my shoes with piece of burned leather and pork fat, and when walked up with my wet suit 1 just paralyzed the crowd. 1 looked as if I'd come out of bandboS when stuck on my shoes and cap and threw my musket over my shoulder.
 "And you got the medal?" said one of the militiamen, handing back the trophy.
 "Yes, I got it, and more, too. got the rheumatism and pneumonia. It was in January, you know, and 1t set in tC blow from the west, and before the pa rade was over was most froze to death To finish me, the Colonel was so tickled with my appearance that was detailed for orderly duty at headquarters, and had to march around for four hours, un til the icicles were hanging out of my elbows and coat-tails; and do you know what Grant said after the parade?"
 "What?"
 "He remarked, with considerable feeling, Its a long time between drinks
 Tho barkeeper showed three glasses over the mahogany, and the militiameI both put their hands in their pockets tt pay.
 "Yes, gentlemen" said the veteran as he wiped his grizzly mustache on hi coat sleeve and edged toward the door "I got the medal, and don't you forge 1t. :"
 "1 shouldn't wonder" said the bar keeper, as the veteran fitted through tn, doorway, "if that fellow isn't an eight een-carat fraud and lost his arm in { saw-mill. !"
 "You do him an injustice, assure you," said thoughtful but dilapidatet person, bending over the lunch-counter 1T recognize him as an individual wht had .a limb shot of in Virginia Cit, while robbing wood pie. San Fran cisco Chronicle.