The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-08-08
For tn. Faim~r and Mechanic
Paying for the Turkeys BY an o"er
of Marriage.

There we're some rolIicking boys Ia the
i,b \. T.. ". who often did harm that
rood might come OF 1t Ii was froVl-
Dental that their soldier apprentic snip
had to be served uncer 50 Just AND strict
a Regimen,al commando AS 'ol MUS
Daniel. By these b VS. all su b tnin :
az chickens. pigs and turke 5 lat ca ap-
ed without a shelter mad BY man .
hands, with a good lock anu Key TO oois-
fer il IN. were considered wild, q II
caught after taps were turned lnto mess
mate produce. This was not done under
the rules of Army regulations, but under
the regulations of such conscieDces as
were borne by the boys who appropriated
Mrs Ebby Rice's turkeys. On the 3rd
of Sent, 1861. lie of Wight county.
Va. MIR. Ebby Rice made complaint 10
,ol DAME! that nine OF her bronze tur-
KEYS were missing. which she had ted
he evening before, and that she believed
hat they had been taken by some OF
his Regiment. The Colonels sklrmish
ouestious soon brought cut tha the
,ha lain, Adiutant and other staff oh-
Gers had been visiting her daughter the
night before. though she had no reason
10 believe that such nice looking gentle
men could visit her poultry yard without;
leave, These gentlemen, summoned L.
the Colonies quarters IN the presence Of
he old lady, she disclaimei n ideutl
hcation, but assured the Colonel that
she or her daughters would be able 10
recognize her visitors if she saw them 10
Jericho" The Regiment was ordered
on parade. and down the line walked The
Aiju,ant, the widow and her three
, ' - - SsE ~ AN - 81 -
CO. aud IA were passed, and hopes
we're maintained by our good Col that
ms Regiment could pass muster without
a rogue Then Co e. { ak City
Guards was reached. Que, two, three
flies, aud The fourth brought out a cho
ri, frouI the four women. Here's one
OF them the preacher The Colonel
order. Three PAGES TO the front brought
to view private Bill s urdiyant, and IN
quick succession came the other quon-
oam staff officers III the bodily shapes OF
priva,es. Lassiter, Smith aud Martin.
The evidence Of the tnraged old lady
and the weeping daughters, with the
production OF five Of the unpicked tur
keys, found in their quarters, was too
much for a denial, and private Sturdl-
gant, after being allowed a confab with
his associates, said Colonel. no honest
North Carolina soldier would dispute
the word of a daughter OF a sister State,
and we therefore confess the crime with
which we are charged, and to make rep
~aralion in full. and tie alliance between
the States closer, sne for peace at the
hands of these ladies' and bescech them
to let the true parson Powers make us
one family IN the presence of our Colone!
aud comrades. II, William Sturdivatt,
aged %, and Of good estate 10 the coun
ty Of Wake, State Of North Carolina,
.fould choose as my bride the head Of
the family. Mrs Eoby Rice, and the
young ladies can settle INV companions
as they choose The Aniutant's office
books OF the 18th n { simply bear the
entry Ia an order of some length. The
A!jutant will enforce the payment of
folr hu9dred and fifty dollars, to be paid
to r, Ebby Rice by p~rivates Sturdivaur.
Smith, t.aesiter and Martin, Co e" \
I, ia thirty days, or they will be con
fined at the Regimental guard house, and
be tried by a Court Martial TIE
money was paid without outward pro-
test. Sturdivant is an old bachelor and
some Of us think he missed his chance
OF ever being a father Of a family, and
the other boys bear fair family records,
Joe Martin having six children IL our
knowledge. q. L. S.