The Opelousas courier., 1883-09-01
GENERAL MEADES GOOSE.
How 1t Was stolen-A Would-Be Thief'i
Discontinue s

DfscOmftuEe
"Did you ever hear about Meade's
goose?' asked a l~oiterer at grand army
headquarters.
There was an encouraging curiosity
to hear the story, and the speaker con-
tinued:
During the winter of 1861 and 1862,
Twas a private in a Pennsylvania regl-
ment in Meade's brigade Of the reserve
corps"
"a private" exclaimed a dozen
majors, colonies and generals in one
breath.
eyes, sir, a private; and what's more,
| was a private during the entire war,
and have never had a chance OF pro-
motion since. Well, as l was saying
when interrupted, l was in Meade's
brigade. Shortly before the holidays
the general decided to entertain his
friends at a Christmas dinner, and pro-
cured a handsome goose for the occa-
sion. For a month that goose was
stuffed and crammed witfFthe choicest
of goose feed that would produce fat,
and when Christmas arrived presented
a most tempting appearance-literally
rolled in fat, and scarcely able to
waddle. The night before Christmas
the generals cook killed the bird, and,
having dressed it, hung it up to freeze
in order to make it as tender as posi-
bic. AS the dinner was fixed at 4
o'clock, the cook was in no hurry to
commence preparations for it, and let
the goose hang. At 9 o'clock Meade,
having given explicit directions about
the dinner, got into his ambulance and
rode to Washington for his guests.
among whom were two ladies, a mem
Der of Congress, and a distinguished
general officer.
"About noon the cook, deeming it
time to commence cooking the goose,
went to the place where it had been
hanging, and to his CONSERVATION
found that it had been stolen, There
was nothing to be done but wait for the
arrival of the party, when the situation
was explained.
"To SAY that Meade was furious
would be a mild expression. Orders
were Immediately given and carried
out for a strict search for the missing
bird, and in an hour every tent, camp
kettle and mess pan in the division
was searchrd without disclosing the
goose. The cook suggested canned
meats from the suffers, but the sug-
gestion was sternly rejected; and,
bringing the telegraph into requisition,
an order was sent to a celebrated Wash
ington restaurateur, by whom, about 6
o'clock, a first-rate dinner was brought
over, smoking hot, spirit lamps having
been used in transit.
"The dinner went off in good style,
the loss of the goose being treated as a
good joke by the guests. But Meade
could not forget it easily, and for a
month afterward kept up an inquiry
in the hope of finding and making an
example of the culprit. But he was
never found.
SIN 1872, at the grand army en-
campment at Philadelphia, a grand
banquet was given, Generals Meade
Sick1es, Cadwallader, Patterson, and {
number of other distinguished officers
being guests. A delegate from Pitts
burgh, formerly of Meade's brigade
was very anxious for an introduction
to Meade, and as Ihad been introduced
I gratifed him by presenting hing u
the general. After a few minutes
conversation the delegate said: B,
the way, general, did you ever find on
who stole your goose?
s'The general laughed and said tina
he had not.
!, "tWell, / didn't of course, dare t.
say anything about it then, but I an
d the man that stole the goose, and
) very good goose it was, too
"a queer twinkle came into. the oil
! mans eye, and smiling quietly he said
: 1T would not have been a very merr
Christmas for you if / had known it a
! the time; but, he added, after pause
: there is something remarkable abou
that goose. Since the wal / have me
at least forty men who have elaine
to be the men that stole my Christina
RI goose
: "The last claimant beat a hasty n
treat under a storm of laughter"
t hssa
Tse GARFIELD Fansigy.
d Miss Molly is nov a charming gil