The Rugbeian and district reporter. (Rugby, Tenn.) 1882-1883, 1883-02-17
HiGii-PNiL ~ CHICKENS.
IN Incident Of SIt rnians March to III

q
IN Incident Of SD, rnian's March to the
Gov. Murray, of Utah Territory, tells
lauGhable story of his experiences in
the Georgia march to the sea, which is
worth repeating:
"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 herself to death. OF course
we We're obliged to subsist off the coun-
try as We went along, and we naturally
took the best in sight. One day we
took possession of chicken 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 con-
sidered as officers meat, and, as we were
Internally hungry, we went for these
old hens pretty lively. When she saw
that her favorite fowls were being caught
and killed she keeled right over and be-
gan to cry. Presently she began to
scream, and finally you could hear that
woman's yells clear to Atlanta. 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 howled. 1 then got pretty
nervous over the Internal noise, because
the whole army would hear it, and they
might suppose somebody was torturing
the woman. Finally Sherman rode up
and asked what it was all about, and
when we told him he said: Give her a
bushel OF Confederate bonds for her
hens, and see if that won't stop her. ;
Acting on this hint, I proceeded to
business. We had captured Confed-
crate train the day before with $4,O0O,-
600 Of Confederate money, and I hunted
up the train at once. The money was
worth about 2 cents on the dollar. Well,
I stuffed about half million dollars in
an old carpet-sack and marched into the
house.
MADAM said I, opening the sack,
I'll give you $50, 900 to quit this noise.
It was as still as death in minute, and
then her face expanded in broad smile.
1 laid the packages of money on the
table, and never saw such a delighted
woman. The effect pleased me, and
continued: Gen. Sherman presents his
compliments and 100000 I never in
my life saw such pleased old woman,
and I wound up by dumping the con.
tents of the sack right down on the
floor, and telling her that when it came
to contributions to distressed females /
could not be outdone by any man living.
"She invited the officers to supper,
and she cooked every chicken on the
ranch, and set out cider as free as water.
We were having pretty good time when
long, lank old coon came in, and she
said it wa. her husband. Pretty soon
his eye fell on the money. Sarah,
said he, where in blazes did you get all
IL =: l,,u,ol %r,, ar Q
"A present from Gen. Sherman, sale
she.
"'Tain't worth a continental cent
they're kindlin' fires with it down at New
Orleans
"The old woman rose up, her face 81
white as your shirt front, and her eye
wasn't pleasant to meet.
$3.50 you are the blk that gave nj
this, are your she called out, reaching
for the old broom.
"The entire mess rose and started from
the house. We never heard any NOR
of her, and there isn't a man of the Grove
who would meet that old woman for al
that Confederate money, if it woul'
bring 100 cents on the dollar at tn
Treasury Department, Washington. y