The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-01-01
ACTING Posr.suRceoN.

An Amusing War Incident Saia - Have
Occurred In Hlssissippl
During the war DR.. Wright, of the
Confederate army, was the post-surgeon
at Canton, Miss. Among the furloughed
soldiers at that place was tall. COM
Manufacturing fellow named Forester
Richards, q high private in the Ninth
Mississippi. He had been wounded. and
his furlough having expired, he was, by
. general order" required to report to
Or. Wright, who had power to extend
his furlough or to send him back to his
command. Richards was having good
time, and although his wound had healed
he was not altogether ready or axious to
90 back to the front He was . good
deal of a wag and managed to so win
the Doctors favor that the latter detailed
him as a clerk in his Office. One day
while the Doctor was out for drive,
Richards dressed himself out in an extra
suit of the Doctors uniform, and seating
himself in the Office, awaited his return
When DR.. Wright arrived he rose from
his seat in very digniiied manner and
introduced himself as DIR. Ford, Chief
Medical Director of General Bragg's
army, and Immediately commenced rep
rimanding him for neglect of duty-for
being absent from his post, etc. Of
course DIR. Wright, who had not recog-
nized his clerk in the person of his visitor,
and, as he thought, ranking officer
was very much agitated and offered
all manner of excuses and apollo
gies. Richards could not contain him
self and soon gave himself away by his
smiles, and when the Doctor found out
that it was q joke, he at once bound
Richards up to keep it secret, know
ing that if the officers of the post got
hold of it he would .never hear the
end of it. Richards assented, and in
the course of a week or two the Doctor
told him that he was going to jackson,
Miss, for day or two, and that he
wanted Richards to act in his place as
post surgeon, in other words, that he
would leave the office in his charge UNI
til his return. DIR. Wright had hardly
gone before Richards called lot of his
| soldier friends into the Office and fur
loughed the last one of them for sixty
DAYS.
In the afternoon a Mrs. Applegate,
whose little son had received gratuitOuS
medical treatment from DR.. Wright, de-
string to make some return therefor,
sent large tray of cake and several
bottles of wine to the office. Richards
and half-dOzen of his recently fur
Laughed companions were having high
time over the good things when in
stepped DR.. Wright. who at once de-
manded to know ''what they were
doing"
Richards explained, whereupon DR..
Wright wanted to know show he dared
to take such liberty with his property"
To which Richards replied: 'Am l
not, by your authority. acting surgeon
of the post? Do you think, DIR. Wright.
that would accept the responsibilities
of the position without the benefits OF
some of its pleasures.
''Well, all have got to say is think
your conduct outrageous and in viola
ton of all military discipline, and |
shall Immediately order every one OF
you back to your commands" said the
| Doctor.
.You do it, DR.. Wright. and shall at
once appeal the case to DR.. Ford" re-
piled Richards, and the party arose and
| left the office.
In about ten minutes the Doctor sent
his servant for Richards. As the latter
entered the office the Doctor said;
Look here, old fellow, don't you want
sixty days furlougn so that You can &C
home and hunt and fish until your
wound gets perfectly well?''
THAT suits me exactly, Doctor" said
Richards.
1t is needless to add the desired fur
Tough was Immediately forthcoming
but not until Richards had promised tC
say nothing about what had happened
while he was in the post surgeons Office
at least, not until the war was over
| Detroit Free Press.