The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-01-03
CHRISTMAS IS OVER
And Arp Tells How the Children
Spent 1t.
A FEW "REMINISCENCES OF THE CAMP

Christmas is over at last and everything
cleaned up but the smell of the fire crackers
Those chaps would slip one in the fireplace or
the CRATE every now and then just to see us
jump and hear the maternal ancestor threaten
and scold. No more crackers now for a wear.
NO roman candles nor rockets nor fiznigs no
kerosene tireballs to throw around The show
is over The Christmas tree was soon unload
ed of its pretty things and has been removed.
1t was pretty tree with its lighted candles
and its popcorn festoous and its freight of dolls
and toys and pretty books. Everybody got
something nice and was happy. / got nice
silk cap to cover my defenseleSs head and I'm
happy too-so it is all right and no loss on our
side. 1t cost some money for Christmas in its
last analysis is the pateinal pocketbool, but it
is no loss, the happiness is worth the money.
1.-TWO tigers shot this morning" | was look
ing over the leaves of an old diary one that |
Kept during the war, and that was the memo
randum made just 26 years ago. Two
tigers shot this morning." Ii was at Center
vile, not far from Manassas, General Joe
Johnston S army was in winter quarters there,
and the winter was a cold and bitter one, and
the days were long and weary. There was u
company from Louisiana called the Tigers and
the name fitted them we'll, for they were q
wild. untamed and untamablo set of rough
brave and reckless They first battle
of Manassas had given them
n taste for fighting and
they wanted more. This winter quarter bust
ness did not agree with thom at all, and their
officers found il impossible to restrain them, or
keep them in military discipline. They ran
sacked the naborhood at their pleasure and
committed many outrages upon the rights of
person and property. On one occasion two of
them resisted arrest and struck their officers
n inn
state of things had TO be boldly dealt with, and
so they were overpowered and u courtmartial
ordered at once by General Johnston Their
crime was committed one evening. They were
tried next day and convicted and condemned
and the next morning were shot. Blindfolded
and kneeling, they faced the minnie rifles and
received the fatal bullets without murmur or
prayer Twelve men fired at each, but only
six OF the guns were loaded, and not n man OF
the twelve knew whether there was Il ball in
his gun or not They are not allowed to know,
for the guns are loaded by others so that no
one man could say that he had killed his COM
rade.
Speedy Justice that. How unlike our civil
tribunals, where weeks and mouths and years
elapse before even q murderer is at the end Of
his rope. What a contrast. These men were
shot, not for murder or any outrageous crime,
but for striking man. This was part of the
war--a very small part--and excited only a
peaoa, Wis., 4A ~ war. How
many heartaches there " yfe for home and
kindred during that long Il inter when SNOW
and sleet was our daily visitor Shut up in
our little tents it was constant effort to keep
warm-that is to keep healthy equilibrium,
for it was too warm inside and too cold with
out. The best we coald do was to scorch one
side and then scorch the other and ever and
anon go ont and tramp around to stir up the
blood. But we had company, lots of it, for the
soldiers were Sociabo and letters from home
were common property, and the news went
round the camp fires as soon as it arrived. !
never think of that winter with its long linger-
ing days and its lack of comforts but what am
grateful for present liberty and peace, and the
endcaring joys of home. We had a little tent
about twelve feet square, with cots for four
A Htto chimney built of turf that VIC
spaded up in squares and nicely
laid in broken tombstone upon another and
little fire place with racks for andirons and
piece OF an old wagon tire for an arch. With
such q chimney we felt rich and consequent
tial, for but few Of the tents had such stylish
ones. We h&d WHEAT straw or hay upon the
ground, and four camp stools TO sit upon, aud
"a camp table and candle stick and candies, u
wash pan and bucket, and this was all Of our
furniture. II was enough for q soldier
enough for the horrid business OF war enough
for them who had no abiding place and were
liable at any moment to have to "pick up their
tents like the Arabs
And silently steal away"
The prophet Elisha had no more than we
had for the Shunamite woman said "let us
build for him little chamber and set therein
bed, and stool, and table, and a candle
stick" ] reckon that was a very fine turnout
in that day for il pleased the prophet
very much~so much tlat he wanted to do
some great thing for the woman, and said,
''ffhon hast been very careful for mc-what
shall / do for thee / wonder how many
prophets would be content with such furni-
ture now.
Sometimes LuwGlcome visitors would STAY
too long and keep rs up when we wanted to 90
to bed. On such occasions, Tip-the faithful
Tp-would put an old sack on a pole and lay
it over the top Of the chimney and smoke rs
out The tent would get full to suifocation,
and our unwccome visitors would abuse our
chimney and be forced to retire. Then Tip
would remove the sack and the tent be all
right again in little while. That was Tips
secret, and we never told on him,
do hope they win not have war in Eu-
rope. How pitiless it is for us to discuss the
effect Of such war upon our trade--our bust
ness. our cotton and wheat and bacon and beef
just as though the war would be all right II
we prospercd by it. No account taken Of
,youpTy md dnofLo an1 hpo,l<o,, Inortc and thn