The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-06-05
w. II. RAYNoR.
Fun In a SmnII.Por HnsnIfnI.

EDITOR NATIONAL tribune: / wish to
relate little incident 10 let the readers Of The
NATIONAL TRIBUNE know that fun and Jokes
even found their way into as bad place as a
smallpox hospital. / happened to be one of
those fellows who got crippled in the South,
and was shifted from ole place 10 another
until ] landed at Camp Dcnnison, O., June 4.
1864, and after getting pretty well repaired,
was detailed in the smallpox hospital,
having taken preparatory course for that
place down at Concord Station, Tenn.
When / went on detail there was one patient
in the hospital, and man by the name Of
Smith, from tho 9Th Mass, and a man bv the
name OF Reed Brush were in charge of the in-
stitution. Smith had known before. and had
known him as good brother Of the Presbyte-
rian persuasion, aud Of course. being quite
young thought lie would certainly keen 80
under very strict discipline Everything went
along ali right, we getting new cases every few
days, and as fast as one got well that was pretty
full of fun and good fellow to tie TO- We
would persuade the doctor 10 let him stay aud
help US 10 do the work, aud finally our gang ran
up to about 10 men, some sick aud some we'll.
We were entitled 10 30 cents day for rationg.
aud We soon found that We could not get away
with all Of it, 60 We would take ali the surplus
IN coffee and sell IT, and get some spending
money.
And now comes the incident wish TO relate.
lt was getting near New Years aud we wanted
10 have a little Notification of our own SO we
LAID our surplus coffee to one side, aud when
New Years I've came we bad about - hounds
OF coffee on hand. We took vote to see what
We would get with IL, aud the majority said get
bottled beer, and the minority, like good SOL
dieTs, quietly submitted. The next thing was
70 get q good thirsty fellow 10 go 10 Milford,
about one mile from camp, 10 get il, and wo
finally decided that VIM. Smith would be the
hgGs 4. FfF.H a
out with coffee aud lac started for town about
D. M promising 20 get back by 6 o'clock. We
waited for the time Of Smiths arrival with a
good deal OF anxiety. Six came, and no Smith :
seven, eight and nine, and no Smith. We were
then debating about sending someone 10 look
for him when we heard a faint hello, as of some
one Ia distress. We went in the direction of
the noise, and soon found what was the matter.
Smith had undertaken 10 walk on the side hill
about 80 feet above spring that had been dug
out and contained about two feet of water.
frozen over about a half inch thick, and he had
lost his balance aud rolled down the bank into
the spring beer bottles and all He had inhaled
50 much Of the odor Of the beer before he left
town or on the way home, that il took a good
deal Of spring water to overcome IL. In his
descent 20 the spring he had broken all the
bottles bat one. We got him out aud warmed
him up, but IT was adampcT on our New Years
publication. We learned something in the
transaction, and that was. never again to pick
out Presbyterian 10 trade coffee for beer.
Should this come under the eye Of Smith, /
hope be Won't think am trying TO destroy his
good name alter 70 long a time, but retalate by
sending me letter aud letting me know how he
Is getting along There were at the pest house
at that time, as near as ! can remember. Rich.
ard &. Shepherd 90. ID, 9TH Ohio; Charles
Yetter Co. K, IG3d Ohio; VIM. Smith, 9Th
Mass; James Hitchcock, - Tucker, -
Nichols George johnson, n. Y; Samuel Lock-
miller, and your humble servant, II. l.. CBAp-
Nan, Co. 4, l2ith Ohio. Ridgeville Corners o.