The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-08-23
AFTER BLACKBERRIES.
BY JOHN HABBERTON.

1t is rather awkward at times 10 be
old enough to rank among men IN busi-
ness, yet 20 have only boys head on
your shoulders. knew three boys who
had an Illustration of this fact a few
years ago, and they are 10: likely to
forget it while they live
Each of US was about eightHen years
Of age, and tall ar.d broad enough to
fill soldiers uniform ole siz. larger
than the smallest SO one day, i'll the
first year of the civil war, We joined
militia regiment which had been called
into service for three months. We ekrew
more, apparently, about the war and
how to end it than Presidents Lincoln
and Davis, with their combined cabinets,
but w were boys for all that. Ny first
interest, after our camp had been
pitched on the edge Of a pretty little
Virginia town, was to find biz turtle
in the woods. VIII Prime haS brought
bag Of marbles from home in is KNAPP
sack, and Charley Wheeler was severely
reprimanded before We had been IN the
Souta halt a day for falling oat o, the
ra;ks to buy a couple Of stick, ot candy
at country sore by the roadside.
While on duty in camp we strutted as
proudly as new made Generals, but off
duty our time was consumed in all sorts
Of schoobov tun and mischief.
Our only dismal moments were those
during which we looked at tie co'ored
people who came into camp to sell
pies, cakes and fruit. Army raliO1s did
not resemble the food on our home
tables, but we had no money with which
to buy Southern delicacies ; no amount
of money would see recruit through
his first week Of longrg for something
new. Some Of US traded pocket knives
and handkerchiefs for small portions OF
the contents of coI0rcd "auntiSs has
kets, but these mediums OF exchange
were soon exhausted.
"Tell You what" said Charley Whee-
ler one day, after we had looked long
ingly a f. moments into basket o
nIackberrirs which a coiorcd woman
haI brought mo our company street
"why can't we go out and pick some
blackberries for ourselves? There must
be plenty more where the old woman
got those"
eve can't get through the gnarc
lines" said |.
"Nonsense !" Charley replied. owe
can 90 it easily if we seem TO be goin:
the spring for cold water. I've til
pail we'll put the berries in it, an(
each OF YOU can carry canteen."
"The enemy may catch W." sugges
ted viii.
"There aren't any Southern soldier
within twenty miles," said Charley. '
heard the Captain say so ouly las
night. Besides, in these clothes w
looI, ;,et Ill, ,,,tivec
This was true. Before leaving hom
our Captain had advised each of US II
bring along some old summer clothe
to wear while lounging about camp !; b,
said the regular uniform would almos
roast the lives out of us-as it did. A
a we looked at the colored woman
blackberries | was dressed in shabb
linen trousers, thin cashmere shlrt
and an old straw hat Will wore sol
gray felt hat, and camp dust had mad
his other garments of the same color
while Charley had on linen shirt, ant
dark Elue trousers, shortened nearly t
the knees ior boating purposes, and
knotted white handkerchief covered th
top Of his head.
"Dor't let's stand here wasting time,
said Charley. "Afternoon dill will be
gin III about five hours, and | want Il
| ,lr IA n ii
then. Hurry and get your canteens
the sight OF those berries has made NJ
mouth water"
We obeyed orders, and within hv
minutes we were outside OF the guart
line, and also out of sight oil the guard
We hid our canteeDs in the roots OF
tree, and hurried through the youn
pines in search of a clearing or fenc
row, which Charley, who had bee
brought up in the country, said wer'
the best places to find blackberries.
Finally we succeeded along rail
fence which seemed to end in a PIN
grove we found blackberry bushes il
: abundance, and all were full of fruit.
care we safe here ?" asked WILL
"Safe as If you were in bed in Ne,
York." replied Charley. "The cavalr
outposts are away outside of US some
, where"
So we began TO pick blackberries
gradually moving toward the pine grove
Not all of the berries went into III
pail we knew of reCeptacles neare
, and more appreciative which were sim