Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-21

we at first thought was the good old
stuff. 1t turned out to be, however,
keg OF yeast. Concluding that this was
the best we could DO, we filled our can
teens with yeast and spent an hour IN
sneaking from cover. 1t was balf-past
u when crawled into my shelter tent
/ started a fire in the little mud chin
ney and We had a royal old time with
the yeast.
"Not long afterwards my brother
crept into the tent. He had been on
guard at division headquarters. His eyes
we're glowing with excitement
90 What have you got, Charley q
asked.
- Sugar" he replied.
N was just what we wanted for our
coffee.
g. Where is it p the Sergeant asked.
81 got up and felt OF his pockets, but
there was nothing there. We pulled oil
his cap, fancying that it might be tucked
away over bis head. But We could not
find II. :,
"a quiet but confident air remained
upon his features. After we had blessed
him, soldier fashion, for lying, he turned
his musket upside down and poured
pound or more Of sugar ont of its barrel
: II was the only way ! could get away
with if, he said, for they searched us
when we came off guard
"On the next morning there was great
commotion at brigade headquarters.
The brine had been drained from three
pork barrels. A barrel OF molasses bad
run ont upon the ground below the
shanty, and two negroes were scraplng
il M. with visions OF molasses candy be-
fore their eyes. But this was not the
worst. Two holes had been bored into
a rude coffin, containing the remains OF
the son of prominent official who had
been killed in n previous engagement.
1.-The corpse had been wrapped In
blanket and buried near by, and his
father had come down to get the body
before warm weather set in. / felt badly,
but nv sorrow was tempered when re-
membered that the sergeant had done
the boring in that part OF the shanty
where the coffin rested. "
WIVES OF PROMINENT MEN.
How often do we hear of the wives Of
prominent New Workers? At times
they appear before the public eye, but.
as a rule, they are either overshadowed
by the genius of the husband or retiring
in their disposition, and to most persons
even their names are unknown. Who,
for example, ever heard Of Mrs. Cyrus
w. Field, wife OF the man who laid the
Atlantic cable ? Yet she 10 charming
Lady Bountiful. mother in Israel, who
is never so happy as when surrounded
by her husband ana children and grand
children. She has been all over the
globe, has collected rare bric-d-brnc,
and pictures in Europe and
Asia including China and Japan, and
speaks several languages, but finds
her greatest comfort in tho society
of few chosen friends and her Own
family. Mrs. Russell Sage, the wife Of
the Millionaire King Of puts and calls,
shines chiefly as n practical phllan-
thropist. Although nearly seventy
wears old, she is woman of commanding
presence. She lives plainly and simply
within the walls of palatial home on
Fifth avenue and is n patroness OF nearly
all the charitable organizations connect
ed with the Presbyterian church OF
which she is n member. Another wo-
man who donates much time and money
TO charities is Mrs. Elliott f. Shop
ard. the eldest daughter of the late
William II. Vanderbilt. She Is also q
popular society woman. Her family
consists of four daughters and one
son. Louise, the oldest daughter, made
her debW in society two seasons ago.
Mrs. Shepard entertains with princely
hospitality at her mansion in Fifth ave-
nue.. She recently contributed over
$3.50. 900 TO the Young Woman's Chris
tian Association. Mrs Charles Pratt,
wife of the Brooklyn millionaire and
philanthropist, works hand in hand with
her husband in charitable matters. She
ont deserving cases and draws
on him for what she pleases. Mrs.
Whitelaw Reid, wife of Horace Greeley s
successor. the present Minister to
France, is the daughter OF Da-
RUS o. Mills. the wealthy finan-
cier. When at homo Mrs. Reid,
with her husband and two children, live
in the palace at Madison avenue and
Fiftieth street, which her father pur-
chased from Henry Willard for SiOO,OOO
and gave to her rs a wedding present
Mrs. Reid shines in society when she
cares 10 devote much time to it, which
ia seldom. She entertains charmingly
at home. and has undoubtedly ere this
won many new and fast friends in Paris.
FUN AMONG TUE WIRES.
Glow does life go here ?"
"By electricity"
That's the answer | got when | had
strolled into tho main Office Of the Pos
tai Telegraph Company the other day
and commenced talking with a pretty
young lady operator.
That's doubtless very explicit to an
but to me it eliminates no
thing Of the darkness. Do you manage
TO enjoy yourself bit as you 60 along ?
Tell me all about II"
"Mv own work is somewhat monoto-
nous, as | work n Philadelphia duplex,
and most of my messages are stock quo
tations. By way Of parenthesis 1t is
generally very easy to tell whether a
man or woman is handling the keys, for
the touch is so different. But there arc
women who have such a firm touch as to
deceive the most expert. Now, hap
pen to be one of that class. The other
dav one of the Philadelphia operators
"a new MANI called and L answered.
Said he:
." Sine
al sined J. K"
"'Then we had this conversation
"'Helloa, is that you, Jack, old boy 2
"'Yes helloa yourself
"'How's Nom 2
$50. well; pretty we'll didn't
know Nom from a bunch Of beeta
Flows MONS foot
$50, getting along; able to DO
around