Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-07-07
WAX "REMINISCENCES.
THE CHARACTERISTICS STORY.
He Broke Gp Quite Poker Game and
Gained q Cheese.

He Broke Up Quite a Poker Game and
Gained Cheese.
Il was a snowy day outside. almost
blizzard the smoking
room down in the basement of the home
was well patronized on this dismal De
cember day. Billiards, pool. and the
card tables were surrounded by players
and spectators, while over all hung y
blue cloud Of smoke from countless
pipes. Every pipe ever invented by
Yankee genius, or dreamed of by a jol-
" Dutchman, was here represented
stone, clay, briar-root, genuine and
imitation meerschaum. down to the
celebrated Andy jackson corn cob, >
the favorite of all soldiers. AS usual,
there were to be seen in cosy corner
next the steam pipes, a goodly crowd Of
vets assembled. listened with the great
est interest to an ex-quartermaster,
who related the following war anec-
dote:
Il belonged TO the Acorn 90 corps,
Blue Acorn division, commanded by
Baird. We We're named the Acorn corps
because we lived on roasted acorns
when we had nothing better 10 fill up
on: that is. during acorn season. you
known. Well, guess you ali recollect
when we started on that devil-may-care
sort of march, from Raleigh, North
Carolina. TO Washington, by way of
Richmond. The war being over, we
naturally felt kind of 'rambunctious;'
all wanting TO get home; everybody
laying all sorts of plans; some building
castles in the air, some being happy in
the firm belief that Sara Jane and Mol
lie hadn't gone back on 'em.
i was a jolly boy then, and full of
pranks Mother used to say, Hiram,
you'll always be boy if You live till
you're as old as Methuselahr and /
reckon she was right, for ! am boy
yet"
y suppose YOU all remember when
we were at James river opposite Rich
mond, waiting to get over, while Billy
Sherman was iawing with old HalleclI
about whether the 'bummeGs' should
wear white gloves on review before him
or not: for you well know that Sherman
had about as little use for Gen. Halleck
as an Irishman has for an niger.
Il was awful restless one night, and
strayed out for walk about II o'clock.
In rambling round the camp l accident
ally came across the commissary,s
large tent, where a bright light, con-
trary to all orders was burning.
Gemently,' thinks /, he's got ter
rible gall Good thing he's not in front
of Hood, down on Peachtree creek, or
hewould catch the dickens, sure 'nough.
Curious to know what was goin' on in
side, | drew near the canvass. Well,
boys, as sure as am sitting here, they
We're playing poker! Our major, the
commissary, the surgeon and, by Chris
topher Columbus! our chaplain was
opening Jackpot on pair of queens!
I was so astonished that gave a loud
whistle, forgetting all about where l
was
What do you think happened next,
boys? You'll never guess it! Out went
the light, out bulged the canvas, and
out rolled something in the shape of an
)ld-fashioned wheel barrow wheel,
'hich knocked me out. Yes, as fiat as
a pancake Scared as | was / managed
to scramble up in a great deal quicker
time than you'll imagine. and on exam
ination found Western Reserve cheese,
with the lid knocked off | didn't stop
to inquire about how the game ended,
or who rolled the cheese out, but rails
!, ing my prize out of its she'll / started
for our quarters on the double quick. I
divided even up, and no questions We're
ever asked the quartermaster in regard
to ;t."-Fred. Rogge, in Toledo Blade