Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-24
FUN AND COURT-MARTIALs.
The Light Battery Having q Good
Time mt MARSHALL Hall.

Correspondents Of The Evening Star.
CAMP j. H. GRIFFfTHS,
MARSHALL HALL, Nd,
August q. 1893.
Last night and this morning our camp
was visited for the second time by good
hard rain. The thunder roared and the
wind blew, while the rain drops battered In
quick succession our canvas covers
Luckily for light battery A, Uncle Sam
tents are made of good material and with
stood the storm excellshtly. The plate
printers Of the government printing office
ran a chartered excursion to Marshall Hall
last night The Manchester was loaded down
with attractive young ladies. but as luck
would have II there was profusion OF ele-
gantly attired gentlemen in attendance.
There Is an old saying. however. that any
thing in brass buttons takes. and its truth
was fully evidenced during the dance last
evening.
A jocose crowd gathered in camp after
taps, and while the corporal Of the guard
was inspecting the picket line went In
search OF our custodian of watermelons.
He had been disturbed the preceding night,
and was not in his tent
A search of the unOccupied shelters In
camp was then made, and in one Edward
was found. stretched at full length in a
peaceful slumber.
Drivers Nilsson and Longley, two OF the
biggest men with US, gently lifted the cot
and started out But Edward sleeps with
one eye open, SO to speak, and soon had the
n
action and then the yell of terror which he
emitted aroused everything in the neighbor-
hood. The improvised stretcher was easily
and hurriedly lowered-you know the center
of gravity was Immediately under the col
lapsing mass-and a disorderly retreat en-
sued. After some hesitation the victim Of
ungrateful man proceeded again to the en-
joyment of his blanket. but, after some ar
gument by First Sergeant Quackenbush.
was induced to go with that estimable gen.
tleman on a prospective raid Of a certain
Mr.. Hayseed's melon field. The plan was
that the two foragers should slip out with
out being seen They were preceded. how
club. and on arriving just opposite a desert
ed graveyard In the vicinity were dumb
founded by the explosion of a blank cart
ridge
The sergeant was up and gone in the
twinkling Of an eye, and Edward with
eyes ''a-rollin' " saw half a dozen figures in
white uniform approaching: He is sensi-
BILE and In this case his judgment was
largely assisted by wholesome fear Of
ghosts. There are some good runners In
the battery; but the chase was q long one
Now. Ed Is very practical. and supposing
he would be fined for losing his head
DRESS dress r., halted ate ghosts Or no ghosts; and
ment was seized by the white objects.
Such bowls of horror and distress as he
mortal man. He did more praying in one
minute than the average dying man does
In an hour. While marching him toward
of resurrecting corpse buried during
the late war, the prisoner broke loose and
was OFF with the wind. Another hard chase
night doctors bound their man hand and
foot and proceeded to hold special consul
tation. Somehow or other Edward man
aged to slip out his knife and cut the ropes
that bound him. Again he was running
like a deer, but Driver Nilsson proved
lighter on his feet than was expected. The
extra session. like many other meetings
known by that name, ended In doing moth
ing and letting the subject go at large.
The cemetery lay between the mob and
camp. and the man who had been so anx-
ious to take his departure decided to make
the journey with the boys. In the mean
time several had slipped away. and as the
/ rumbling sound was heard. AS the party
\ came closer the noise increased In volume
until thoroughbred spiritualist like Ed
/ ward might we'll be frightened. All hands
! broke in disc -der and ran for their lives.
The man to brighten whom all this noise
he was not only running from spooks, but
also from his white friends, his strides
were longer and quicker than any ones
else. The boys CONSIDERABLY decided that
enough skylarking had been done for one
night and adjourned until morning.
| At o'clock reveille was sounded and the
T IN mn men detailed to guard the camp TO-
| day were: Lieut. Robbins. officer of the day
Sergt. Tappan. sergeant of the guard
| Corp. Gooding, corporal of the guard; pri-
Yates. Worch. Athgon. Martin and Hutch.
| ms.
The morning was well taken up A bur.
lesque court martial was in order. Capt.
| Forsberg ordered the corporal Of the guard
to place last nights victim under arrest
When that had been done Bugler Biondi
| sounded assembly and the men quickly re-
spended. thinking perhaps the fifty thou
sand unemployed workmen who threatened
to besiege the national capital were al
ready in the vicinity of their beloved homes
Some appeared in their shirt sleeves and
others In uniform. but all came. Capt
silent as death. solemnly announced that
| Edward Cramp was to be tried forthwith
on charges to be preferred by First Sergt
| The prisoner was then brought into the
| captains tent. where court was being held
and ordered to make himself comforta BILE
hard to do as told. but managed to reach
mother earth five times before his ef-
forts were rewarded with any kind Of sue.
cess.
When he had quieted down. the "Quack'
stood up and. In obedience to the court. be
gan recitation of his downward tramp
from the Christian standard He began BY
saying that he had, previous to making
the prisoners acquaintance. been a good
regularly and doing all in his power to fol
low in the footsteps of the many good
men who had preceded him across the dari
river-you know Jackson City Is just acros:
the dark Potomac flood. He further charged
that the gentleman being tried had taker
The court here demanded the age of VIII
ness. Answer: Nineteen.
Lieut. Robbins then desired to know how
many times he had been married, and wa.
solaced by the reply nine times" TIL,
lieutenant emitted long, low whistle, anC
held his peace during the proceedings tina
followed.
: Witness was then directed to proceed
well" said he, my conscience has beef
troubling ne Of late, and the watermelon
pointed out by my former friend did no
agree with my tender stomach" BY tn,
way, the sergeant chews tobacco. Las
night had determined to put a stop to mi
association with this sinful individual, bu
he forced his company upon me and in
duced me to accompany him on an expedi
ton to a neighboring melon patch. Agail
my digestion was at fault and in compli
ance. I concluded to demand court o
inquiry, and, knowing the justice and fair
mindedness Of your honor and the gentle
men present. feel sure of pardon for m
many and grievous offenses. and pray o
the court a punishment for this man whic
will cause him to cease forcing his annoy
ing companionship into my young life"
During all this time Edward was turnin
lighter and lighter. until, when the witnes
sat down. he was as white as a sheet o
paper. The prisoner was then given permits
sion to defend himself with the assistanc
of Saddler Sergt. Fry. But the sergean
arose and stated that, since his arrival Il
camp, he had missed some nails and har
ness grease. and having seen his ellen
oiling several pairs of boots, his conscienc
him na to FTs as his opinion tina
In reply to a question OF the court. tn
accused jumped from his seat of luxur,
and, carefully brushing the seat of hi
trousers began: Deed. sab, has sumpi