Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-09-24
PLEASING REMIsCENCEs.

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PLEASING REMISCENCES.
Who does not remember with kindly
feeling Mr.. Albert Ashby, with his ge-
NAL smile and his budget of harmless
gossip; and the satisfaction it always
gave him to be the first to hear and tell
''the news?"
The old man in his younger days was
rather wild, over-fond of his pipe and
glass. On one occasion he and the fa-
nous wag, Bill Kennerly, were at a
dinner party given to newly married
couple by old Capt. Chunn. Both were
full of "wine and wassail." When din
ner was announced they took seats at
the lower end of the table where their
condition would not be noticed, Ken
nerly cautioning his friend to be quiet
and nobody would know his condition.
Both were busily eating, Dir. Ashby
helping himself freely to dish of chick
en-salad, which was in front of him.
Presently Bill Kennerly touched AL
bert and whispered "Albert, you must
ask the bride to have something down
this way, or she will feel sighted" :"
Looking up suddenly, as was his wont
sometimes, he said cousin Maudy,
won't you have some of these here
cvmlinqs 2n There now," whispered
Bill, ''they will know you are tight, for
whoever heard of cymlings IN Febru-
ary ?"
This same Bill Kennerly is said to
have written the account for the Balti-
more San, of Paris being buried twenty
feet under the snow, and the account
was so graphic and well-told, that the
Mayor of Baltimore called on Mr.. VIM.
Kendall, who was then in Baltimore
from Paris. offering to send contribu-
tions to the sufferers. kennerly used
to be great sportsman, and still keeps
fine dogs on hand. On one occasion he
and DR.. Fauntleroy, of Leesburg, were
hunting partridges; and FaCntleroy
constantly suspected and accused Bill
of steal his birds, which, of course, Bill
promptly denied. Some time after this
Bill was taken very i'll with cramp collie
and Discriminatory happened to be n
the house. Poor Bill racked with pain
and agony became alarmed, and asked
the doctor if he thought he would die.
The doctor knew he could soon relieve
him, but with most serious face, said:
Yes, Bill, am afraid you are in bad
way; and if you have anything on your
mind, / would advise you to tell it at
once; and while there is time, would
like you to tell me truth about those
birds. Didn't you get good many OF
mine ?n Bill said "Yes, doctor, did,
aud am sorry for it, "That's all
right, Bill" quoth the doctor, ''you will
be all right in few minutes; / knew
you had to believe you were dying be-
fore could get the truth out of YOU"
Doubtless some may remember Ben.
Harrell. He belonged to Capt. Plaster's
cavalry company 9th Va. who said: "IfI
ever git killed, it will be by a ransom
bullet :" and the boys thought so too.
Aud the boys tell this joke on Ser
geant Barbee-they used to call him
Coon" One one occasion when per-
simmon or sweet potato brandy was
FIVE dollars half.pint in "Confed," he
had only one five dollar bill. He in
vested this in "commissaries," and in
vited the Adjutant outside the camp to
''take a little;;" and to his horror the
Adiutant drank the whole half-pint,
and poor Sergeant B. had neither
brandy nor money-and he was so dry.
And don't the boys remember when
DR.. G. went to call on the young ladies
in the Valley, and twas not fou***; but
just drappit in my ee''-and commenc-
ed pulling away at a grapevine run
ming over the front porch, thinking it
was the door bell ,Uire.
And when Sing Rust got turlough
for three weeks to go home and get
married and stayed sir; and went to
report to General VIM. II. Payne, ON
his return to his company. the General
being mad enough to order him to be
shot. And when the General very
sternly said: "Rust, why did you do
this? You never did so before;;" Rust
falteringly answered: mo, General, l
never got married before" The Generals
wrath was disarmed, and he babe Rust
go to his company and behave himself.
And do the boys remember when
John Nosy Pearson stole whole cook
irg stove on the Beverly raid and tried
to carry it off on his horse?
And Billy A. Stevenson that genial
and gentlemanly Irishman who used to
live in Upperville. When discussing
duelling in general, about the time
duel was talked OF between Col. Mosby
and Capt. Payne, he said to Thos. NJ.
Latham, well, Thomas, my dear boy,
1 would never fight q duel, unless 1
| could be at least ten steps nearer my
adversary than he was to me-"
On another occasion was at a din
ner party at Mr.. Douglas Tyler's in
Loudoun, and Mr.. Stevenson and Mr..
Nathan Loughborough were discussing
the probabilities of Professor Wise be-
ing able to cross the ocean in balloon.
Mr.. Stevenson taking the ground that sa
there would not be the slightest diff
Guilty in the trip. Mr.. Loughborough
said !: why, Stevenson, suppose he
should encounter cyclone, what would
he do?" Cyclones were rather .sle,c
then, we being used to cali big wind
storms 'tornadoes.''D Stevenson, with
his face beaming with good cheer,
promptly replied: "Why, Nathan, my
boy, ell he would have to do,would be
just to drop his graphing hook and an
chor to it." | can almost hear now the
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