Connecticut western news., 1894-09-27
CHICKEN AND HONEY.
A FoRAGING EXPEDITION OF ONE
 MAN IN THE WINTER OF 1868.

Uncle Joe, Who Was '-Capn" Then, Liked
 His Chicken Do.e Brown.
 Ut was a wretched night back in 1s63," said Uncle Joe.
 Uncle Joe's stories of the war were things to be looked forward to and re- membered- He had served during the entire four years as a commissioned off Ger and knew whereof he spoke, having an excellent memory and an inimitably humorous way of telling the adventures of himself and his men.
 Ut was i'll Missouri in the winter of 1868 on a cold raw night that I, the off Ger of the day, prepared about midnight to make, with half a dozen of the guard, what is called the grand round, or, more plainly speaking. the visiting of the soldiers doing picket duty al their different posts We were on short ra- tions, and every man of us, officer or private, longed for good, square meal to brace him up against the raw, damp coldness of tho night AS I was about to spring into my saddle a low voice at my shoulder said:
 "'Cap'n, how would supper of chick en and honey taste?
 "I swung hastily around and beheld the speaker. He was a fellow called Lang, one of our most valuable spies, and in some respects a mighty clever fellow, but in--oh, we'll, I'll let it go by saying that his moral nature had never been overdeveloped- He was short, thiekset man, with twinkling black eyes and otherwise the most thor oughly impassive face 1 ever looked into It was said of him that he would slip into the butternut suit of the rebel and make himself much at home in Lees army He was hail fellow we'll met with all the men and came back to the Union lines possessed of the most invaluable information. He had expe- rienced thrilling adventures and was man of intrepid courage
 'Cap'n, he repeated as he stood be- side me that cold night, how would a supper of chicken and honey taste?'
 Excellent, Lang excellent, re- piled, thinking of our limited supply of smoked meat and hard tack. Have you some?'
 No, but might get some, reckon, if I looked round a bit, he drawled, lag fly kicking up clay with the toe of his boot. I saw immediately that he meant to go out of camp, find farmhouse and help himself. Such things are not un- heard of in the army.
 |" Nonsense, Lang,' said l. You would be killed sure if you went The pickets are on extra sharp lookout to- night, and it's altogether too dangerous You would never come back alive
 With that I sprang into my saddle and rode away, followed by my men.
 "We were gone two or three hours, making the rounds of the pickets. and more miserable ride had seldom talk en. was chilled to the bone and hun gry and my men likewise. AS I rode back toward camp the glow of bonfire in a remote corner caught my eye, and I immediately turned my weary horse toward it Before the cracking heap sat Lang, calmly frying chicken, while at his side reposed hive of honey. He looked up and smiled grimly.
 Supports most ready, cap'n,' he said, touching his apology for a cap. Make yourselves to home, gentlemen. [.
 |" Lang, said sternly, didn't tell you not to go?
 No, cap'n, he replied as he con- tinued to cut up the plump fowl in his hand; you didn't say couldn't go, al- though, if I remember correctly, you didn't exactly advise it on the score of its being dangerous, but man what led the life have ain't goin to let a little thing like that stop him when he's hungry, and he held toward me the plump leg of a chicken nicely Drowned.
 Hang. said I. tell me how you did it.
 No very great matter, he replied, proceeding with his culinary art When you'd gone, walks along quiet to the outpost and finds a picket walkin up and down like he owned the earth, so l Hops down on my stomach alongside a fence. Bein dark night, as 1t is, MT. Picket comes along and don't suspect that fence so of much as harborin a mouse. Minute he gets half a rod away over that fence I goes lightninlike and takes scoot into some woods close
 
 "'Go on, said I, with my mouth full of chicken and honey.
 Lang continued: You see, know this country mighty we'll. so I makes tracks for a farmhouse close by where they keeps plenty of chickens When I opens the gate to go in, along comes a dog. We'll, cap'n, that's the only dog ever met with that I couldn't either scare or make friends with. No. sir, that dog wouldn't take no stock in bluffs, so I whips out my revolver and lays him out. At that up goes win dow, and a man begins to yell to find out who's there. Put your head inside that window and keep it there, or I'll knock it of for you," says L ''Now Jim," I continues, "you just watch that window, and if the fellow sticks his head out don't wait to be ceremo- niouslike, but just fire. Pm goin to get some chicken and honey" Course there wasn't no Jim along. but that fellow in the house had to be kept out of the way; so, being dark night, l just bluffed him about there being more than just me around. You bet he keeps his head inside, and goes to tho chick en house and helps myself to some plump young codgers, and takin beehive on the other shoulder makes tracks for the camp the way l come.
 Have piece of the breast, cap'n. That's done particular brown. the way you like it. ''-Chicago Post It is said that 200, 900 books have