The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1894-08-23
CHICKEN AND HONEY,
A FoRAclNG EXPEDITION OF ONE
MAN IN The WINTER OF 1863.

MAN IN The WINTER OF 1863.
Lang Knew the Country and Also Humaa'
Nature, For Ills Littie s3luR Worked.
Uncle Joe, Who Was 'Cap'n" Then, Liksf
His Chicken Dcpe Brown.
ct was wretched night back in
lSG3,'' said Uncle Joe
Uncle Joo's stories Of the war were
things to be looke;, forward to and re-
ne,nbered. Ee had served during the
entire focr years as a commissioned off,
Ger and knew whereof he spoke. having
an excellent memory ard an inimitably
humorous way CT telling tie adventures
Of himself and his men. =
''It was in Missouri III the winter Of
1863 on a cold raw night that /, the Off
Ger Of the cay, prepared about midnight
to make, with half dozen OF the guard,
what IS called the grand round or;
more plainly speaking, the visiting Of
the soldiers doing picket duty at their
different posts. We were on short ra-
tions, ard every man of rs, officer or
private, longed for good, square meal
to brace him up against the raw, damp
GOODNESS Of tic night As / was about
to spring Into my saddle low voice at
my shoulder said:
'Cap'n, how would a supper Of chick
en- and honey taste?'
81 swUlg hastily around and behel&
the speaker. He was a fellow called
Lang, one of our most valuable SPIES,
and ia somo respects mighty clever
fellow. but in-oh, well, I'll let it 60
by saying that his moral nature had
never been overdeveloped. He was a
short, thickset man, with twinkling
black eyes and otherwise the most thor
oughly impassive face I ever looked
into It was said of him that he would
slip into the butternut suit of the rebel
and make himself much ct home In
Lees army. he was hail fellow we'll
met with all the men and came back to-
the Union lines possessed CT the most
Invaluable information. he had expe--
rierced thrilling adventures and was a.
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 cur limited supply
of smoked meat and hard tack. Have
ecu some?'
No, but might get some, reckon.
If locked round a bit, he drawled, laz--
lily kicking up clay with the toe of his
boot. I saw Immediately that he meant
to 60 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
piokets 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
a more miserable ride had seldom talk
en-. was chilled to the bone and hum
CRY and my men likewise. As I rode
back toward camp the glow Of a bonfire
in remote corner caught my eye, and
I Immediately turned my weary horse
toward it. Before the cracking heap
sat Lcrg, calmly frying chicken, while
at his side reposed hive of honey. He
looked up and smiled grimly.
IS 'Supper's most ready, cap'n,' he
said, touching his apology for a cap.
Make yourselves to home, gentlemen. 9
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 reInanlber correctly, you
didn't exactly advise it ON the score Of
its being dangerous, but man what's
led the life I have amt goin to let .
little thing like that stop him when
he's hungry and he held toward me-
the plump leg of chicken nicely
Drowned.
Lang said !, 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 ard flnds a picket walkin up
and down like he owned the earth, so T
fops down en- my stomach alongside o
fence. Boin q Ozark night. % it is, Mr..
Picket cones along and don't suspect
that fenco SO OF much as harborin .
monse. Mfnute be gets half a rod away
over that fsIco goes lightninlike.
and takes g scoot into some woods close
by aud then gees about my business
"'Go on, said ], with my mouth full
OF chicken and honey.
''Lang continued: You see. know
this country mighty well. SO / makes
tracks for o farmhouse close by where
they keeps plenty OF chickens. When +
opens the gate TO go IL, along comes q
dog. Well, cap'n, that's tho only cog I
ever met with that couldn t either
scare CT make friends with. No, sir.
that dog wouldn't take no stock III
blatss, so whips out my revolver and
lays him ont. At that up goes VIM
dow, and man begins to yell to find
out who's There. Put your head inside
that window and keep it there, or III
knock it CT for you," gays L Now
JIM" l continues, yen Just watch
that window, and il the fellow sticks
his head ous don't wait to be cexsmo>
niousiiko, Int just firc. I'm goin To-
get some chicken aud honey" Course
there wasn't no Jim along, but that
fellow in the house had TO be kept out
OF the way; 50, being dark night, /
Just bluffed him about there being more
than Just ne areanii. You bet he keeps
his lead inside, and l gees to the chick
81 house and helps myself to some plump
young dodgers. and takin beehive
on the other shoulder makes tracks for
the Carp the way come.
:" Have piece of the breast, eap'n.
That's dono particular brown, the way
you like it. ''-Chicago Post.
r1 Z, .o;1 4hat o0n onn b<,,Lo kawA