Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-09-27
A WARTIME ACCOUNT.
How 1t Was Started Between Enomies and
Settled Between Friends.

How 1t Was Started Between Enomies and
Settled Between Friends.
Gen. Louis Wagner, OF Philadelphia,
is conspicuous figure at grand army
reunions. On such occasions he some
times exhibits TO his comrades a time
worn confederate "shinplaster" Of the
denomination OF twenty dollars.
Scrawled across the back Of the bill In
large flowing handwriting is written
in ink the autograph of an eN-confed-
ate colonel II the genial general
happens so feel in the right mood he
will smooth that dog-eared old shin
plaster" out on table, remove the big
I So hat from the dome-lilse brow
that crowns his fertile brain and tell
you good story about the Shin
plaster" and the dome-like brow.
Gen. Wagner few years ago was
the director of public works in Phila-
delpha. lie was the first man to en-
Joy the honors and emoluments of the
position after it was created by the
Bullet bill charter und which the
Quaker municipality is now governed.
1t happened that during one of the
summer months Of his incumbency
lot Of Piclsett's Virginia veterans
came north, accompanied by Gen
Pickett's widow and on the field of
Gettysburg, where they had made
their immortal charge, they held a
reunion and fraternized with the boys
of Webbs Philadelphia brigade, who
had so CALAMITY met and repulsed
their impetuous assault They
clasped hands over 1.-THE Bloody Angle"
and held prolonged mutual admira-
ton society on the spot where they
had once fought hand to hand Doing
the fraternizing act" was the way Gen,
Wagner characterized it, for he isn't so
much given to post-bellum sentiment
as are some of his fellow veterans.
The Pickett survivors, accompanied
by their wives and daughters, were
shown all the sights in Philadelphia,
too, among them the big white marble
elephant that blockades Broad and
Market streets-the city hall. Gen.
Wagner was sitting there in state in
his official capacity. As he was intro
duced to the various members of the
Virginia party a gray-haired, but dap
per little eX-colonel stepped forward
and grasped Gen, Wagner's hand effu-
,sively.
80 this is Gen. Louis Wagner" said
the petite ex-colonel, and then with a
bow he produced from his wallet an
old twenty-dollar confederate bill,
and, holding it toward the general, he
said, in a tone loud enough to be heard
by the entire party: General, your
name is very familiar to me, and
have long owed You debt which
have never heretofore had the oppor-
tunity to cancel. Permit me to cancel
it now. | think this sum will about
square the affair"
Pardon me-" Gen. Wagner retorted,
pleasantly, "but really cannot accept
this note as collateral security unless
it bears your personal Endorsement,
colonel"
Certainly" said the Virginian, en-
tcring into the spirit of the peasantry,
and Selling pen from the generals
desk, he inscribed his autograph across
the back Of the bill and returned it
with another profound bow
"And now, colonel" said Gen. Wag-
ner, "since our little debt is so pleas
antly cancelled, you must be kind
enough to tell me how in the world
you came to be my debtor"
Nothing easier" said the little colo
mel. Don't you remember during the
Wilderness fight, that in certain
slsirmish your lines were driven back
one day, and our boys occupied your
camp and captured your headquarters
tent along with it?"
Eyes, regret to say that do re-
member that distinctly" the general
admitted with just shadow of cha
grin.
"Well," the little colonel went on,
and by this time every one present
was listening, lit happened that it