The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1894-02-07
GENERAL LEES CHRISTMAS FARE.
There Were Cabbage aud bacon, but the
Bncon Was Only borrowed.


Bncon Was only borrowed.
As the fortune of war has favored his
larder. through some slilllul furaging
of Ephraim, Il negro. who was his iaith-
ful cook. bodyservHnt aud walter
three gentlemen i'm one-Geueral Lee
invited several officers to dine with him
on Christmas day. 1851 The lucky
recipients of the timely invitation were
Eve I'm number, all officers of distiuc-
tion. among them Generals Longstreet,
Gordon and Kcrshaw They were all
on time when the dinner was called. IL
was served on n rough pine table. with
out cover. in General Leo's weather
beaten tent II consisted Of boiled cab
hage, and eight on ten boiled sweet po-
tatuus and dish of rice cooked dry.
The piece de resistance, which indeed
the knightly guests found it hard 10
resist. was n small bit of fat bacon,
about inches square. that lay on top Of
the large cabbage. Now, bacon was as
rare IN the Confederate camp ut that
timu as are roses on the northern hill
tops in December. You can imagine.
therefore, the self restraint exercised
by each guest as they declined IN tuIn a
slice of the delectable meat proffered
by their host, who held the carving knife
and fork ready to cut and help.
II was observed that when the gem
eral after helping to the cabbage, said
tc the guest whose plate Ephraim held
out, ALLOW me to help you to slice
of tho bacon?' tho devoted old servi-
tors hand trembled greatly. In fact,
hc seemed to be in a state of decided
fright. The high military rank of tho
guests would not account for his trepi-
dation, for no daily served near mas
ter who outranked them all. There
was no splendor left in the tracery of
faded gold lace Oh their battle stained
uniforms to dazzle his eyes and cause
them to roll about nrd glance from ba-
con to guest, and from guest to bacon,
as each answered the half question with
the words, mo, thank you, general"
The discomposure of tho serving man
was all the more striking from its con-
trast with the serene, self poised dig
nifty of his benign master.
Dinner over, the general and his
guests retired from the tent, brt as they
passed out General Leo tni ned and said
in low tone. "Ephraim, we have an
other cabbage, have we noti"
The answer was, YES, sab, Mass
Bob. We's got anudder cabbage, sab.
"Then, Ephraim, said tho general,
save the piece Of bacon 10 cook with
that cabbage"
The prompt and decisive reply, "No,
sab, Mass Bob, [ can't 10 dat! | Jis
borrow dat piece of bacon II scasonin
from friend ober dar in Rich,non. aud
done glib up my parole oh hohOr dat
I'll glib him back dat same bacon what
| borrow"
The general, who could ret DO party
70 any mans violation of his parole of
honor, consented at once To tho return
of the bacon that had SO successfully
run the gantlet of sis hungry diners.
He must have reflected, too, on the eX-
tremity of his fortunes that led to the
borrowing of part of his Christmas
dinner on the herd condition that it
should be returned untouchcd. His
New Years dinner was still more mea-
ger. judge, from what nc indicated TO
General Grant next day.
A flag of truce had been sent into the
Confederate lines with an inquiry re-
garding Union officer who had been
wounded and taken prisoner, and the
officer who bore it, after stating its OBJ
Ject, said, General Lee, | am directed
by General Grant to give You his com
pliments and 10 say that he is thor
oughly informed as to all your move
ments, and even knows what you had
for dinner yesterday"
General Lee took the pleasantly in
good part and answered, please, cap
tain, present my compliments TO Gen
eral Grant and say that must doubt
the correctness of his information, for
know him to be n humane man, and
il he had known what l had for my
/ dinner he would have sent mo part of
his own. louisville Courier Journal.