The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-04-03

| four out of the seven battles that took
place before Richmond. AS soon as
possible after the fight at Malvern
Hill I went to Richmond, preparatory
to going home. Upon my arrival in
the city I procured new suit Of
clothes. They were carried to the
Spottswood Hotel, being afraid to
carry them myself for reasons known
to all old soldiers. Upon my arrival
at the hotel I procured room con-
tiguous to bath room. I then OBJ
tanned the services of an old darky,
who stripped me, and then lay me on
the floor Of the bath room, and by the
aid Of Drawn and muscle, soap, towel
and horse brush he succeeded in
getting me back to where nature in
tended [ should be, perfectly clean,
with few slight abrasions Of the
skin. After settling my bill with the
old darky and the hotel clerk [ pre-
pared to go to the railroad station to
embark for home.
The city was in crowded condition
with prisoners and wounded men. As
I walked along the street I gave all
passers-by a wide birth, for I knew
what contact with them meant. To
use an Irish bull, I was now rid Of a
bosom friend, who stood to my back.
Upon my arrival at the depot was
doomed to disappointment. No one
was allowed to go upon the trains but
those who were wounded. Now here
was the chance for one of two things
for to get home I was determined.
Now would I start to walk it, (several
hundred miles) or should I play the
wounded soldier y? By. doing the lat
ter I kept some poor fellow back, but
about that time I did not think that
anyone could possibly want to 60
home worse than myself. My mind
was made up, I would play the wound
ed soldier. I at once went to car
penter shop, limping badly, and got
the carpenter to make me a pair Of
crutches. 1 had already procured me
yard of white cloth, and after swath-
ing my foot in the same I again start
ed for the depot, badly wounded
soldier. After some difficulty in get
ting through the crowd, thinking all
the time about my chances of again
forming acquaintance with the pets, l
obtained ticket and seat in the car,
which was literally crowded with
wounded men. I retained my crutches
until 7 reached Wilmington, N. c.,
when I gave them to poor fellow,
whom I knew needed them worse than
1 did.
In due season I arrived at home, to
the great joy of my wife and little
ones. The next morning after break
fast I was on the floor playing with
my children, two little girls, (there
was baby, but it was asleep.) My
wife, who had been making up the
beds, was now standing in the door
way, apparently stage struck, but after
awhile she managed to exclaim, in
perfect horror, ''Mr. Beck, for gra-
cious sake do come here, quick Oh,
my do come p Well, I went, e1-
pecting to see that woman 8 greatest
horror, mouse but no, it was not
mouse this time. Poor woman There
she stood. one hand to her forehead,
the other to the bed. Horror of hor-
rors what did my eyes behold ?
There upon that beautiful snow-white
sheet was something about the size
and bearing crude resemblance to
grain Of unhulled rice. It was NOV
ing about in an uncertain manner,
monarch of all he surveyed" My
wife said, "For gracious sake, what
is it ?" And I said, ''For gracious
sake, what can it be ?" She said it
looked like -: Says I, "Does
it p She says, eyes, but then the
size destroys that theory 1 could
stand it no longer, but broke out in a
big haw-haw laugh, at which my wife
wanted to know if I had lost my SEN
ses. I assured her that had not lost
the sense of feeling at least. [ then
explained to her what it was. With
all the care that I took to steer clear
of them I got a full supply while on
the cars.
While in winter quarters gambling
in all it's various forms was practiced
by the men. In factit had been prac-
ticed to such an extent that general
orders was issued against its continu-
ance. In the order issued itenumera-
ted the different games, even to the
notorious Texas string game. The
next thing we beheld was Texan
riding into camp. Alighting and
hitching his horse he would produce
little box, remove the lid and there
you would behold festive pet. On
the lid Of the box was circle of about
two inches in diameter and then on
the inside of that a smuch smaller
circle. After all the terms Of the
game were entered into you would
reach back, and under the seam of
your neck band, or whatever it was
most convenient at the time, (no
chance for failure, bring out your
little animule, and then place them
both in the inner circle. You now sit
and watch the final results; the one
getting over the outer line first wins
for his owner. 1t is sometimes the
case that the resemblance is so very
close between the contestants that it
becomes necessary to put the least bit
of meal or -four upon the back of one
of them to tell the difference and avoid
all mistakes. "That man is bad
man who has not within him the power
of hearty laugh.
A PREsENTIMENT
After the battle of Gaines's Mills,
one of the fights in the seven that
took place near Richmond, we were
encamned upon the field. when before