Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1895-01-05

was his faithful cook, body servant and
waiter-three gentlemen in one-the
general invited several officers to dine
with him on that day. The lucky re-
cipicnts of the timely invitation were
five in number, all officers of distinc-
tion, among them Gems. Longstreet,
Gordon and kershaw. They were all
on time when the dinner was called.
1t was served on rough pine table,
without q cover, in Gen. Lees wealth
er-beatcn tent. 1t consisted of n boiled
cabbage and eight or ten boiled sweet
potatoes and dish of rice, cooked
dry. The piece de resistance, which,
indeed, the lsnightly guests found it
hard to resist. was a small bit of fat
bacon, about three inches square, that
lay on top of the large cabbage. New,
bacon was us rare in the confederate
camp at that time as are roses on the
northern hilltops in December. You
can imagine, therefore, the vast
amount of sclf-rcstraint exercised by
each guest, as they declined in turn
slice of the dclcctable meat, proffered
by their host, who held the carving
knife and fork ready to cut and help.
eral, after helping to the cabbage, said
to the guest whose plate Ephraim
held out: ALLOW me to help you to
slice of the bacon?" the devoted old
servitor's hand trembled greatly; in
fact, he seemed to be in state of de-
cided fright. The high military rank
of the guests would not account for
his trcpidation, for he daily served
near n master who outranl1ed them
all. There was no splendor left in the
tracery of faded gold lace on their
battle-stained uniforms TO dazzle his
eyes and cause them to roll about and
glance from bacon to guest, and from
guest to bacon, as each answered the
half question with the words: mo,
thank you, general" The discom-
posure of the serving man was all the
more striking from its contrast with
the serene, self-poised dignity of his
benign master
Dinner over, the general and his
guests retired from the tent, but as
they passed out Gen. Lee turned back
and said in low tone: "Ephraim, we
have another cabbage, have we not?"
The answer was: Yes, sab, Mass
Bob. Wes got anudder cabbage, sab. Z"
"Then, Ephraim," said the general,
-'save the piece of bacon to cook with
the other cabbage"
The prompt and decisive reply was:
"No. sab, Mass Bob, | can't do dat!
jis' borrow dat piece OBJ bacon for sea-
sonin' from friend ober dar in Rich
mon, and done glib up my parole of
honah dat I'll glib him back dat same
bacon what borrow"
The general, who could not be par
ty to any mans violation of his parole
OF honor. consented at once to the re-
turn of the bacon that had SO success
fully run the gauntlet of six hungry
dinners. He must have reflected, too,
on the extremity of his fortunes that
led to tho borrowing of part of his
Christmas dinner, on the hard condf-
tiou that it should be returned un-
touched. His New Years dinner was
still more meager, should judge, from
what he indicated 20 Gen. Grant on
the following day.
A flag of truce had been sent into the
confederate lines, with an inquiry re-
Earding union officer who had been
wounded and taken prisoner, and the
officer who bore it, after stating its
object, said: Gen, Lee, am directed
by Gen. Grant to give you his compli-
mcnts, and to sag that he is thoroughly
informed as to all your movements, and
that he even knows whatyo had for
dinner yesterday"
Gen. Lee took the pleasantly in good
part and answered.; please, captain,
present my compliments to Gen. Grant.
and say that must doubt the correct.