davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-02-08
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
A MARROW ESCAPE.

An Incident of the Assault Upon vicks-
burg.
My regiment was attached to Smiths
brigade, Blaire'p division of Grants
army, at Vicksburg. We had made our
assault OF May 10 and were now reform
ing our lines and preparing for another
assault on their works.
Two days had elapsed and we were
ready for our task. On the 22d we were
ordered to occupy one of those waves of
hills that offered such excellent oppo1-
tunities for the defense of Vicksburg.
The crest was about 500 yards in ad.
vance of our artillery line and about an
equal distance from the confederate in
trenchments. We advanced in good or
der and reached the crest with slight
loss and lay down to await orders for
the final assault. AS we lay upon our
backs gazing upward we looked into an
italian sky, cloudless and serene. 1t
was typical Sunny South day.
warm, without discomfort, the air
balmy and fragrant, not leaf stirred,
all nature seemed to be peacefully rest
ing, in strong contrast to the Ioar of
war that was now rending this peace
full vale, only TO be equaled by Heavens
laundering guns when the storm king
is abroad in his power.
Being located midway between our
artillery and that of the enemy, with
the roar of the guns on either side, and
kissing, screaming shot and shells hurt
ling over our heads, made our po-
sition hell of demoniacal sounds, but
SC protected that we carefully listened
to the roar and philosophically contem-
plated the chances of victory or defeat.
Our reverie, however, was soon rudely
aroused by thud and little cloud of
dust but few feet down the hill from
where we lay. Comparatively safe from
the enemy's fire, our blue lines in plain
sight of our gunrers, we confided in the
correctness of their aim. But here
comes shot from our guns-Water-
houses battery --plunging into cur line.
Col. Hoge sent an orderly, ,acquainting
the gunners with their carelessness.
AS the shot had struck but few feet
below where 1 lay, it is needless to say
I watched the further firing of that
gun with interest. Ten minutes elapsed
and shots passed safely over. 1 was
lying resting on my left elbow. Cor
poral Bird, a manly soldier, lay upon his
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-02-08
PRoHiBITloNlsTs TO MEET.
National Convention to Be Held in Pitts
burgh, Pa, May "a.

Pittsburgh, Pa, Feb. 4.-National
Chairman Samuel Dickie, of the pro-
hibition party, has just issued a call
for the national convention, which is
to meet in this city May 81. The basis
of representation has been fixed by the
national committee as follows: Each
state is entitled to four delegates at
large. Each is also entitled TO twice
as many delegates as the number of
congressman to which the state is en-
titled. Each state may send one ad-
ditional delegate for every 1000 votes
or major fraction thereof cast for Bid
well and Cranfill in 1892. Each terri
tory is entitled to two delegates. The
District of Columbia is entitled to two
delegates.
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-02-08

back close to my side. I was watching
instantly the top of tree standing in
hollow about 100 yards in advance of the
gun toppled over.
The activity of the human mind is
phenomenal. In the next few seconds
lived an experience seldom given to
iortals. The gun, tree and myself
,,ere in direct line. The shot, before
Instructed by the tree, had been sufi.
ciently elevated TO go over, but what
now? Would the obstruction lower its
elevation and plunge it into our line?
What is that / see? 1t is coming
straight at mel Like bee in its fight
I see it. What will 1t do-take off an
arm or leg? Will go home to wife
and babies on crutches, or will they
bury me on yonder slope? There was
a whirl of ifs and possibilities about
this life and the next rushing through
my brain. Why not turn over-dodge
it-jump up-anything to get out of
range of coming death? Was doomed
to be q witness of every detail of my
own death? The mind outran the speed
of the cannon ball q thousand times,
but there was not time to telegraph
the danger to the dull muscles for ac-
tion.
In the midst of this mental confusion
there came a heavy spat, tremor OF
the ground, sprinkling of something
warm in my face, and jumped to my
feet unharmed, to look down on the
Imangled form and face struck with
death of the young comrade at my
side. whose LEFT side had been carried
away by q six-pound shot. Observing
that his lips moved, knelt down and
heard the faint words, twice repeated
I"Mother-wateri" and the soul of Cor
lporal Bird, good soldier, a clean
hearted boy, with whom for nearly {
year 1 had touched elbows in line ant
on the march, took it's fight.
We buried him near the fatal tree
that caused the accident, and year
later / furnished detail to exhume hi
body, that it might be laid beside hi
kin at his northern home on the banks
of the beautiful Kankakee.
The death of this young soldier eve
has weird interest for me. VIII,
should it strike him and leave me
Did the fates decree it, or was it TO
some wise purpose of Him who number
the hairs of our heads and notes th
fall of sparrow
I have seen the smile of incredulit.
on the faces of friends while relating
this incident of seeing a cannon-bal
in it's fight. reply know it is true
but I deem 1t possible only to close OF
servers, a strong eye and favorable al
mospheric conditions. doubt If it |
possible in the hazy atmosphere of tn
coast. AT Mobile I watched for min
days, but saw none; at Arkansas Pos
I saw several. The fight of hone
bees far above the tops of trees ha
frequently been observed Shei
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-02-08
THE LAST SALUTE.
It Was Fired by Guns That Were Not
Manned.

lt was c1reo Dy Guns That Woro NOT
Manned.
A curious incident of the closing
scenes of the civil war which has not
been recorded in the books is related
by q correspondent. After Gen. Grant
had received Gen. Lees terms of sur
render at Appomattox and accepted
them, some one-not Gen. Grant-or-
dered the firing of salute of 100 guns
in token of victory. This salute Gen.
Grant quickly stopped, as he wished
that every means should be taken to
spare the sensibilities of the brave men
who had surrendered.
The proceedings went on quietly, and
the surrender had been completed. All
was over, and peace had succeeded war,
when strange and irregular fusillade
of musSetry was heard from the late
| field of battle. More than that, the air
about the field was filled with whistlins
| bullets.
What had caused reopening of hos
tilities? Simply this; The muskets of
the confederate soldiers had been al
lowed to remain stacked on the field.
SO suddenly had the fighting ceased
on the morning of the 9th of April that
thousands of pieces were left loaded.
In some way the dry spring grass on
the field caught fire and the blaze ran
amongst the stacked guns. They were
heated to the point Of explosion and
soon the fusillade began. Most of the
pieces We're pointed upward, and the
bullets rose until their force was spent
and then came down to the ground
Others were pointed at an angle an6
sent their balls far.
On that spot the, ground is to this
day strewn with bullets, and anyon,
may pick them up who will.
This was the only salute which accom-
panied the surrender of Lee.-St. Loui.
-Bachelor--sI am told that mar
ried man canalige on half the incom,
that a single man requires" Marie,
Man-"Yes; he has to."-Town ant
Count-E Journnl
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-02-08
There can he no doubt that tn

-. There can he no doubt that the
vast majority of the people are in favor
of honest money, worth 100 cents to
the dollar. The surest way to convince
all mankind of this is to let n 50-cents-
the-dollar party try its luck. we hope,
therefore, there will be no fiinching or
lodging by the silvcrites, but that they
will stand up and be counted in pres
idential election. Even il the counting
weres tpy be done on their own prin-
ciple of reckoning so votes equal to
100, no one need have any fear of the
rcsult..-N. Y. Post.
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-02-08
Creditors STUCK for 100000.

CHICAGO, Feb. 5.-A capias was issued
yesterday by Judge Clifford for the ar
rest of Albert E. Silverthorne, lum-
ber dealer who disappeared several
weeks ago owing, it rs said, nearly
$3.50, 600. The sheriff has been unable
to locate him and if arrested he will be
required to give $S7, 900 bail. Silver
thorne is charged by creditors with
making false representationsregarding
his financial condition.
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-02-08

mans corps on the march to Join
Grant ut Port Gibson Witnessed a bright
star at MONDAY.
In 1860, in going down into the Platte
valley from O'Fallon's bluffs the writer,
with the natural eye, plainly saw the
garrison flag at Fort Kearney; the dis
tance is said to be six miles.-R. j..
Hanna, in Chicago Inter Ocean.
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-02-08
money for vessel Repairs.

Washington, Feb. 4.-'rhe speaker
laid before the house Monday a COM
munication from Secretary Herbert
requesting an appropriation of $780,
300 to be Immediately available for the
repair and construction of naval yes
sells. The original appropriation for
this purpose is nearly exhausted, but
$4,000 of it remaining for work already
ar to be hereafter authorized.
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-02-08
NOT THE ENEMY's CAMP FIRES
Tho Mistake of n Recruit Whose Imag-
inatIon Was Stimulated.

At the beginning of the war there
were q lot of "raw" soldiers, who,
though ardent fellows and good fight
ers, were not up to the West Point
standard on military matters. AtWar-
renton, Va, one of the new companies
happened to be stationed early in the
conflict, and many were the lessons
that had to be learned by the earnest
but ignorant southerners, who had but
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-02-08
Condition OF the Reserve.

Washington, Feb. 4.-The treasury
Monday lost $l,17S,OOo in gold coin and
S2O, 500 in bars, leaving the true amount
Of the gold reserve S47,792,649.
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-02-08

-Bachelor--'sI am told that mar,
ried man. eanali9e on half the income
that single IMAM requires" Married
Man-"Yes; he has to."-Town and
CountrE journal
Evening star., 1896-10-24

bundles children; and in another moment
there rose up recognizing shrieks and
shouts of Pat" and Molly and then
everybody rushed tumutuously across a
chasm Of half q dozen years.
''They tould us below at Wildly Byrne's
that we'd find yous all up here" said Pat
OFarrell. 80 we left the baby there. and
stepped along. Och. mother, it's younger
you're grown instead of oulder, and that's
a fac"
''And where's the wife. Paudyeen agra?"
said Pats mother: "or maybe she sted be-
low wild the child?'
Mollys mother. Sure you didn't come
your lone?'
why, here he is." said Molly. Pat, man,
wasn't you spakin' to me mother"
"Och whethen now, and Is 1t Pat OFar-
rell?" mis- mother-ir-law said, with half
strangled gasp.
And who else would it be at all. at all,
only Pat?' said Molly. as Ii propounding an
unaswerable argument.
Mercy be among us all-and you never
let on-och. you rogue of the world-you
niver let on. Patsy avic. 1t was little Molly
M'Neill you'd took up wild all the WHILE"
said his mother.
Sure, 1 was vritin' to you all about her
times and agin." Pat averred, stoutly.
Perhaps things might have turned out
differently If people had not been delighted
how could a feud be conducted with any
propriety when Mrs. McNeill had unoro-
testingly been hugged by Pat O'Farrell.
and when old John McNeill and his wife and
daughter were already worshiping a very
fat. small, two-year-old girl, who unmis-
takably featured all the O'Farrells that
ever walked? The thing was impossible.
For one moment. indeed an unhappy
resurrection seemed to be threatened. 1t
was when everybody had got into a circle
around the hearth, in expectation of the
cups of tea, which were beginning, to cla.-
ter in the background, and when Pat
O'Farrell. who was talking over old times
with Nell McNeill. suddenly gave his father
Evening star., 1896-10-24
THE T|GER-SHEEP OF NEIL MCNEIL,
BY JANE BARLOW.
Author of Irish Idylls."
Copyright, 1896. by the Bacheller syndicate.)

ly routed the experimentation sheep.
and two of them whisked up the hillside like
thistledown on brisk breeze; but the
third. who was the ringleader. leaped the
fence with so little judgment that she came
houndering against Timothy, who grasped
her dexterously by the hind legs.
NOW, to catch a Sieve Gowran sheep
alive in the open Is rare and difficult feat,
proverbially impossible, indeed, at Meena-
clure; but Timothy and his brethren were at
loss how they should best turn this
achievement Of 1t to account. They felt
that simply to let the creature go again
would be fiat and improbable result. yet
what else could they do with It? While
they pondered and their captive impotenly
wriggled Hugh suddenly had an inspiration.
1t came to him at the sight of two large
black pots which stood beside smoldering
fre against the white end wall of their lit
tie house To an unenlightened observer
they might have suggested some gypsy en-
campment but Hugh knew they betokened
mat his mother had been dyeing her yarn.
The Widow OFarrell was a great spinner
ana large part Of the wool shorn in the
parish Travelled over her whirring wheel on
It's way to Fergus, the weaver's, loom. A
lew old sacks lying near the fire had con-
Evening star., 1896-10-24
How Ochiltree Did 1t.

FROM tne New 1Ork treSS-
Most of us know Col. Andrew G. Dickin-
son. the accomplished Virginian who does
not like Cleveland because the President
failed to appoint him minister to Spain, an
office which he would have filled with great
dignity and with honor. He used to know
Tom Ochiltree when Tom lived in Texas.
and one night stayed at the same hotel
with him. At reasonable hour they dis
cussed old times, and Tom switched the
conversation deftly to hotel rules.
why, Dickinson, he said, seriously, do
you know that it is impossible to get a
bottle of champagne served in your room
at this hotel?"
"What?' exclaimed Dickinson. who had
all his life been accustomed to having his
way in everything. Not get a bottle of
champagne? I'll bet can do it,
We'll, it's more than any one here yet
has ever been able to do. 1 say it is
against the rules, and can't be DONE
And l say it can be done! BY heavens,
I'll show you. Not get bottle of cham
payne In my own room at any hotel!'
Might do 1t almost anywhere else, but
not here. I've tried 1t too Often
Dickinson sprang for the bell.
A negro boy appeared at the door. Fetch
me quart OF champagne, two large glasses,
some spoons, Angostura bitters and sugar,
and be quick about it. Dye hear?"
The enraged Virginian stormed He had
made up his mind to have that wine. The
boy hastened OF on the wings of the wind.
returning presently to ask what kind of
champagne was wanted.
There, now. what did l tell your said
Ochiltree. That's a way they have of get
ting out of sending it. They'll do you yet
Not by a darned sight" raved Dickin-
son. Fetch me anything, only cham
pagne. Hurry it upr'
Turning to Col. Ochiltree, he said, with a
disdainful smile: Tom, you haven't
knocked around as much as have old fell
low. Now, just observe how 1 shall work
this, and there won't be any more trouble
about wine in this house
In less time than it takes to tell it the
champagne was OH the table and Dickinson
was forging the cocktails. AS the pair put
them down one after another Dickinson
swelled with pride, while Tom quaffed with
satisfaction. In telling the story a day or
two ago, Dickinson said:
1t Was three months before / discovered
that Ochiltree had made a fool of me.
haven't gotten even with him yet
Evening star., 1896-10-24
sarcastic. no matter how arrogantly the


O'Farrells might comport themselves.
Then the autumn days shriveled and
shrank and one morning In late November
the word went round Meenaclure that the
Kaley' that evening would be up at Fer
gus. the weavers. This meeting place was
always popular. Fergus being a well-liked
man, with wide space round his hearth.
And this nights conversations promised to
be particularly enjoyable, as it had leaked
out that Dan Farrell and Mrs. Keogh and
Dnny O'Neill were concerned in what Is at
Meenaclure technically termed "a Join,' for
the purpose of treating the kaleying COM
pany to cups Of tea. In fact. the materials
for that refreshment, done up in familiar
purple paper parcels. lying on the window
seat, were obvious to everybody who came
into the room. though to have seemed
aware Of them would have been grave
breach of manners. When all the company
were mustered, and the fire was burning its
brightest, Fergus might well look around
his house with satisfaction. for so large an
assembly seldom came together, and uni
versal harmony seemed to prevail. This
was not disturbed by the fact that several
both of the Timothy OFarrells and Neil
McNeills were present, as by this time
everybody thoroughly understood the stu
alton, and the neighbors arranged them
selves as a matter OF course In ways which
precluded any awkward juxtapositions OF
persons who weren't spakin'.''
1t was a showery evening, with a waiting
to and fro of wide gusts, which made the
Wildly O'Farrell wonder more than once,
as she sat on the form by the hearth, with
the Wildly Byrne interposed buffer-wise
between her and old Joe McNeill. What
she wondered was whether her poor Pat
might be apt to be crossin' over the say on
such an ugly wild night. Just as Mrs.
Keogh, with an eye on the lid-bobbing ket-
tie, was about to ask Fergus if he might
happen to have e'er a drop of hot water he
could spare her, that being the orthodox
preface to teamaking on the occasion Of
join. the house door ratified violently, and
amor vIy1fh q nnh m lyy rod
at 1t, this was supposed &C be simply the
winds freak, and Fergus said TO Mick
NJ MMurdo. who sat next to 1t: "Musha. lad.
be givin it clap-to wild your fut." But at
that instant a voice was heard close out
side. calling as If to another person a little
farther off: Molly, Molly, come along Wild
you: they're all here right enough and l
wouldn't be keepin' the door open on them"
Whereupon there was quick patter Of
feet, followed by the entrance Of two bum
dle-bearing figures. AS they advanced into
the ilickering light. 1t showed that the fig
ures were man and woman. and the
Evening star., 1896-10-24

occasion to remark just outside the chapel
door. where she had been telling the neigh
bors her news: But ah sure l don't mind
so long as he hasn't took up wild one of
them black-headed girls 1 never can abide
the looks Of And deed now there's no
fear of that: Pats just the same notion as
meself. I very well know" For Mrs. Neil
Mcneil was standing well within earshot,
ard. as everybody remembered. there
wasn't a fair hair on the head Of e'er
one of her children! However, Mrs. Neil
proved equal to the emergency, and re-
marked. addressing Kitty Byrne. that 'ft
was rael queer the sort of omadhawns
she'd heard tell OF some girls. who. belize,
know no better. bein' content to take great
lumberin' louts Of fellers, wild the ugly
ccIored hair on their heads like nothin' in
the world except a bit of new thatch be-
fore 1t would be combed straight"
She spoke without any.presentiment that
she would soon have to go through much
the same Experience as old Mrs. O'Farrell
but SO 1t IVES. For week or two later
came letter from Molly stating that she
was Just after gettin' married" Her hus-
bard. who. she said, was earning grand
wages. bore the obnoxious name of OFar-
Evening star., 1896-10-24
PART /.


The feud between the Timothy OFar-
rells and Neil McNeills at Meenaclure was
not of very long standing. for the dowager
Mrs. O'Farren, and the elder Mrs. Nc
Nein, who had been by no means young
when it began were still to the fore, and
not vet even considered to have attained
"a great ould age entirely. This seems
a mere mushroom growth compared with
some of cur family quarrels which have
been handed down from father to son
through so many generations that every
body regards them a part of the es-
tablished order of things in the world
of their parish. Still. to the younger peo-
ple who had been but children at its
birth, il seemed TO have lasted long
while, and their juniors would have found
a different state of affairs almost un-
thinkable. For them the origin OF the
enmity had already begun to loom dlmly
through a mist of tradition, which would
tend as time went on to grow vaguer and
falser. until at length nobody would De
left who could give clear account Oh
what it was all about. So far, however
all the neighbors who were ANY age to
speak Of knew the rights of the case
well enough. And this is what had hap
pened:
1t was a cloudless midsummer evening,
perhaps twenty years back-nobody Is
overpart;cuar about chronology at Meena-
cIure-and all the dogs and children were
away out on the wild land toward the
mountains niEding the sheep, to keep them
from coming home and eating up the crops
From April to October that was every
year their occupation, and very enSross-
ing one they found il. For the Scraggy
little sheep of the district are endowed
with an appetite for green food worthy
of any locust. added to a cleVernesS at
taking fences that would 0iScredit no nun
ter. ard II is makes them constant peril
to the painfully titled fields. whose produce
they threaten like sort of ViSlbiy en-
bodied blight. Luckily it is one whose
ravages can he averted by timely precau-
tons, and therefore soon IS potatoes
driven off to a discreet distance on the
moors hence they are prevented from
returning by strong Gordon of wary mon
grels and active spaiDeens. The childreh
Of such places Meenaclure ind the sun
nier half of the year a season of per-
petual school vacation. when the longest
days are watched out to their last lin
gerrg glimmer among the tussocks and
boF.l,ers. so that the morning seems 10
have begun ages and ages ago. by the
time one straggles home. three parts
asleep on ones feet. the flocks having al
ready hetaken themselves to cOmpleter re-
pose. or. recognizing the unattainability OF
young green oats. have set their nib
bling mouths safely UP the swarded hill
slopes. For that night the fields may lie
secure from maraudirg trespassers-
On this particular day, however. owing
to some rernisses of the young McNeills
and their shrewd-visaged dog, who were all
leo away by the excitement of a rabbit
hunt. one of the sheep under their charge
successfully eluded observation and broke