The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1896-01-20

I'm all me- way
There's nothing brings blush.
Ordinarily. IL YOU are not caught and
twisted and bruised by a cyclone, trip
TO the mountains could ac nothing but
pleasant and healthful. The mountain peo-
ME know Brown ana L. ard there is none
OF that suspicion shown toward us one
reads of as beinS . part of the mountain
character.
They had no concealment from us, but fed
US upon homemade sausage, gatherings
and sousemeat, and If We had so disposed
we could have come in contact with the
'Pittlc brown jug" time and time again.
hut Brown said no" and l said no" and
we were mighty glad we did say mo as
we drew toward our homes and fellow after
fellow remarked upon our cyclonic appear
ance and congratulated us upon our escape
and pitied our Gisfigurements.
nut I did not set out TO write what
have I rather Intended to tell Of matters
on the way and of memories revived 10y
our tourney
We returned to Atlanta by big shan
tv." a place notorious during the war as a
camp of instruction for confederate sol
dicrs. and the recent war prospects natur-
ally set us to talking OF the soldiers we
knew there.
When we paid a visit to Zig Shanty in
the confederate army. we were inclined
to think that soldering was quite
picnic The soldiers had good tents,
plenty Of bedding and everything ihat
was good to cat They had nothing TO
do hut to drill a little and the balance Of
their time was spent in frolic and fun
'rhcv looked lue and walked proud, and
the very best that CoGld be had NJ the
homes was cooked, boxed and sent 10 the
camps.
As l looked upon these proud boys I
thought il mighty foolish TO be erieving
MOI, T1 st.fl- otl
away and j paid visit to the very same
regiment.
These soldiers we're at the "front'-on
my last Visit-they were IN the trenches
and everything was SO different that 1t
has impressed me from that day to this.
and I ceased to wonder why there should
be a growing over the boys mat went
away. As I passed over tho hin and look
cI down into the valley and my guide
pointed out These Lass camps l stopped
stark sti-it took my breath. the con-
trast. Little molderinp fires were burning
here and there seeming 70 struggle against
the misty rain that was falling. DmEy
brown blankets or a little oilCloth was
stretched over a Blended bush under which
two men We're expected 10 shelter tt Csc
had taken the place Of the ~oody walled
tents Of Biz Shanty. and many ala not
have even these little sheltCrS-SCr:e had
oalv bushes between them and the clouds
There was an absence of odor in cooking
viands ] passed down into the camp.
Here and there the feet OF two soldiers
could be seen just pee0ing from under
the edge Of a blanket h8sl-ng as best they
could by the smoldrr;ng SIT. There mi-ht
be a camp Kettle here and ther" simmnrng
through the night TO cook the POOR beef,
if beef they had.
II did rot take long FOR the news to
spread that / was In camp and that there
were letters from home They ,cawled
from under their blankets and this regi-
ment that 7 had witnessed at Big Shanty
with over thousand men stood around
me numbering about seveaty-all told.
I had letters for some OF thom and I
never will forget the eagerness with which
they were taken. ana how quickly the sol
dior would he down on his snees hv the
Dim fire trying to read. There We're son'e
who got no letters. These were tho sad
dest. and the young generation could not
understand how sad il vas 70 set 10 letter
when others got them.
Perhaps the mothers and wives and sis
tcrs ard children feel scrnothirg akin 70
these soldiers rs they felt upon the a5-
eeuce Of letters when going 20 reunions
and missing their loved ones there. God
bless all such. hope there viii be a great
reunion some DAG, when none are missing
and letters are not needed.
Most any old veteran VIII squat down
aud talk to yOU ali uaG OF MS Ld%lt'9s u
his CHARGES ana the daring, Tut the little
things YOU will never hear and the small
things if there be anything small have
much TO do with the sorrows OF var.
I-pon this night while l was shis2ring I'm
the rain it struck me that nothing could
he worse. While / thus thought ! EUSle
sounded ana the report came THAI the
Yankees were going 10 attack. hnew
nothing better TO 90 than to 80 with the
crowd. for / had no Guide and it was rs
dark as Egypt 1t was but the work OF a
nomeat TO break up the camps ana IN al
most as short a time as II has taken ne 10
tell it We were hounderinS in the mud Of
the trenches-in line Of battle-and then !
reasoned that the place | had Just left
IN the woods was paradise t. Ger pres
ert position You had 70 sit crampad in
the trenches and founder in the mad and
water or take the consequences of being
killed by the flying balls if you straiShten-
ed M, and so ! sat
In an the soldiers had their fun. Il
wish ] was a dog" some fellow would say
A., he moved a little and got into deeper
middle of water than he was in before.
Sucb remarks sounded so much as if
cominr from the heart that II caused
laugh, but l failed to see how one solder
could laugh at another under such cir