The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-01-10
A SHAM BATTLE.
BY 8. RHETT ROMAN.

scale for quite number of years, all
my time and energy of late being de-
voted to commercial pursuits.
But had seen good deal of it some
80 years ago, when | was slim and
wildly enthusiastic youth, and had
marched and bivouacked and fought in
the west and around the Potomac. and
even to-day, when | happen to see a
body of men, well uniformed and
drilled. march by. the old fire, and the
pride | had in my crack company, the
color company of the fine old goth,
comes back to me like hot wave.
But when man has reached the
fifties, is somewhat corpulent and rusty
i'll the knees, he is not apt to be very
martial in spirits; and he seeE4s to pre-
fer, after his hot days tussle for dol
lars and cents against other mems
! greed for the same, to prefer quiet
afternoon smoke and chat, or Sunday
of mental relaxation, to anything like
extra exertion in the way of unusual
sightseeing.
| So when Stapleton said: Say, Dick,
come on and let's see what this sham
battle is like" naturally demurred.
We were sitting together at the club.
most of the other men having gone off
Oh a trip somewhere, to finish up the
hot summer months and to get some
invigorating air into their lungs, and a
few tonifying ideas by their sojourn in
big cities and crowded summer resorts.
where old prejudices and fashions are
discarded to give place to novel impress
sions and original concerts.
"a sham battle!" | said, contemptu-
ously. 1.-THE idea of making a puppet
show of so desperately earnest and
tragic thing as an armed struggle be-
tween men, whose effort is to defeat
and destroy those opposed to them. No.
| thanks. Idon't think care to witness
a paltry make-believe fight"
"Oh!" said Stapleton. who is an agree
able fellow, acquainted with the ameni-
ties of life and can distinguish good
from bad wine, and who himself had
had quite an experience with gunpow-
der, shell and shot. as officer in New
York regiment. You prefer the real
thing. A sl<irmish line of sharpshoot-
ers ranged under cover along the thin
edge of a wood; light battery timber
ed up, to the right, and the infantry
deployed in the open field behind; an
occasional shell whizzing through the
air, sort of preliminary foretaste of
the coming engagement. and the heavy
booming of distant cannon on the
heights, where Wright and Getton's
divisions are assaulting his confeder-
ate lines"
I sat up in my chair and threw away
my cigar.
"Confound you, Stapleton. get your
hat and come along" said. but look
here, man." / remarked, as we went
down the steps and toward the electric
cars. 81 suppose this sham battle won't
be much to look at. But don't you res
urrect any of your federal army airs.
1.-The old days are past and gone.
with their excitement heroism, suffer
ing, defeat and triumph. We are all
out for dollars and cents nowadays.
For progress and good living. We
won't. either you or |. bring up any
episode of those grand old campaign
ing days of ours, or revert to those
scenes, where you must admit, the gray
coats made a splendid showing. before
you fellows overpowering numbers.
Never were lines better held, old fellow
than those entrenchments-"
''Now hold up" said Stapleton, as we
got in the car. 81 thought you said we
were to avoid "reminiscences?
That's fact" l acquiesced. 1--WE
won't"
Then we sped on and soon reached tbs.
near approaches Of the City park. with
It's magnificent centenary oaks, whose
orerhanging boughs have witnessed
more than one tragedy in the old days
nf easy affront and its quick avenge.
Great Scottl" said Stapleton. when
We started out for the grounds. eve
have to walk about six blocks before we
can get TO see what's going on"
so it seems" I said. as we trudged
along the planking of a sidewalk with
large crowd of people, who. like our
selves. were little late in getting to
view the sham battle.
Hello. Sounds like an infantry at
tack" said Stapleton. when desultory
firing came to us in the sweet-scented
afternoon air. Hurry up. old man.
Let's see what the boys are after"
To hurry rather stout man who has
not done much walking of late years be-
.yond going round the exchanges, and
who has fallen into the lazy habit of
driving down to his office. so as to avoid
walking. is not considerate. But this
reflection only came to me the next day,
when found was stiff and sore in the
knee joints. and realized why it was
that / felt Sc knocked up.
The firing. at first light, was now In
creasing, and we heard the old familiar
rumble of caissons and light field pieces,
as the Washington artillery was being
brought up.
Well. the first think knew stapleto,
and ] were swii.ne ass,g in a'I's.
steps. and too anxious to see how a
sham battle was conducted to wait at
the entrance gate. pitched our tickets
| to the gategeeper over the heads of the
crowd waiting round the ticket office.
sod we pushed through the gate and
s.Iunged into a short cut across field
.,,S sslAis side. old man. said Stapleton.
49, ,,l Ito the right as he caught a
os sss. - kepis of the artillerists
which , their r ;nissgppd in that direction,
the cherry. plum, applss5,,,rs. ts :, LA