The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-11-20

Wouldn't Allow Whiskey the Inside.
There was man in the Fifth Geor-
gia Regiment that by instinct or some
other means, if there was any whisky
around, never failed to find it. 1t was
a rare thing for him to stand on guard,
as his friends would volunteer to stand
in his place, while he was sent in
search Of the whisky he rarely failed to
find.
At the beginning of the war this
regiment was stationed at Pensacola,
Fla, where it remained for about a
year, and as no enemy ever approached
the days passed more like a picnic
| season than war However, they had
bitter experience in the year that
followed. Men who had left the plow-
handles and the many other places of
action in the business world were not
prepared for such stagnation; conse-
quently, for lack Of other employment,
they made it part of their business
to evade the guard and get off some
thing at the expense of the officers.
1t was due to these annoyances, and
the fact, in spite of orders to the con-
trary, that whisky continued, by some
mysterious means, to make Its way
through the lines, that Colonel B. gave
orders that no man be allowed to pass
into camp without being searched.
The boys knew they had the man
that could find it, but after that order
came they saw no chance for it to be
Struggled through the line Besides,
suspicion already pointed to our hero
of this battle, and he was being closely
watched.
The next trip out, on his return our
hero was duly searched, but was found
to be carrying only a watermelon.
This searching went on DAY after
day, but every time it was only a
watermelon, but still the whisky was
getting into camp.
Finally guard decided he would
examine the watermelon, which re-
vealed the fact that by removing a
slice bottle had been placed on the
inside of the melon and then the slice
neatly pinned back with pegs.
The whisky was confiscated and the
boys said the officers drank it.
Well, the whisky business seemed to
be at an end, now, but until he could
devise other methods our friend sailed
out the next day to steal his accus-
toned watermelon.
On his previous visits to this water
melon patch he had noticed a very
large melon that had been picked by
crow, and though a large hole was in
one side of it, the other, it seemed,
could be nice and ripe in a few days.
About the first thing he saw upon his
arrival this time was coach-whips's
head sticking from the cavity in the
melon. Instantly an idea struck him.
AS he approached, the snake darted
back. 1t required but little time and
ingenuity to cut piece of rind from
another melon, and to fit it in the hole
in the one containing the snake. Then
he shouldered it and struck a line for
camp.
Thought you would play that same
dodge again to-day, did your"
"But there is no whisky in this
melon"
big plug in it, though. Guess you
had better leave it, .
He was forced to leave the melon,
but he decided he would watch for de-
velopments The fact that the whisky
the day before had been found in a
melon bad been made known, SO when
this melon was sent to the ColonePs
tent, he without suspicion ordered one
Of his officers to cut it.
Colonel, said he. some fellow has
taken a terrible plug out of it," and
at the same time he pulled it out, the
snake was liberated, and in an instant
was coiled about the Coloners feet. 1t
is not necessary to relate the scene that