Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-04-29

bureau duty, where they did not wan:
him. Then he appealed to Farnham
and through him 10 Gen. Sherman
His wounds made him stiff and sore: he
couldn't drill or parade. It transpire
that he had no full uniform, and his
first and only frock-coat had been let ou,
10 the last shred and was still too tight
for him. Then some queer yarns began
TO be told. He was n quasi executor for
three officers who had died intestatc,
and who had little TO bequeath any
how. He had nursed them in their lest
Illness, and such items of their property
as had not by medical orders been con
demned and burned he had for sale
Under the regulations the ma jor was the
proper custodian of the effects of de
ceased officers, but the major was him
self almost victim and had been sent
north to recuperate after long and
desperate struggle. On an occasion when
he simply had to appear in full uniform,
Close turned out in plumed felt hat
sash, and epaulets which, when ques
toned, he said were the late Capt
Stones, and so was the coat. II nobody
could be found to buy them. he would
but he did not mean to buy "such truck"
until it was absolutely necessary.
Respect for his fighting ability in the
field and his fearless service during the
epidemic prevented any "crowding" of
the old fellow, though there was no lit
tie talk about the habits he was disclos-
ing. The bachelors and ''grass wild
overs" Of the infantry and battery
started a mess, but Close declined to
join. He explained that he preferred
to board with Il French creole family
short distance away, as he wished
to learn the language" They gave a
big dance Christmas week and taxed
every officer ten dollars. Close had
nursed Pierce through the fever, and
Pierce was treasurer of the fund. Close
was accounted for as paid" both for
the original ten and the subsequent as
sessment of five dollars that was found
necessary, but 1t came out of Pierce's
pocket, for Close begged off one and
refused the other, and Pierce would not
tell until it was dragged out of him by
direct questioning months after. 1t
transpired that Close went only once a
day to the humble dwelling, four blocks
away, where he preferred to board. He
assiduously visited the kitchen of Com
pany &c" at breakfast and dinner time
to see that those meals were properly
cooked and served, and there could be
no question that he personally sam
pied" everything they had. He wore
the clothing issued to the men, until
the colonel insisted on his appearing in
proper uniform, and then had to rebuke
him for the condition of the paper col
lar and frayed black bow that were at
tached to the neckband of his flannel
shirt. He wore the soldier shoe, and
swore that no other kind suited his foot.
He had To write letters occasionally, but
when he did so he repaired to the COM
pany Office or that of the post quarter
master, and not one cent did he spend
for stamps.
Indeed it became q subject of unoffi-
cial investigation whether he spent a
cent for anything. He bought nothing
at Finl<bein's, the suffers, where, in
deed, he was held in high disfavor, his
war record and fever service to the
contrary notwithstanding. He never
touched card, never played billiards,
and never invited anybody to drink,
even when his brother officers called
upon him in squads Of two or three to
see If he would. That he had no pretu-
dice against the practice. then as uni
versal In the service as it Is now rare,
-rFsuS~ ~ '.~S--~ ------- ----~----- -
never refused to take drink when in
vited, yet never seemed even family
9xhilarated. You might as well pour
whisky in knot-hole," said the sore
headed squad of youngsters that with
malice prepense had spent many hours
and dollars one night in the attempt to
get Old Close loaded"
He had to go to town occasionally on
board of survey or similar duty, and
always sought a seat In somebody's am
bulance TO save the nickel for a six-mile
tide In the tram car. When he had to
take the car he would wait for some of
the youngsters, well knowing they
would p.y his fare. Once when three of
them put up Job on him" by the
declaration after they were well on
their way, that not a man in the party
had less than n flve-dollar bill, he Of
fered to change the five, but refused to
lend nickel unless they gave their
word, on honor, that they were not
striving to make a convenience of him.
But the closest" figuring he had ever
done was that which he carried out for
several months at the expense of a GER
tain bank. Most Of the officers on get
ting their pay check towards the end
of the month would take 1t to the near
est bank or broker and get 1t cashed.
Those were easy-going days In the pay
Many . time the impe-
cunious subs would prevail on the major
or his clerk to let them have their sti-
pend a week before 1t became due, and
it would be spent before it was fully
earned. Close never spent a cent, that
anyone could see or hear of, but he
was on hand TO draw 1t as early as
any Of the rest. He would take his
check and vanish. The total footing
up Of his pay, rations, servants allow
nnce, "fogy," and all, was one hundred
and some dollars and sixty-eight cents.
They used no coin smaller than the
"nickel" give cents) in the south in
those days, and It was the practice OF
the banks and money-changers gener-
ally TO give the customer the benefit
il tho check called for more than half
the value of the nickel, otherwise TO
hold 1t themselves. If the amount were
52 cents the customer got only 30; IL
it were SO cents he was paid 90. Those
officers who kept u bank account, and
there were three or four, perhaps, who
did so, simply deposited their check Tor
its face value and had done with It. It
was supposed that such was Closes Gus
tom; but he was wiser in his generation,
as was learned later. Close took hls
check to the paying teller and got 100
and some dollars md 70 cents. Then
he deposited this cash with the clerk
nj the receiving window and was two
cents ahead by the transaction. When
it was finally discovered and he was
politely told that hereafter he would
be credited only with the sum called
for on the face of his check, Close got
1t cashed elsewhere and deposited his
10 cents regularly Us before. "But what
he does IL for is n mystery" said tho
bank official who let this sizable cat out
Of the bag, "for he never has more thnn
n few dollars on deposit more than n
week. lie checks II out through some
up north"
No wonder the fellows wondered
what Close did with his money. A sol
der servant made up his room and
BACKED his boots, company laundress