Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-16
Anecdote and Incident Mingle To-
gether in This Column.
ROSECRANS WANTED NO GUESSWORK
Some Southern Jokers Who Found
the Laugh on Themselves.
FAD OF A WESTINGHOUSE

The recent death of General W. 8. Rose
Grams has brought out a fund of stories
about that picturesque old warrior.
'Tn the early part of the war;, said g
former Ohioan yesterday. II was private
In General Rosecrans' Che was then colonel
regiment. How well do I remember the
first time 1 saw him. and what fine-lOok-
ing man I thought he was.
There is one little incident in my life
of a soldier with him that / shall never
forget. 1 was then only a big. good-na-
tured boy. who had never penetrated be-
yond the confines Of my fathers farm. and
what didn't know about soldier life would
have provided material for volumes enough
10 fill several good-sized circulating libra
fies.
kind man Colonel Rosecrans was. and
learned to know the truth Of that PROPOSE
zion later on. However. the little incident
] am about to relate might have easily I'M
pressed one differently-I mean one of a
sensitive nature. 1t occurred the first night
/ was on picket duty. This was something
entirely new to me. and l well remember
TIE thoughts that came into mind as
walked back and forth in the darkness
with heavy musket on my shoulder.
Pretty soon 1 saw the form of a big
man, whom recognized as Col. ROSecranS,
coming toward ne. / saluted him, and he
was awfully glad to see some one other
than enc of the enemy yet I quaked in
the presence Of SO great a man as col
onel.
"'How is everything along the picket
guard tonight?' he asked in a voice that
suggested the true military chieftain that
he was soon to be.
a.. All right, 1 guess was my reply in a
Bubdued tone.
"'You guess? he demanded. '--!
don't you kncwT
81 almost fell through myself, so scared
was l. For weeks every time I saw him
coming l avoided meeting him. Later
appreciated that war was not the place
for guesswork That experience was val
liable lesson to me. l soon came to know
Colonel Rosecrans intimately apd we were
ever afterward the warmest friends
An erstwhile resident of Charleston, s. c.,
who holds a position in the Post Office De-
partment and who has more than local
reputation as a raconteur of ante-bellum
stories is responsible for this:
Before the war;" he said to a Star re-
porter. while in a reminiscent mood
1.-THE Goudines were among the best
known and most aristocratic families
OF Charleston, and I might add that their
progeny still maintain high position
among the elite of that charming and aris-
tocratie old southern city.
There were two brothers-Robert and
Iheodore-the latter a well-known divine
the former q wealthy manufacturer and
owler of cotton lands. Robert had a repu-
tation as q connoisseur of liquors and
wines which extended throughout the south
whittier he was called frequently because
of business.
80 acute was Goudine's taste that 1t was
generally conceded among his friends in
the aristocrauc class in Charleston that 1t
would be hard task to fool him. Ere
quently, however, attempts were made by
friends. who usually became the butts Of
their own intended jokes.
A cCIDla of he he
Cecilia Club, the swell social organization
OF Charleston. held a reception, which was
. lavish affair. Drinkables Of the rarest
vintage were ordered. The committee hay-
Ing charge Of the function resolved to make
one herculean effort to fool Goudine. Now,
his ravorite wine was sherry. Across the
street from the Cecilia Club was small
grocery store, and here the committee re-
paired to select what should be cheap
grade OF wine for their friend.
On one of the shelves of the grocery
the proprietor pointed to a dozen or more
bottles of sherry without labels which he
said he would sell for twenty cents bot
fie The committee purchased a bottle for
the joke that was to be played that night
on Goudine.
"Ah the banquet table Goudine was
watched closely. The wine was served in
decanters- Goudine drank from his de-
canter frequently and smacked his lips in
manner that suggested complete salts
faction. Finally his decanter was emptied
mittee, intent In carrying out the joke to
the extreme. excused himself from the
table upon some pretended cause and Skin
Inished across the street for another bot
tie of the twenty-cent wine. Goudine
drank from the replenished decanter with
great relish and to the subdued astonish-
tnent OF those who were perpetrating the
rude joke.
"After the dinner one Of the committee
nade 1t point to ask Goudins how he
liked the wine.
!" 'F1rst-class; very rare vintage Gou-
Then you liked IT.? asked the commit
teeman. who pinched himself to repress
his laughter.
" Very much, indeed. I never partook
OF that same quality Of wine but once in
my Hfe.' and he went on to tell that it was
on q certain occasion when he was dined by
one Of the wealthiest gentlemen of Charles
ton giving his name). who was known to
have perhaps the most lavish wine cellar In
Charleston.
The committeeman congratulated him.
Self that the joke was complete.
What would you be willing to give for
. quantity Of wine just like thatT' he asked,
Il would readily give SIS per case OF
twelve bottles, and / don't know but more
than that" replied Goudine.
Wen, will you give that price II the
wine Is the same?" the committeeman
persisted.
most certainly will, but I know you
can't produce any. for all there Is in this
country OF that vintage and quality is own
% by one man. mentioning the one who
mad previously dined him. ..
Then came the climax for the Joke. The
committeeman made an appointment to
meet him at the grocery store across the
street at certain hour the next day
When Goudine showed up he found all the
members Of the committee and some Other
friends who had been invited to enjoy the
huge joke. ~
The grocer brought down a bottle O,
the wine and 1T was opened for Goudine to
sample The instant he tasted 1t he pro.
nounced 1t the same article. and he er.
pressed great pleasure that he had beer
nnorded an opportunity of securing =
A smile played over the faces Of t,ou.
oines friends. Goudine took another str
asked: w '"e grocer
Where did you get this winer
Inc grocer replied that he had bou1h,
from some colored men, who vanted ~
get rid CT 1t. They had brought it to him
~unout labels ON the bottles, and he had
paid. ne believed. ten cents q bottle.
Soudine turned to the comn,itteerner
with whom he had talked the nrevto,,I
evening and told him he would become 70.
eponsfble for all the wine, and thai h.
would take one bottle with him Tht. ~