The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1899-03-03
HOW THE PARS0N SNAPPED
HORSES.
BY ONE OF THE BOYS.

From the The Lost Cause"
One Of the best known characters
in Gen. John Morgan's cavalry divl-
sion was Parson W. He was an
excellent man and an excellent sol
dier, and his piety was as true as his
patriotism. Still, with all his good
qualities, the parson was exceedingly
eccentric, aud perhaps as opinionated
and stubbDrn a citizen as the SOuth-a
ern Confedcracy had in her borders.
He WAS the most aggressive, the
hercest, the most tenacious disputant
that ever dissectcd the resolutions Of
'9S, or Knocked IA man down for not
readily Discerning the distinction be.
tween secession" and "co-opcration." ;"
His sincerity made him only the more
obstinate. On account of his nerve,
astuteneSs. large acquaintance in Ken
tucky and thorough knowledge of the
country, he was very frequently sent
by Gen. Morgan into the State to OBJ
tain the information required, not
only to guide his own operations, but
for the use of the army. Upon these
expeditions he was generally accom-
panied by Dan Ray, a gallant, splen-
did fellow, as intelligent and nervy as
the parson, but the soul Of good hu.
NOR. Dan never engaged in argument,
except to start the parson aud crafty
his fun-loving disposition at the lat
ler's expense.
One day they were riding along to.
geticr, somewhere in southern Ken
lucky, when the conversation turned
on a practice very prevalent at that
time among those who ''jncd the
cavalry" and it must he confessed,
carried to it's fullest extent in Nor.
gan's Command. They began to dis
cuss "IIorse-pressing." Dan mildly
excused and even advocated it, upon
the ground that it was military
necessity; but admitted that it was
sometimes abused.
The parson condemned it In toto
lie would not acknowledge that II
could be defended or paliated under
any circumstances. He stated that
General Morgan's countenance OF such
Il practice was the one thing which
prevented him from entertaining an
otherwise unqualified admiration Of
that officer. He said that he prayed
daily and nightly that his comrades
might be forgiven for it, but intimat-
ed in strong terms that he didn't be.
lieve they would be. He concluded by
asserting that it was the great nation
al sin, on account OF which the
"Soulhern Confedcracy" would be de-
stroycd, II it was fated tn fall.
Ray prudently let the matter drop,
inasmuch as the parson had gotten
warmed up almost to the fighting
point.
On the next day the parson was
compelled to have his horse shod, and
the clumsy smith pricked one loof 81
badly that the animal In y few h0ur'
went dead lame. This was a seriOu!
matter uRder the circumstances, ant
both Dan and the parson became yer!
anxious and apprehensivc. Just wheI
they had about concluded to retrac,
their steps to n point far In the rear
where the parson might secure a re
mount--a proceeding which wOult
have involved unfortunate and per
bars dangerous delay-a well-to-d'
.. looking man came riding down tn
road on a remarkably fine horse. Th'
sight Of such II horse was enough II
make Il cayalryman's mouth water
! and reduce scruple, II he had one, Z
an lnanitcsimal degree. Tho parsor
Looked, longcd, and let down. II wat
prcdcstlned, llo felt, that no should
have that horse.
gracefully opened the prelimina'
~ conversation 70 the swap ne hao
, ALREADY dctcrmiued On by saying:
sThat's ! mighty likely horse yor
J llsvo riding sir--a mighty likely anl
mll."