The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1899-05-11
SOLDIERS AT HOME.
THEY TELL SOME INTERESTING
ANECDOTES OF THE WAR.
How the Boys of Both Armies Whiled
Away Life in Camp-ForaGing E1-
perieuces, Tireeomc Marches-Thril-
ling Scenes on the Battlefield.

"The other evening while witnessing
Mansfield's performance at the opera
aouse," said well known member OF
he Detroit Post. G.. \. r., Il noticed
couple of good looking privates from
The Seventh United States infantry
walk down and take two 81 seats with
the utmost nOnchalance. They were
clean. intelligent young chaps who,
even though they were only privates.
knew what they were paying for, and
whether they got their moneys worth.
It reminded me of the only time | ever
heard Patti, and | wondered if they
were having an experience similar to
my own.
ut was away back in the COS, just
after the close of the war. that n de-
lachment of the Forty-third United
States Infantry was stationed at Fort
GratiOt under command of Capt. Fer
gus Walker. | was Il corporal III Com
pany A, and | had a chum who was
also a corporal in the same company.
AS soon as the news of PATHS appear
poral-Ill call him Liederfoos-pro-
posed that we go together to Detroit
and hear her. | ventured the remark
that pay day was too far off, ut which
he said he had money enough to pay
our fares to Detroit and that if would
get two days leave for himself and me,
he would pay all expenses. You can
afford to put up 50 a seat for two, L
argued, at which he replied: You get
the two days leave and I'll do the rest
And so the next day Liederfoos and
myself called on Capt Walker and
asked for the leave. What do you
want to go to Detroit for? asked the
captain, and when | explained that we
were going down to hear Patti he eX-
pressed n wish that we would tell him
the truth, and added. You men. be-
tween you, couldn't pay for one corner
Of one of those s. seats
"'Thats perhaps true ventured
Liederfoos. but we want to go to De
troit. and if you will give us leave and
are there yourself. you'll see these two
corporals in private box, all by them
selves
"'Well. I'll give you the two days
leave said the captain, 'and III be in
the opera house when Patti sings.
Moreover, I'll be on the lookout for you
two. Say. if see you two men in n
private box at PATHS concert I'll be
hanged if won't pay the cost of your
railway travel
"And so wheI the time arrived Lie
derfoos and myself came down to De
troit and registered at the Michigan
Exchange. After dinner my cOmpan-
ion excused himself and left me at the
hotel to amuse myself as best l could.
Along about o'clock he returned and
ne not only had an order signed by
Patti for private box, but he had a
pair of opera glasses and bouquet of
flowers as big as Il patent pail. Then
and not until then did 1 learn my
-riend's secret AS n boy he had been
Il next door neighbOr 10 Patti when she
was girl. Her father lived just out
side of New York, up YOnkers way,
believe, and this corporal In the United
States army, who had drawn Patti on
his sled, tetered with her on the fence
between her lot and his and played
hide aNd coop with her, had been hav-
ing two hours visit with the prima
donna. She had not only received him
kindly, but was positively pleased to
meet her old schOlmate and friend. OF
course l don't know all details, but I
am positive she must have given him a
stake, because we had bath and q
shave and hair cut: we bought new
boiled shirts with collars, cuffs and
necktie, new handkerchiefs and went
to that opera house in army blue, of
course, but about as swell as it was
possible for chaps wearing the old
belly coats of the service to be.
"And say, you should have seen the
entire audience stare at us. II was in,
teresting. And then, too, there was
Capt Walker, the most amazed man
you could imagine. When Liederfoos
| threw his bouquet on the stage to have
Patti pick it up and bow most gracious,
iy to the two corporals, thought Walk
er would have fit. Yes, the captain
paid us the cost of our railway fare
| when we got back to the post. in spite
| of our protests. L look upon that prop
| osition OF mine, he said. Just as
would upon bet. 1t is bet, and you
| won it handsomely Detroit Free
| Press.