Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-10-11
SOLDIERS AT HOME.
THEY TELL SJM- INTERESTING
ANECDOTES OF THE WAR.

EGi IN TN EdES
ANECDOTES OF THE WAR.
Q the toys of Both Armies whiIed
Away Life in Camp-Foraring Ex-
p~cricnces, Tiresome Marches-Thril.
ling Scenes on the battlefield.
When the first gun Of the late wal
was fired In Charleston harbor d quiet,
pale-faced yn ag fellow was clerking
in an Atlantis store for the moderate
salary of $40 4 month.
The clerk had spent years in work
Ing his way upward, and he had at last
reached the topmost round of the lad
DER. In his line Of business there was
NO prospect of a higher salary, and it
was u of the question for him to
make a start for himself, as he could
net command the necessary capital.
He studied the situation when hos
Titles opened and decided upon his
course of action. Despite his limited
education, he was not deficient in nat
dral shrewdness, and a trip to New
York the ear before had opened his
eyes.
There are millions Of people up yon-
der he said to himself. .They out
number US four to one, and they have
all the ships, all the factories, and all
the arms and practically all the money.
We may whip them IL Europe comes
to our aid, but We are in for Il struggle
OF several years" With this idea in
his head. the clerk did some hard
thinking for several weeks. Then he
surprised his employer by throwing up
his job.
lie borrowed some money and start
ed a small drum factory. Orders
poured IN and he made d small fortune
In 4 short time. He utilized his credit
Il purchased or leased foundries in
other cities, and furnished the Confed-
crate government with cannon and
shot I'M shell. He secured an exemp-
ton from military service aud engaged
in q number of important industries.
Very soon he had a monopoly in GER
tain lines and was able to fix his own
prices without fear or competition.
The third year Of the war found him
u of the richest men In the South,
n his name was a power in official
circles at Richmond. No request from
him was ever refused. He was no
longer the pale, quiet man of former
days. Power and prosperity had turn
ed him into a bloated. staggering fell
low, who made an ostentatious display
OF his wealth, and his orgies at night
gave his face a hard, dissipated look.
The new millionaire bought diamonds
in %profusion. He imported rare treas
ures from Europe, married a fashion
able wife and became q leader In So
eiety. He was a familiar figure in the
social and business circles of several
Southern cities. and was everywhere
pointed out as one of the most remark
able men of his time.
1t was a wonderful change for q
man who only three years before was
an unknown clerk at $40 d month. He
had cut his old employer and the
friends of his youth, and was dream
ing of successful speculations that
would make him the Rothscltild of the
Confsderacy.
How to invest his money was the
most serious problem. He knew that
the collapse would come some day, and
he wanted to be ready for it. When
the wal ended his great industries
would probably be confiscated and it
would be necessary for him to have
other property.
He gave his wife dozens Of diamonds
and settled upon her scores of houses
and plantations. He bought cotton
n secreted it, and he also purchased
gold, grcenbacks and Bank of England
notes. Altogether. he did all that a
prudent man could do, and he felt that
the defeat of the C~onfederates and the
confiscation of his factories would still
leave him a very rich man.
Atlanta fell and several of the mill
ionaire's factories were burned. Fed
eral raiGing parties captured his cot
ton. More of his factories were burn
ed in Columbia and in Richmond and
finally the surrender caused him to
suspend business.
His wife skipped to Europe with a
friend, carrying with her $1,000 fn
money apl Jewels. The husband re-
gained possession Of the real estate
which he had transferred to her and
allowed the woman to go. He con-
verted his lands into cash and went to
New v7rk, where he proposed to be-
come the Napoleon OF the stock ex-
change.
At the end of six months he gave I'm
that idea. After numerous bewilder-
ing reyerses he found that he had only
a few thousand dollars left.
A year or so after the war | found
him established as a money lender in
a Southern city. He had made a D
tation as a Shylock aud was regarded
as a very INSCRIPTIONS man.
He was still comparatively young
and was full of confidence. His sue
cess in the old Confederate days had
given him an exalted opinion of his
own powers, and he firmly believed
that his exceptional financial sagaeity
would enrich him again in the course
VI a. fctS lew sSuts. 30 lie MAYED
notes aud drove hard bargains and
%speculated on the sly.
He came TO grief. rs might h.aye
been expected. and one morning he
woke up With nothing that he could
call his own except the clothes on his
back and some loose change in his
pocket.
He had to leave in a hurry TO avoid
arrest, for his financial transactions
had been of a criminal character.
Five years later | happened to pass
a little saloon on a back street in At
lanta, very early on a summer morn
ing, aud to my surprise | saw stand
ing in the door the well-known figure
of the ex-miliionaire. The recognition
was mutual and we exchanged a few
words.
$50 you have returned to your old
home:" ] remarked.
Yes. Couldn't stay away, you
know. There are some tempting
business opportunities here for a man
like myself, and after | take a rest |
am going to wheel in and make a for
.-N