The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-11-27

noyance. The walls of our bathrooms
were built of brick, and at some previous
time had been smoothly plastered, but the
former occupants of these beautiful apart
ments had carelessly disSgured them by
boring through the plastering and drilling
deep holes into the walls that 1t covered.
| Within the hollows, crevices and dark re-
| cesses of these partition walls there resided
| a whole generation-in fact many genera
tions-of the genus Cimex Lectularius,
many of which were somewhat smaller,
! but were in shape not unlike a sun-ish,
though they lived not in the sea. Well,
to make long story short, these Cimex
fellows would come out of their dens and
caves from within these old, mysterious
haunts, through the doors that had been
opened in the walls, and in the early
evening as soon as the silent hours began
and until the light of morning returned
they made night hideous with their wild
pranks and war dances. Thus they con-
tinued to disturb and Lectularius until the
Cimex became burden, and balmy sleep
a stranger. How might We remedy this
evil! All, the fraternal Confederate Gov
eminent, which guarded our every inter-
est with kind and watchful care, provided
a remedy.
At that time the Confederate States
were manufacturing horaespun soap that
possessed wonderful cleansing and heal
ing virtues. Probably no other soap in
the wide world was equal to it, and am
fully persuaded that if the Confederate
Government had put that soap on the
markets of the world then. the nations of
the earth would have united as one ma
ton and declared and maintained the in
dependence of the Confederate States of
America; but not for wealth, glory or in
dependence, even, would the Confederacy
sacrifice honor. The comfort, health and
happiness of her prisoners of war demand
ed her first consideration. Therefore she
did not export any of this soap, but fur
nished us with very liberal supply. We
soon learned that when once this soap had
hardened-which process required about
six hours-there was no cement ever in
vented by man SO absolutely impenetrable.
Within few days-just as soon as we
could accumulate sufficient material-we
had every puncture, crack and crevice in
every wall of every cell in that dear old
Jail Theoretically sOaped, and thereafter
the sweet-scented Cimex remained within
their caverns, which we had thus trans
formed into tombs, and in the silent hours
Of night they did not Iectulari-us any
more.
In connection with our Jail there was a
back yard, into which we were allowed to
go once a day and there remain about an
hour. Within this yard was hydrant,
and there we had the opportunity to wash
our hands, faces and clothing, which was
a great privilege that can only be fully
appreciated by those who have been de-
prived of it. Just beyond this Jail yard
was located the Sub-Treasury Building of
the Confederate States, where they manu-
featured Confederate paper money, worth
at that time five cents on the dollar 1t
was busy concern, and required many
thousands of tons of paper to keep the
Confederacy supplied with plenty of
money.
AN ANDEIsoNvILLE PRISONER
Within this Jail yard there was also
small outbuilding used to keep Union
prisoners of war temporarily, who had
escaped from other pens in the South and
were being returned thereto One day in
the month of September, when we were
admitted into the yard, 1 was agreeably
surprised to meet an old comrade of Co.
G, I'd Wis, who had been temporarily
lodged therein. He informed me that he
was captured at the Wilderness in May,
had been confined in Andersonville, and
had escaped therefrom about two weeks
before. He told me of the prisoners be-
longing to the brigade, captured at Gettys-
burg, there was only one then living or