The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-04
THE MENAGERIE.


night in guard quarters, compared to the
fun they had?
THE MENAGERIE.
About that time our brigade ''mena-
gerie" was quite an institution. After
taps when every one not on duty was sup
posed to be asleep. the stiffness of the
night would be broken into by the lusty
Growing OF a rooster. Hardly would he
subslde before the barking of dog
could be heard in another direction,
sometimes the mastiff's deep bass. and
then again the yelp Of n cur In distress,
or pack Of hounds under full cry. Then
would follow the quacking Of ducks, the
gobbllng of turkeys, the squalling Of cats.
the squealing Of pigs the crying Of babies
and so on, generally winding up by
heartrending bray from a dsconsolate
Jack, each part Of the performance from
different quarter of camp, so that be-
fore the officer could get near enough
to locate one sound, another would break
forth still further off in another direc-
ton, and so far as know. mono of the
"varmnts" were ever caught.
THE SOLDIER VISITOR.
There Is certain charm about soldier
life that, notwithstanding the hardships
and dangers to which he Is exposed.
makes it endurable, and, at times, even
enjoyable.
We were like large family The same
pot and Spider often did duty for an
entire company. We smoked each others
pipes, drank from each others canteens,
and II while in camp any one desired to pay
, visit In the neighborhood, his comrades
4, were called on for the loan of their most
presentable articles of apparel for the oc-
casion. A coat from one, pants from an
, other and from others shoes. cravat and
a billed shirt" he was certainly called
on for its loan. If, however, the bor-
rover was the right sort Of a man. he
would either wash that shirt himself or
have it done before returning 1t to Its
owner. Perhaps In a few days this visitor
in borrowed apparel would receive box
from home with a few nice things IN
the way of dress, and then he was called
on for similar favors, which he rarely re-
fused.
ADJUSTMENTS.
While in winter quarters we had the
atricals, minstrel shows, stag dances and
SO on, which were source of much
| enjoyment Mimicking the colored
brother, spouting Shakespeare and prac-
| ticing the stage Stride" could be heard
| and seen on every side.
} It was during such season that one OF
| the boys, returning to camp at midnight,
| after day in Richmond, the earlier
| part Of the night having been spent at
| the theatre, proceeded with pole to
| belabor the cabin tent roof Of one OF his
! comrades in a very energetic manner.
what in the d. are you doing out
| there-who are you?' shouted the man
| inside, awakened thus unceremonlously
| from sound sleep. IT am thy fathers
ghost" responded the one with the pole,
| in a sepulchral voice. THE d. you
| arew came from the inside. If you
| don't strike double-quick away from
| there you'll be the ghost Of your daddy's
SON" The stage-struck and weary Rob
did move OH without further parley.
1t was a great treat to spend q day
in ltown-a relief from the monotony Of
camp life Only limited number from
each regiment were granted such passes
| at one time, and II there was the slight
est prospect OF business" no one was
permitted to leave camp even for an
hour. All orders were, OF course, pc
remptory but In spite OF that. and with
out the fear OF being overhauled by the
guard on the road or the patrol In town.
some Of the boys would "run the block
ade," and sometimes spend several days
at time in the city. Strange to say,
It was seldom that one fell into the
hands Of the provost guard They soon
Learned the ropes" and would have
been considered as lacking in enterprise
If they had failed to outwit the town
soldiers.
A SQUARE" MEAL.
Yes. the men at the front were gen
orally equal to every occasion. What
they couldn't do or wouldn't undertake
would hardly be worth a trial by any
one else When rations were short they
would go to any length for good.
,. Square meal" They made the matter
study, and had reduced It to a fine
SCIENCE "a good, square mealH' Who
could understand and appreciate the full
meaning Of those words better than a
hungry soldier When he got 1t he was
, happy--till next time-for he never Dor
rowed trouble from the morrow. "Suttl-
cient unto the day is the evil thereof
( was ever his motto Poor ]. F, after
having enjoyed plentiful repast, was
always won't 10 remark, rs he filled
his pipe, "Thank God. ] have dned heart
lily once more" whether 1t was morning
. noon or night. It was generally "a feast
:. or a famine" Sometimes We had ar
. abundance, but twentytour or thirty
a six hour fast was not an uncommon
= occurrence. Just before battle rations
a were always scarce. but Immediately
[ afterwards there was enough and Il
. spare, which, in an active campaign,
2 means to leave behind or throw away.
: as our haversacks only held a limited
G sunply.
!. This question OF "provender" was ONT
X which received much OF the Southern sol
Il dier's attention. 1t was discussed ant
q "cussed," and his ingenuity was often pu
n Ia the test to solve the problem, Here
g and thero you could find one more provi
t. dent than his fellows, who general,
/. managed 10 keep a biscuit or cracker
,e stored away for hard times. but with tn
l. masses 1t was come day, go day" Whei
N they had plenty they enjoyed It, lettlnl
the future take care of itself.
COOPERATIVE HASH
=. When we were in the trenches or Il
~ very close quarters the cooking was don
~ In the rear by a squad detailed for tina
purpose and the food was carried to tn
~ front TO be issued but that never gay
~ satisfaction, The men preferred 10 re
10 ceIve the raw material" and prepare
- In their own way, and there were som
excellent cooks among them, Like 1!
ne everything else. however, some neye
a. learned anything about the art culInar,