Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-09-05
DAILY STORY
HOW THE CHICKEN
WAS MATCHED.
lOriGinaI. |

lOriginaLI
At one time during the civil war
while we were campaigning in Virginia
main army, and we We're in such Il
position between the Confederate
forces that if they could have acted in
concert they might have captured us
But neither one knew of the others
proXimity-that is, we inferred they
did not, for they made no move against
us. But even if both knew of the 9th
er's presence they could not communi-
cate with Il view TO making concert
cd attack without sending a messenger
through our lines.
One morning when l was in charge
of picket post a young girl came into
the lines with Il basket of butter on
one arm and basket of eggs on the
other. She said she had come from a
small plantation just without our lines
and would like to sell us her produce.
Since our rationS had for some time
| been largely composed of salt pork
| and hard tack my mouth watered for
! her wares | tasted the butter and
| found ii delicious. As to the eggs
| they looked tempting enough; but
! yielding to an old habit when buying
, eggs, | held number of them up tC
| the light to make sure they were fresh
! All transmitted portion of the light
| except one, which transmitted none
1t seemed to be of exactly the same
weight size and shape as the others
but, looking through it, l could not sec
u ray of light.
There's chicken in that one,"
remarked to the girl.
IF there is, | don't see how it go
in. I'll take it out. l think the res
are all right"
She took the egg out of my hands.
selected half a dozen of the others an(
a pound package of the butter-all
could take care of while on duty-in
tending them for our company mess
The girl went on i'll toward the camp
and l saw no more of her We die
not refuse citizens admittance within
our lines. We reserved our refusal til
they asked to go out. And we espe
cially objected to their going out OF
the opposite side from which the.
came in. 1t was passed down anon!
us from headquarters that we wer
between two fires and no person what
ever should be permitted to pas
through our lines.
We enjoyed our fresh eggs and bat
ter immensely and wished all the dairy
men in Virginia would come in wit
their produce. Several officers aske
where we got them, and when l toll
them that Il country girl had come int
camp to sell them one of them wen
: off to find her. This was in the ever
a ing after supper. The Enclosure will
i in the picket circle was not very larg
/ and he might easily have come upo
: her if she had been in camp. Eitht
+ she was not in camp or she was hi(
{. ing. Some one suggested that she Ia
: gone through the lines. AS our safet
& depended upon no one in the Confe'
crate interest getting through the line
It this excited attention. / set out wit
g several others ON still hunt. but W
'. all came back with the report that 1
: girl of the description given was
l. camp l felt it my duty to report Il
) matter to the general, only mentioniI
i the girl and my having bought son
q of her butter and eggs. The gener
swore good deal when he heard
" since he had given strict orders as
s. the departure of any citizen from o.
e lines. Every officer of the picket w;
is questioned, and all avowed that no OF
4 had gone out during the day. II
N only way / could account for the girl
disappearance was that she had stole