Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-01-26
a New Year ia Libby.

""N "hC nav hihS ol the New 1eaf just
forty-three years ago for Major l.. T..
Williams, one of the assistant clerks Of
the District Supreme Court. Major
Williams was member of the 73d
Indiana Regiment. and January /. 1864.
he was prisoner In Libby prison.
Speaking of his experience, Major VIII
iiams said 10 Star reporter:
"The loug-drawn-out cry of IL
o'clock Post No. l--all's well" by
prison guard aroused hundreds Of the
prisoners, who were uneasily slumber-
Ing on the floors of Libby on the night
OF December 81, 1863, and not..4ed
them that the new year was In.
Quickly Il general shout OF Happy
New Year, went up frQm that rest
less throng of more than thousand
unhappy men. Immediately some one
started singing The star Spangled
Banner, and voice after voice joined
in the strain, unit. the soul-stirring
song was rising from every room of
that immense building. and fioated out
upon the midnight air in one grand
chorus Of enthusiastic aud patristic
voices in a way that had not been
heard in the city of Richmond for
many months and years.
'Fhen Aud Lang Syne' was sung.
in a way that transported many Il
e-sick fellow back to the days when
he was happy and contented person,
In a time of peace and plenty
awoke In him that tender sentiment al
ways inspired by that sweetest of all
Burns lays. After the singing had
died away a few bolsterous fellows
awoke the echoes by cheers. yells and
such mixture of unearthly sounds
as would have made one believe that
pandem0nium had arrived instead Of
n new year. A caution from the guards
below soon ended this babel and quiet
once more reigned throughout the
prison.
daylight, however. brought to their
feet this vast crowd. who ms soon as
roll call was over, began their meager
preparations for New Year dinner.
Much Ccheming and planning had been
going on for several days toward this
important event. The few prison ra
tions furnished were but a poor hope
for II feast, and there was scarcely
money enough In the prison to make
extensive purchases, with potatoes Mt
$50 per bushel. wheat bread 81 per loaf,
sugar So per pound, eggs So per dozen,
and tea and coffee to be had at no
price. poor prospect for a square
meal But in some way quite mum
Der of fairly good dinners were gotten
up and those that had plenty invited
their nelgEbOrs TO dine with them, so
that very few IL any, went hungry.
"The Afternoon WAC spent in visiting
from room 10 room and corner to cor
rer, and congratulations passed as
freely as anywhere else In the land,
for each one was thankful that he was
alive Early in the evening a grand
ball was given in the Kitchen. The or
chcstra. consisting of II violin, banjo,
| bones and tambOurlne, made fairly
| good music for the occasion. Two
Young lleutenants had dressed them
selves in Ethiopian style one as fe-
male, with ribbons and flowers the
other as a swell c0lored beau, and they
were the attraction Of the bali, and
opened It In fine style. The lights for
the room were poor tallow dips, that
| only served to make il "A little less
gloomy than utter darkness 1t vas
| en- occasion never 10 be forgotten by
any one who saw It, 70 see several
| hundred men dancing together rs
J though they really enjoyed it, although
! a majority Of them were young uen,
who had on many occasions eraccd
! fashionable bali rooms ami sport"d
swailow.tailed coats and the rest of
the full dress paraphernalIa. Yet here
! they we're Juggling away with stalwdrt
men as partners. Oh ;yhut base uses
we uny even come to 1t was the only
real stag dance / ever took part in.
and never had disposition for au-
! other.
"When the ball was over and tie
CIV Of lights out was sounded. the
noise and confusion OF tie previous
night once more re. gued. Every con
cpiyable noise was made. Stamping
halloing and shouting, amid deafon-
ing clatter Of tinware, and good Imi-
tations Of all the domestic animals. al
well as the denizens Of the forest
through the halls Of Libby. The more
| quiet and sedate among the prisoners
soon controlled this turbulent element
and In q few minutes the usual quiet
Of the pace HAD been resumed, and
the new year fairly began ii TINT
| dreary abode