The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-01-10

Z .
White, intensely enjoyed that scene?
The next morning Cropsey woke up
with his coppers fairly sizzling, and
his head as big as a bee gum. He
dressed, searched his pockets, found
one lone fve-cent pience, and put for
a bar room by back street after
short"
AS he entered the rear door stran-
ger met him with outstretched arms,
,exclaiming: on, here you are al
last. / have been waiting for you foc
dn hour"
White stared at he man, whom he
aid not remember 10 have ever seen
before, and said:
"Er-really-you have the advant-
age Of me-
''Not yet; but l hope TO have the
advantage of you, II you do all tor
me that you promised last night. Why
don't you remember?'
This aroused Whites befuddled rae
ulties, and he recalled the Incidents
Of the night before.
For one week he was busily engaged
ed in lodging around corners, and
importunate, pertinacious beat TO
slipping up blind alleys, to escape the
whom he had promised his influence
For a long time afterwards one or his
cronies could drive CrOpsey White
away from even the bar counter by
saying: "Cropsey, | say use your in
fuence for me, won't yOu?'
Cropsey White enlisted in the Con-
federate service in 1861; and strange
to say, grim -yisaged war" suited him
better than piping peace" and they
were the best four years of his life
But he made the camp lively from be-
ginning to end for he was continually
getting into all manner Of scrapes.
A gruff gray bearded old sergeant III
his command said that Cropsey White
Lad christened more guard houses and
walked more intrenchments than any
other soldier in the southern armies
/ one evening the command to which
he belonged went into camp on the out
skirts OF a small town in the eastern
!parl of North Carolina, and Cropsey
White went cut to get the lay Of
the land" At the head Of the straS-
Cling village he came across a little
groggery, a small wooden shack,
with pine counter Two or three glass
es, the bar-keeper in the rear presiding
over the stock and store, a two gallon
ln "a
brandy was called--all lighted by -.
dim tall0W candle.
Cropsey wanted some OF that liquor
badly, as did sundry other veterans,
but their pay was behind ant Sheir
pockets were empty. AS he took his
way to camp a bright idea struck him
and ihe quickened his pace. In Bome
way he procured an officers sword and
cap, put himself at The head of a half
dozen companions, each with a quart
canteen hung over his shoulders, and
entered the village barrOom. Striding
forward with mis- sword clanking, pom
polls and naughty, he said to the bar
keeper:
Fill those canteens for my men that
/ may give them a little brandy after
, their long march, at the same time
ostentatiously drawing out a pocke,
book, stuffed out with paper. The bar
keeper was aWed by the splendOr OF
the Confederate warrior, and filled
, canteen after canteen with aia,rcfFy just
as the last one was filled and handed
, to the owner, one Of the men blew out
the candle and the arauders were out
Of doors like a flash, on their way to
camp.
Cropsey White after the war was
wont to tell of his wonderful eXpe-
! riences in camp, the humOr of which
was accentuated by his mournful style
, of narrative.
lone time, fellows" he said, Just
, for a harmless spree they made me
sweep the street between the tents
made me walk extra guard, put me
, to work on the entertainments in the
, blazingest, hottest day in July | ever
felt; and that night they put me in
the guard house without my blankets
and I almost froze to DEATH" Freez-
ing to death without blankets in blaz-
r ing. sweltering hot July!
Cropsey White used frequently &c
, walk out after early supper to the res
+ i6ence of a friend on Harrington Hill
10 play whist, two sons and daught-
er of the family making up the four
at the table On one occasion when
, an engagement had been made he did
? not show up. 1t was warm night
. the windows were all open, and the
PLAYERS were impatiently waiting fol
( him. Suddenly, as if 1000 bolts ol
' sound had got loose, long reverber-
, ating below came to their ears: Hell
, lot hearts are trumps!
. What in the thunder is that? ask
; "a ouo of rho vounp men looking uE