Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1910-11-04
REC,lM Ten
=. LAUNDRY
,.Ss:. 70: H4%jt -'i ---7 - ~ ~ EiNy ~
!. i: By AMBROSE MENDENfiALL t.
!, - = = @ AZ u " Il
Copyright. 1916 by, American Press
Association. .<E,z :"

| TX '' Association. .>E 81
This story has one merit-the inci-,
dent really happened. - :,
When the Army of the Cumberland
was lying at Murfreesboro, Tenn,
waiting for the corn to ripen, General
g., a brigade commander, established
his headquarters on knoll. On his
right was the tent Of his chief Of staff,
and on his left was tent in which
dwelt his aids-de-camp. Before these
three tents paced the sentry Of the
headquarters guard. Scattered about
below the emtnence were the camps
Of the different regiments composingI
the brigade
Before one of the tents of one oil
these regimental camping grounds al
young soldier, Billy Olcott, was clean
ing his musket- He was the wag oil
his regiment and never let an oppor-
tunity pass to perpetrate joke on anyl
Of his comrades. He was especially
hard on the recruits that came in from,
time to time. sending them on all
kinds of errands that veteran would
know to be ridiculous He was well
liked, except for this propensity. which
he carried too far. His veteran asso-
ciates laughed heartily at his practical
jokes. But every greenhorn who came,
to be a trained soldier itched for an 0p-
portunity to take good natured re-
venge.
One day a body of patriots who had
just exchanged their ordinary habili-
ments for uniforms arrived from the.
north and were turned in on the sea-
soned men of Blly's regiment like.
shovelfuls of soft earth thrown on
well trampled ground. One Of these.
unfortunates, seeing Billy cleaning his
musket and desiring information.
walked up to him and said:
Say, can you tell me where can
get any washing done around here?'
Billy looked up at him with stare:
! Now, it must be remembered that to-
washtub is as far away, as much Of a
luxury, as table d'hote menu. Sol
| diers' clothes In war are seldom wash
ed, and when they are they are taken
to a creek, rubbed between the knuc-
kles in lieu Of a washboard and the
dirt spots blurred over the whole gar
ment But even this laundering is
practiced only till the soldier learns to
get on with flannel shirt that shows
little dirt and can be worn for months
|
Billy, as l was saying. looked up at
! the greenhorn with stare. The re-
cruit surmised that the veteran was
!; thinking where he could send him to
get his linen Numbered. and 80 he
! was. Finally. having concentrated his
mind on just where the regimental
; laundry was located Billy said:
! do you see those three tentD up
; there on that knoll?''
The recruit admitted that he did.
"Well. you 60 up there and watt till
| that sentinel walks to one end o3 his
! beat, and while his back is turned you,
{ Just before he turns. go into the center
tent, and there's where the washing Is
done. Mind. don't try to go In when
! the sentry sees you, or he'll stop you
| There's lot of red tape up there"
The recruit thanked Billy for his
courteous information and started up
the hill. Billy watching him. Follow
, ing directions implicitly, the greenhorn
waited till the sentry reached the end
of his beat, then stepped quickly into.
the center tent. A man with star
on his shoulder was sitting at a pine.
table writing. At the recruits entry
he looked up. surprised that the in
truder had passed the sentry and en-
tered unannounced.
IFS this the place where the washing
is done?" asked the visitor.
The general stared at him in some
! such fashion as Billy had done.
"Did some one tell you to come here
to get your washing done?'
eyes"
"Could you take me to the man who
told you that?''
Il think can"
The general picked up his hat and
strolled down the incline accompanied
by the recruit Billy was still cleaning
his gun and chuckling at his joke
when. looking up, he saw the recruit he
had directed to headquarters coming
with the general. AS they approached
Billy stood up straight as ramrod and
saluted.
''That's the man." said the recruit to
the general. ~
"Call the corporal of the guard" said
the general to Billy.
Corporal of the guard!' yelled Billy. Z.
The corporal came. saluted, and the
general said to him. Corporal, take !:
couple Of the guard and escort that +
man." pointing to Billy. down to the +
creek and hare him wash this mans Il
clothes. See that the laundering Is 4