The National tribune., 1910-01-20
\ Strain of Mystery.

II Editor National tribune. An eultOI
of a great paper like The National
Tribune is supposed to have the wis
dom of Solomon, able to answer all
questions off-hand. Now here is a qucs-
ton that has troubled me, 10. these
many years. / cannot now, and never
could, answer it, so will the tale unfold
and then the answer is UP to the Edi-
| tor. Sometime in February. 1862. the
army of Gen. Curtis was hustled over
the Ozarks to keep a three days en-
gagement with old Pap Price at the old
l Elkhorn Tavern. One of the boys,
Andy by name, saw goose insultingly
! kissing the Flag as it was carried by.
Andy executed flank movement, sur
rounded the rebel goose and compelled
| it to surrender at the point of his bayo-
net. Andy then shOuldered his captive,
/ thinking what a fine supper he would
have. Now the Sergeant-Major was
IstrOlling along in the rear, thinking
what a hero the Sergeant Major was.
when he espied Andy and the goose.
He Immediately fell upon Andy for
struggling and fOraging, as this was
very much against orders, you know,
lrecaptured the goose and bore it off in
triumph. Andy was so angry that he
soon caught up with the company and
actually stacked arms with the COM
pany that night. Andy thought of his
goose, marched over to the Colonefs
quarters and related his misfOrtunes to
the Colonel, who was sympathetic and
sent for the Sergeant-Major, demanding
his authority for divorcing Andy from
his goose. The Sergeant-Major cited
the orders against foraging, sbut the
Colonel ordered him to re~fore the
goose to Andy. Then the Sergeant
Major explained that, tiring of carrying
the goose, he had given it to Co. K
ThereupOn the Colonel ordered the Ser
geant- Major to reclaim the goose from
Co. X and bring it to the Coloners tent,
which he did forthwith, and Andy came
smiling to mess No. 6 with the goose
and gave ii to the chef of No. 6 with
orders TO prepare it for the table. The
chef was the writer, and / prepared the
bird for the repast, placing it in a ket-
tie already half full Of beef. Then.
lighting my pipe of Killikinnik sat by
the fire dreamily counting up the poor
rebels / was to slay when we had that
meeting with old Pap at the Elkhorn.
After a time Sigel found his feather
bed uncomfortable and came to the fire
for a smoke. Soon a call from Co. f
to draw rations: the First Sergeant
called me to help him. / swung the
kettle of beef off the fire and the coffee
kettle on, charged Sigel to watch sharp
and went to draw the days ratiOns.
Before that was finished, the reveille
sounded. and when 1 got back to the
fire Andy was fiercely demanding his
goose. ! said. Here it is, Andy, in this
kettle" raising the cover. but not a
shred of the goose was there. Sigel
swore no one had been near the kettles,
until mess No. 6, aroused by reveille,
swarmed around the fire intent on
breakfast. No one had seen any goose.
Sigel said the same, but would not per-
NIT a search of his hayersack, which
had a very portly appearance. In the
midst of the row the assembly broke in
with its insistent note and sadly we of
No. marched away; and watch as
closely as We did. not a single shred of
Andy's goose did we ever find. Now,
Mr.. Editor. in view of the facts as here
set forth. what did become of Andy's
goose?-Tfuman Proper. Corporal, Co.
F. 37th ILL.,, 836 Ferris ST, Collinwood,
Ohio