The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-07
ny 7Ex-pRIvATE ". il. TIjnpIN.

~ ttN-EhiN ATE W. ~. TtNlIN. Iil
II does NJ old Confederate heart
good to know you arc Keeping the camp
iircs burning 20 very brightly hat the
green pine poles | sent DO not put
thcm out. So I'll send you another
load. i
"A part Of the bitter cold month Of
January. 1868. we were cnnpad near
the battle Scared city OF Frcderlcka-
burg. We had canvhs tents. -Four
fellows III Our company tmorc ingp-
NOUS or moro industrious) made their
tent very comfortable By building n
Jog chimney to 1t about eight feet
high. One night when thrnc out OF
that tent were on guard dutya private
on the outside noticed that The fourth
one was very busy cooking something.
So lie pccped in and saw lie was cook
ing a possum. That smcllcd 80 good
he vas determined 10 get part OF IL
~ least. After thinking awhile, he cut
"a doEwood stick about sin feet long.
made II sharp q ops end and hotclad
st rough and climbed up the chimney.
Looking down he saw that tho fellow
lad divided tho possuin IN four equal
parts aud hal HIS quarter in the spider
on top Of a ponc OF bread. When the
fellow took off the lid. lie said TO him
hclf, 'iAh, brown and nice lust then
The private on top clnppcd his old hat
over tho chimney ana all the smoke
went into the other fellows eyes. and
while lie was rubbing Ills cyrB and
"cussinE" tic smoke the private
pushed his stick into the quarter or
the pcssuin md drew up tho possum
and bread. Rugged II UP under his old
Jacket, jumped down and ran through
the darkness. When the other fellow
opened his cycs, behold. hts part OF
the possum and the ponc were gone.
)ic heard some one running. hut how
IL % nj Inn M. Al fki,t, tn
not imagine. lie Was afraid to pursue
linn. for some one might silp IN his
tent and take what was left. lie never
found out who did II, or how 1t was
done, for riN months after.
On the second Maryland campaign
tho private who did IL asked him II Ito
eyer found ont who look his postum
md pore AZ Frcderickaburg last win
ter. and he said, no, and / offered 81
reward. too" "WeU," says the private.
III tell you all about IL II you Will
promise not 10 beat tho fellow"
well" he said. "lll promise not TO
beat him II you Will tell me how il
Was stolen out OF that spider" We'll,
lie told him he did IL and how il was
done. and what he said when he lifted
tho lid. l".hh. brown and nice" lie
said. Inn great mind TO beat you any
May; hut for my oath's sake Will not"
THOSE two boys We're fast friends ever
afterwards, and MAYER played any more
tricks one on the other. Before that
they were continually ut IL.
The Confederate soldiers were n
body Of the handsoncsi men ana boys
ever seen. Their mothers, aunts. SIS
4 rs. wives and sweethcarts wcrc the
most lovely creatures the sun ever
Ehunc uIion. The Southern veterans Of
to-day arc the finest looking, men for
their ageR Che youngest passed three
.l.- r.
one may rake the world and reap tho
ocean and the Islands OF tho seas with
n finetooth comb.
l \ private IN Company - was saved
"a double duty" by his good looks. On
n Sunday morning after the battles
around Richmond We had n brigade
dress parade, when every button on
our Jackets was expected TO shine snmc
asa Juno bugs wings and our mus
1ctas and bgyoncts to be as bright as
q new tin plate or n silver uollar The
private forgot It was Sunday until lie
was called to "fall IN ranks for dress
parade" His gun was rusty and his
brass buttons dull. but he had TO 20.
aud went III fear and trembling. Gen
cral ArmIstead passed down the line
with his white handkerchief in his
hand to rub on tho guns to see ir 1t
got soilcd. II soled IL double duty
for that soldier. When lie got In front
OF that poor forGetful private, who
"presented arms as bold rs IL his was
the brightest, the general looked him
square in tho face with his piercing
military eye. ana seeing his gun in
such a fix sad. You are n pretty fell
low" The private looked right into
his face. and said, Yes, general. all
the girls where l came from thought
so. Now, general. you sny So, I reckon
+ st must bc So" Tho general took his
F handkerchief and instead OF rubbing it
on tho gun, used 1t to brush away a
snilo from his lips, and moved quickly
down tho line. That private was no,
reported. lis good looks saved him.