The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-09-22
"REMINISCENCES

Y.
Editor Star: In this number it is
my intention to relate some scenes,
under my own observation and within
my own knowledge, sometime during
the war, without regard to dates of
years, unless dates or years bear an
important part in the episode or Incl
dent related. | am just going to tell
some things that happened-things
that were done or said, or possibly
combination of both-which had no
particular bearing upon the program
OF progress of the war, but which did
serve to break the monotony of quiet
in the month Of July. The full moon,
in cloudless sky, was sending her
soft, silvery rays down upon a mill
tary camp where more than a thou
sand patriotic sons of the South were
amusing themselves in a hundred diff
ferent ways. The tide was rising and
the regular roll and splash of the
waves of the Atlantic as they rose
and broke upon the sandy beach, fell
upon our ears with a kind of musical
lullaby effect, producing in the heart
q feeling of "Home Sweet Home" and
in the mind awakening the inquiry,
"what are the wild waves saying" in
spite of the fact that on the evening
| have in mind the waves were not
wild" but soft and rhythmical. A
sweet, salt air breeze was coming in
from the sea, cooling the brow and
invigorating the lungs. 1t was a
lovely night, and the dispenser of all
good was contributing with gener-
Gus and lavish hand to produce con-
dition which would bring peace, COM
fort and happiness to the bunch of
humanity there assembled together
| Out at one border of the camp twelve
men were sitting on camp stools. The
bunch was the Eutaw band-Muller's
those same Germans-and they were
playing some beautiful and delightful
music. Quite large crowd haC
gathered around them, some standing
some sitting and some lying on the
ground, all laughing, talking, joying
smoking and listening to the music
The member of the band whose part
it was to beat the bass drum anc
tinkle the symbals, was named Duff
He was of medium height, light hair
blue eyes and-then he was promi
nent man-prominent round about the
equatorial line-which / think served
a very good purpose in keeping his
big drum from interfering with his
legs when on the march. He was &
genial, jovial fellow and everybody il
the regiment was fond of him, as in
deed they were of all the members Of
the band. There was a member Of
the Edisto Rifles by the name OF
Meredith-Bill Meredith-who was
great joker and great smoker, fonl
of playing practical jokes and of say
ing smart things, or at least he
thought them smart, and, to do hin
justice, sometimes they were. Nov
OH that night / have been telling yor
about, Bill was in the crowd standing
around the band listening to the mus.
ic, joking and smoking. After the
band had been playing for quite
awhile, Muller called rest, and nc
sooner than this was done our FRIEND
Duff began to fix his pipe up for g
smoke. He had two-story pipe, sc
to speak, that is the bowl could be
liften out of socket at the end OF
the long flexible stem, so as to make
it convenient to clean. This bow
was of porcelain, tall and slim and
embellished with blue landscape pic.
lures, including an old windmill. Now
it came to pass that while Duff was
loading up his pipe and getting ready
to enjoy his smoke, Meredith walked
up close and in quite a loud tone Che
wanted the crowd to hear him) &C.
costed him, "Say, Duff, want music!
Beat me a solo," To which Duff re-
piled in a tone of voice loud enough
/