Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 September 1894 — Strange Signs. [ARTICLE]

Strange Signs.

To the soldier on the march the frying-pan in which to cook his rations was a rare luxury, says the Old Veteran, so he learned to broil his pork or fresh beef on a stick or ramrod held over his camp-fire, an occasional fall in the ashes only making the meat more easily digestible, if not more palatable. But the tin pot to boil the coffee in was an absolute necessity., The army surgeons ordered the soldiers to drink coffee early and often to keep off the malaria, a command the boys were willing to o.bey. even though the milk and sugar was not often to be had. There was an Irishman in the company with me, illiterate, oily and good-natured; though not averse to a scrimmage at times, thoroughly honest among his own comrades, but a good hand at foraging in an enemy’s country. Moreover, he bad a strong prejudice against the “Dutchers,” as called a Pennsylvania regiment that marched with us. One morning Jack's tin dipper was

missing, and you may be sure there was a tine row, until at last he declared the “Dutchers” had stolen it. “But,” said he, “[ shall know it again if I see it, and 1 will have it, too.” Sure enough, the next morning Jack came to the fire with his dipper all right, but the tin was almost new and untarnished, instead of being blackened by the smoke of a thousand camp-fires. The thief had scratched his initials on the handle, and as Jack could neither read nor write, he had to go to the sergeant of the company to have the strange signs interpreted. The sergeant generously responded and Jack felt both wise and content. That morning he was on hand bright and early. “Where did you steal the new dipper, Jack?” a-kcd some one. “Sure, it’s me same old dipper,” replied Jack, “but the Dutchers brightened it up a bit, thinking they would fool me. Don’t you see me letters on the handle? C. L. stands for John Kelly. ”