Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 September 1917 — COLONEL WANTED THAT BIRD [ARTICLE]

COLONEL WANTED THAT BIRD

Prospect of Turkey Dinner Made Him Overlook Any Little Dereliction of the Drummer. During the Civil war one of the drummers, while the regiment was on the move, had a penchant for foraging 0n his own account, and the chickens had to roost, high to, escape his farreaching hands. Whenever night overtook them this drummer had a good supper provided for himself. On one occasion he had raked in a couple of turkeys, and had put them into his drum for convenience In carrying. When the regiment was halted for the night the colonel immediately ordered dress parade, and the drummers were expected to beat up. The forager made his drumsticks go, but the quickeyed colonel noticed that he was not drumming. “Adjutant,” said the colonel, “that man isn’t drumming. Why ain’t he drumming?” The adjutant stepped up to him, saying: “Why ain’t you drumming?” “Because,” said the quick-witted drummer, “I have got two turkeys in my drum, and one of ’em is for the colonel.” The adjutant went back, and the colonel asked, “What is It?” “Why, he says he has got two turkeys in his drum, and one of ’em is for the colonel.” Up to this point the conversation had been carried on in a IoW voice, but when the adjutant reported, the colonel raised his voice so that all could hear: “What! sick is he? Why didn’t he say so before? Send him to his tent at once.”