oud anthem, PRAISE TO THEE!"

I used to be greatly amused at times at the kind of literature which
reached us when in camp from kind friends at home who were solicitous
concerning our moral welfare. Sometimes it was very evident that a book or
tract smuggled itself into the package sent which had never been "passed
upon" by any member of the Christian Commission. Just think of placing a
cook-book in the hands of a man who had been living for months on
hard-tack and salt junk, with no prospect of a change in diet for months
to come!

I am reminded, in this connection, of an incident which occurred in one of
the hospitals in Washington. A kind-hearted Christian lady passed through
the wards one day distributing religious tracts. She placed one in the
hands of a young soldier who was occupying one of the numerous cots. As
she turned away from him on her mission of love, she heard him laugh. The
good woman's feelings were hurt, and retracing her steps she mildly
rebuked him for his seeming rudeness and ingratitude. He begged her pardon
and assured her that no discourtesy was intended, and remarked that he was
amused by the inappropriateness of the title of the tract she had given
him, "The Sin of Dancing," when both of his legs had been shot off.

CHAPTER VII.

In common with soldiers generally, the _menu_ of our company was somewhat
limited in variety, and the dishes served did not materially differ from
day to day. Sunday, however, was an exception to this general rule when we
were in camp. In accordance with the time-honored New England custom, on
Sunday morning we had _our_ "baked beans." If we did not always remember
to keep the Sabbath day holy, we certainly never forgot that it was the
day for baked beans; and I sometimes thought that the appearance of that
article of food on Sunday morning served us better than a Church calendar
or the "Old Farmer's Almanac" could have done as a reminder how the day
should be spent.

Our cook had a novel way of cooking or baking beans. He soaked them in the
usual style, parboiled them in a large kettle, and then put them in a
deep, iron mess-pan, generous slices of pork being placed on top of the
beans. A hole was then made in the ground a foot or two feet deep and the
bottom well filled with live coals, and on top of the coals was placed
the iron mess-pan with its savory contents. Upon the cover of the pan was
then placed more live coals, and the whole covered with turf