gs.

The party met as per agreement; every thing was arranged; the
credulous sutler present. While enjoying the evening, the crowd were
surprised to see things jumping around; a tumbler was jerked off a
table, no one near it; clothing lifted up from the line running
through the length of the tent. Some one suggested "spirits." All
acknowledged the mystery, while some would, and others would not,
accept the spiritual hypothesis as a correct solution. The matter
must be tested, and the sutler was appointed chief interrogator.

"If," said he, "there are really spirits, why can they not prove it,
by knocking this candlestick from my hand?"

"Why can't they?" echoed others.

And, sure enough, no sooner said than done, and done so quickly that
no one but the performer was the wiser, whose knuckles, he said,
pained him for a week afterward. Another of the party said to the
spirit, "Fire a pistol."

Bang! was the reply.

The sutler became terrified. Again it was agreed that they should try
questioning by the rapping process. The sutler proceeded:

"Are there any spirits present?"

Rap! rap! rap!

"Is it the spirit of a deceased relative?"

Rap! rap! rap!

"Whose relative is it? The Quarter-master's?"

Rap.

"The Adjutant's?"

Rap.

"Mine?"

Rap! rap! rap!

Here the sutler was requested to ask if there was anybody in the room
who had committed any crime. The question was asked, and

Rap! rap! rap! was the reply.

"Is it the Quarter-master?"

Rap.

"Is it the Colonel?"

Rap!

"Is it the Adjutant?"

Rap!

"Is it the Surgeon?"

Rap!

"Is it m-m-e?"

Rap! rap! rap!

"O yes; I know it!" exclaimed the conscience-stricken sutler. (The
first case of the kind I ever knew.) "O yes; I confess I was a
Methodist class-leader, and now, here I am, drinking whisky, and
selling it, and getting three prices from the boys for every thing I
sell. O! I'll go and pray!" And he accordingly departed. The sutler
reported, in the morning, that he had prayed, and felt much relieved.
It so wrought upon his mind that the joke had to be explained to him,
to prevent his being driven to distraction.

A SPECIMEN OF SOUTHERN POETRY.

From the appended exquisite gem of "Southern poetry," it will be seen
that they wish to raise the black flag. Well, _why don't they raise
it?_ Let us hope that for every black flag they raise, Uncle Abraham
will raise a _black regiment_. It is from the Chattanooga _Rebel_, and
is en