e so bad, and by soaking the corn-bread in water,
could manage to swallow a little. The surgeon, who visited
the prison every day, cauterized my mouth, but it continued
to grow worse, until at last I could not eat the coarse
bread. Sometimes I would have a chance to sell it for from
one to two dollars, which, with the twenty, saved me from
starvation. I bought rice of the guard for two dollars the
half-pint, and good-sized potatoes for a dollar each. These
were cooked usually over a little fire in the yard with wood
or chips picked up while going for water. Sometimes, by
waiting patiently for an hour or more, I could get near
enough to the stove to put my cup on. The heating apparatus
was a poor apology for a cylinder coal-stove, and the coal
the poorest I ever saw, and gave so little heat that one
could stand all day by it and shiver.

[Illustration: ESCAPING PRISONERS FED BY NEGROES IN THEIR MASTER'S
BARN.]

"'The bed-quilt was quite narrow, but very much better than
none.

"'Capt. Weiss and I would spread our flannel coats on the
floor, use our shoes for pillows, spread the quilt over us,
and with barely space to turn over, would, if the night was
not too cold, go to sleep; usually to dream of home and
loved ones; of Christmas festivities and banquets; of trains
of army wagons so overloaded with pies and cakes that they
were rolling into the road; of a general exchange; a thirty
day's leave of absence, and a thousand things altogether
unlike that which we were experiencing; and would wake only
to find ourselves cold and hungry.

"'Our mess had the volume of _Harper's Magazine_, found at
Salisbury, and we each could have it an hour or more daily.
A few games of checkers or cribbage, played sitting on the
floor, tailor-fashion, were always in order. All who were
accustomed to smoking would manage to secure a supply of
tobacco at least sufficient for one smoke per day, and, if
they could not obtain it in any other way, would sell half
their scanty ration, and perhaps get enough to last a week.
It was a good place to learn how to economize. I have known
some to refuse a light from the pipe, for fear of losing a
grain of the precious weed. Evenings we would be in
darkness, and as we could not move about without frequent
co