"You will find your marbles at the Colonel's tent, but when
you go after them you must salute the Colonel." He: "Salute how?" "This
way: Catch your hat with this hand, raise the other hand, fingers
extended, and strike out this way." After practicing him for awhile, they
told him that would do--he had it right. Then he bolted for the Colonel's
tent with all the assurance with which he would accost a township
constable. The Colonel was a West Pointer and as dignified and austere as
the Czar of all the Russias. After saluting the Colonel, he said,
"Colonel, I have just come in and drawed my outfit and have called in to
get my marbles." The Colonel: "The h--ll you say! Report to your quarters
at once or I'll have you put in the guard-house." When he came back, he
looked like a bucket of cold water had been thrown on his patriotic
enthusiasm. They inquired, "Did you get your marbles?" He: "No!" "What did
the Colonel say?" "He cussed me and threatened to put me in the
guard-house."

The reader can imagine what a laugh they had at the breaking in of a real
good soldier, who proved faithful to the end. But ever afterwards,
whenever he got on a "high hoss," some one would ask him what the Colonel
said when he went after his marbles.

A BAD CASE OF ITCH.

In the fall of 1863, while my regiment, the Fifty-sixth North Carolina,
was on detail service arresting conscripts and deserters in the middle
and western counties, our company headquarters then being at Hannah's
Cross Roads in Davidson County, a stout, strapping boy of 18 came from
Catawba County to join the army with us. He had two uncles in our company
who were off with a detachment; and he, being a stranger to all present,
and noticing that he had a bad case of itch, all stood aloof from him.
After he had been in camp a few days Iley Gantt got a short furlough to
visit his sick wife. He, noticing Gantt's arrangements for going home,
inquired what he was going home for. Ike Powell said, "We are sending
Gantt home because he has got the each." He: "Well, I've got the each."
P.: "Yes, I see you have, and what did you come here with the each for.
We've got trouble enough here without the each." He: "Well, if you say so
I'll go home too, for I am getting mighty tired of this place anyhow." P.:
"Well, that would be the best thing you could do." He: "But I've eat up
all the rations I brought from home, and I 'haint got nothing cooked to
eat, and I can't cook--never cooked any