reckon when hangin' day comes
some Blue Bellies will have an airin'.'

"'You d----d grey-headed old traitor!' roared out the Captain, 'the
liquor has let the treason out. Now, by all that's holy, drink that
toast standing, head up, as if there was patriotic blood in your
veins--as if you lived in the State Washington was born in--or you'll
find out what it is to talk treason before a Major-General of the army
of the United States.' Another stroke of the sabre on the floor that
rattled the broken glass in the windows followed. The old man gave
another shudder, straightened up, steadied himself at the table with his
left hand, and with a swallow that nearly strangled him, drank off his
glass.

"'Ha! old fellow,' said the Captain, grinning, 'you came near cheating
hemp that clip.'

"'George, show us where the apple brandy is,' he continued, addressing
the darkie.

"The darkie bowed, grinned, and pointed to the door leading to the
cellar way.

"'Oh, Lord! my spirits! Don't take it, gentlemen officers, I must have a
morning dram, and it's all I've got. Let me keep the spirits.'

"'You old d----l!' exclaimed the Captain, as he eyed him savagely,
'spirits have made all the trouble in the country. Yes, sir. Bad whiskey
and worse preaching of false spiritual doctrines, such as slavery being
a Divine institution, and what not, started the Rebellion, and keep it
up. Spirits are contraband of war, just as Ben Butler says niggers are,
and we'll confiscate it'--here the Captain gave me a sly look--'in the
name and by the authority of the President of the United States. Major,
where's your canteens?'

"I produced three that had been slung under my cape, and the Captain as
many more.

"As the old Rebel saw the preparations he groaned out, 'My God! and only
four inches in the barrel George! mind, the barrel in the corner.'

"Knowing the darkie would be all right, we followed under pretty stiff
loads, the old man bringing up the rear, staggering to the door and
getting down the steps on his hands and knees.

"The Captain tasted both barrels. One in a corner was commissary that
the darkie said 'Massa had dickered for just the day afore.' The other
was well nigh empty. George, old as he was, had the steadiest hands, and
he filled the canteens one by one, closing their mouths on the cedar
spigot. As he did it, he whispered, 'Dis'll make de ole nigger feel
good. Massa gets flustered on dis and 'buses de ole wimin. De commissary