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A Pig In The Drum

A Pig In The Drum image
Parent Issue
Day
12
Month
November
Year
1880
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

General Onleoby, of Illinois, was first appointed Colonel of the Eigbtb. Illinois lniautry. Ho was a jolly man, a good officer, and had a lot of fine Suckers in lus regiment. One day while in Missouri his drum corps went into the woods to practiee, and while they were fifing and bom hij: away f'or dear lile along cune a fat shoat. Tlie fifes died away, the rattle of the small drums ceased, and the corps disporsod to catch a pig. Only the ba'ss druiumer was left to pound away and keep up the no' lo drowo the squcals of the poor shoat. It was soon over and poor pipgy was dead. Now to ?et him into camp without lieins observed was the next question, and it wa.s uuaiiiuiously retsulved that he bould be put into the bass drum. The drum was unheadud, tbe pig stored uwny, and the big Duteh ba.H drummer took hitn up, drum and all, on his neck. The pig was lieavy, and as ho lay at the bottom of the drum and acted as sort of lever, hc oaadfl the drum strap cut into the back ot Dutchy's neck. Still Dutchy strupsled along, keeping step as heoouid, and thinking of what a fini mesn of ffèsb pork In' wnuld have f'or supper. Tlic killing of the pig had taken up uiore time than they upposed, and just as they got to the edge of the camp they the regtmeqt SHng out of their camping giounds f'or parade, tlio Adjutant iind Colonel coming after thein. " Fall in tliore, 0I086 up ! " sliouU'd the adjutant, and t'irned thi-m loward the paradegrouud Dutchy was alninst dead curryinx the pi.', and whispertd to the drum uiHJor : " Mme (Jot in !iiinm.;l ! I aaoool itood dis lnngher." " You must," said the drum major, and tlien bawled out, " Close uj thore with that biss drum I Forward ?" The poor Dutchman got on the parade line somehow or otlier, but not uoiil the (Jolonel liad uoticed hiiu and thuuht he wasdrunk, as he staggered alon under the heavy pig. GoinK up to the drum corps the Colonel inquired in a voioa ot of the bass dnuniuer, " Wliat is the matter with you str?" 'l'lic dutchman who had groat onfidenec in tlu' ood nature of the Coloncl. sidleti up to his horse, and staudins on his toes aud reaobing up his neck as tiir a? he COulA, said in & low voice : '' Mine Got, Kernol, daré ish a big in de Hum; a putiful big, and [ will schend you do best quardar. " "ISick, sir?" siiil thii Colonel, with a wink. " Wby didn'tyou say 80 at firt ? " " Adjutant, pend this man to his miar ters." DutcHy toiik thi hint and staggared off with his pij; and drum. As s ion au he was out of the line he sat down to rest and took his own time in reachin hú q'iarters, but he soon got there safely and with the pip, too. That evening the Colonel had fresh pork for suppur, and I have left you to .sunuise where it carne froui.

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Courier
Old News