Pennsylvania Regiment. W. Stenger, Esq., spoke eloquently in their behalf, and Major Rippen in behalf of the receivers of the flag. Loud were the shouts, and boisterous the bravery of the occasion. A lofty pole was erected in the square, and this again roused the whole community. The place was kept in a feverish excitement, which unfitted many people for their ordinary daily duties.

It was not long till we discovered that our heroic defenders were not all angels. "War knows no Sabbath," and many heeded it not at this time. Hitherto our place had been strict and exemplary in its observance of the Lord's day. A sad change came over our quiet and orderly community. The rattling of hacks and army wagons disturbed the services of the sanctuary. Thousands of soldiers were marched through the town on Sunday, in welcoming the arrival of some distinguished officer, who made it a point to come just on that day, and on no other. Even our patriotic Governor consented to have a grand review of the army on this day. Such exciting scenes tempted multitudes of the weaker people away from church. And our Sunday school children we had to see borne away on the exciting current of the amusements and manoeuvreings of Sunday in the army. As Robert Hall says: "War is a temporary repeal of the Ten Commandments." It seemed so in our case. One should think the perils and privations of war would make the people more serious and attentive to their religious duties. But the effect is the opposite. Such exhibitions of drunkeness and profanity, indeed of general immorality, Chambersburg had never before witnessed, and I pray it may never witness again.

People who have never actually passed through such scenes, can form no adequate conception of them. When armies are concentrated in large cities, the increase of life, good and bad, is less noticeable than in a quiet country town. And the bad, alas, usually preponderates. For whilst many of the best men enlist in defence of their country from a sense of duty, the lowest dregs of society are commonly drained into the army. There were whole Regiments, where almost every man seemed to be a gentleman and a Christian; and other Regiments, from the mining districts, or composed of the rowdy element of the large cities, which were almost entirely made up of drunken and profane men.

Let us stroll through one of the camps, as they were found in the middle of June, 1861. Here is a large field of rank clover, just coming into blossom, a half a mile from town. The strong fence, and the respectability and influence of the owner cannot save it from the destructive tramp of war. Within four and twenty hours, a tented village, with two thousand inhabitants, has been founded in this clover field. Horses and men up to their knees in

clover. Sergeants, with their squads of pupils, drilling back and forward through the tall grass. It reminds one of a Bedouin encampment in Arabia, which has just entered upon a new pastoral district; only that the Arab tents are "black as the tents of Kedar," whilst these are white; those are irregularly put up, these in regular lines, in the form of streets. But as in theirs, here the horses are tethered to wooden or iron pegs, driven into the ground; the cooking in many respects is alike. Here as there, idle groups are seated or reclining on the ground, hearing or telling stories, or speculating about the adventures of to-morrow. At one time officers and privates are leisurely unbending around their tents. The whole Brigade carelessly scattered over the field, each soldier doing as he listeth, lying and lounging about at will. A few taps of the drum bring whole Regiments to their feet. In ten minutes the field presents an exciting scene, where every company is on drill, marching and counter-marching, running, walking, standing, crawling on all fours, lying flat on the ground, in Zouave styleperforming all manner of evolutions, to prepare them for the battle.

The

This over, they disperse to their tents. Here a mess make or drink coffee, there another quaff their flagons of whiskey. Some are eating, some lying on the grass sleeping, to make up for what they lost the night before while on picket duty. Some perhaps under the influence of strong drink, indulge in profane oaths. Here and there one is sitting in the shadow of a tent, reading out of a small pocket Testament. Tenderly our hearts sympathize with those who could read God's holy word amid such surroundings. Down yonder comes a group of officers on horseback. soldiers lift their caps and shout hurrah with a will. The central person is Gen. Patterson, the highest officer of this Division. An old gentleman, gray-headed and venerable, who even in old age knows how to ride a gay horse. As he and his staff pass, a few of us civilians lift our hats; he gracefully returns the salute by touching his cap. On an elevation a Regiment is drawn up in line, which he reviews. Again the field rings with the manly shouts of the soldiers as he rides away.

Two months after the fall of Fort Sumter, from 15,000 to 20,000 soldiers had been added to the population of Chambersburg. They paused a few weeks here on their way to the field of war, to be hastened through a brief schooling of military drill. And as one Brigade left another came. An impromptu army, raised as this had been, at a week's notice, and under the spur of a great and exciting peril, naturally brought with it many elements of weakness. Many pasteboard officers, from the Generals down, who were ignorant of the first rudiments of the military art.

Here and there one would shock the good sense of the community by his wicked habits. Men, young and old, who had been swept into the army by the romance of the thing, soon got a bitter taste of its sober, prosy trials. Hosts of fast young men were constantly getting into trouble. Only a fixed number of each Regiment was allowed to come to town at any one time. But many of these could not resist the temptation to get drunk. Fights and drunken broils abounded. Often the pavements were strewn with helplessly intoxicated soldiers, stretched at full length, or crouching on door sills. Many a good housewife, as she opened her front door, found a drunken soldier leaning against it, and falling, unbidden, with its opening, into the hall. Here and there one would be picked up by his sober comrades, and smuggled back to camp, without the knowledge of his officer, so as to evade punishment.

Frequently one would be appealed to by "a boy in blue," for a little spending-money. And indeed just then and there few could turn a deaf ear to such appeals, even though one knew that the poor fellows would spend the gift for tobacco or whiskey. For everybody felt a tender sympathy for them, despite the irregular habits of some. They were without the comforts of home, and would shortly risk, perhaps give their lives in our defence, whilst we comfortably remained in a place of safety. One day a tall, goodhumored Hibernian stretched himself at full length before me, with a singular squint of the eye:

"See hare, sthranger, jest a dime, if ye plase. A wee dhrap can hurt nobody. It makes the heart of the poor soldier glad. An sure, ye canna say nay to that!"

Another asked for a few pennies to buy tobacco. To convince me that he was honest, and had not spent it for liquor, he soon after returned, and showed me his purchase. Rolling the tobacco, carefully in paper, he pointed to a neighboring flag saying:

"Friend, d'ye see that flag? Ye shall never hear that Patrick O'Hara deserted them are sthars and sthripes."

I believe that he spoke the truth. It would be unfair to give these as average specimens of our soldiery. Hosts of sober, wellbehaved, Christian men were there, as good citizens and brave soldiers as any country can boast of. Such were greatly annoyed by the bad habits of the rowdies.

Loud and frequent were the complaints of ill-treatment and fraudulent impositions. Swindling Government contractors supplied the Regiments with half rotten clothing, for which the poor soldiers had to pay high prices. In a short time their garments literally fell into pieces. Some were called the "ragged Regiments." The Government paid the Quartermasters thirty cents a day to board a soldier. At this rate they could furnish healthy

food and make a fortune. Instead of that some fed them on coarse mouldy bread and spoiled meat. In some Regiments the halfstarved men had hardly strength enough left to perform their drill and picket duties. Those that had money bought food in town; many that had none knocked at the doors of the charitable, who cheerfully fed them with the best they had, It seemed inhumanly cruel that our soldiers, after paying for their boarding, should be cheated out of their necessary food, and be sent out begging their bread. None have such an adequate conception of the black corruption practiced during the war, as those who fell victims to it. Of all species and grades of rascality, that which can plunder for paltry pelf a brave soldier, who faces danger and death in defence of his country, seems the must fiend-like.

ANNIE AND WILLIE'S PRAYER.

SOPHIE P. SNOW.

'Twas the eve before Christmas; "Good-night" had been said,
And Annie and Willie had crept into bed;

There were tears on their pillows, and tears in their eyes,

And each little bosom was heaving with sighs,

For to-night their stern father's command has been given,
That they should retire precisely at seven,

Instead of at eight; for they troubled him more
With questions unheard of than ever before;
He had told them he thought this delusion a sin,

No such being as "Santa Claus " ever had been.

And he hoped, after this, he should nevermore hear

How he scrambled down chimneys with presents each year.
And this was the reason that two little heads

So restlessly tossed on their soft downy beds.

Eight, nine, and the clock on the steeple tolled ten;
Not a word had been spoken by either till then.
When Willie's sad face from the blanket did peep,

And whispered, "Dear Annie, is you fast asleep?"
Why no, brother Willie," a sweet voice replies,
"I've tried it in vain, but I can't shut my eyes,
For somehow it makes me so sorry because
Dear papa has said there is no Santa Claus."
"Now we know that there is and it can't be denied,
For he came every year before mamma died:

But then, I've been thinking that she used to pray,
And God would hear everything mamma would say.
And perhaps she asked him to send Santa Claus here
With the sack full of presents he brought every year."

"Well, why tan't we p'ay dest as mamma did den, And ask God to send him with presents aden."

"I've been thinking so, too." And without a word more,
Four little bare feet bounded out on the floor,
And four little knees the soft carpet pressed,

And two tiny hands were clasped close to each breast.
"Now, Willie, you know, we must firmly believe,
That the presents we ask for we're sure to receive.
You must wait just as still, till I say the 'Amen,'

And by this you will know that your turn has come then;Dear Jesus, look down on my brother and me,

And grant us the favor we are asking of Thee,

I want a wax dolly a tea set and ring,

And an ebony work-box that shuts with a spring;
Bless papa, dear Jesus, and cause him to see,
That Santa Claus loves us far better than he,
Don't let him get fretful and angry again
At dear brother Willie and Annie, Amen."
"Please Desus, let Santa Taus tum down to-night,
And b'ing us some p'esents before it is 'ight.
I want he should d'ive me a nice 'ittle s'ed,
With b'ight shinin' 'unners, and all painted 'ed,
A box full of tandy, a book and a toy.

Amen, and then, Desus, I'll be a dood boy."

Their prayers being ended, they raised up their heads. And with hearts light and cheerful again sought their beds. They were soon lost in slumber both peaceful and deep, And with fairies in dreamland were roaming in sleep, Eight, nine, and the little French clock had struck ten, Ere the father had thought of his children again; He seems now to hear Annie's half suppressed sighs, And to see the big tears stand in Willie's blue eyes; "I was harsh with my darlings," he mentally said, "And should not have sent them so early to bed.

But then I was troubled; my feelings found vent,
For bank stock to day has gone down ten per cent.
But of course they've forgotten their troubles ere this,
And that I denied them the thrice asked for kiss;
But just to make sure I'll steal up to the door,
For I never spoke harsh to my darlings before."
So saying he softly ascended the stairs,

And arrived at the door to hear both of their prayers.
His Annie's "bless papa" draws forth the big tears,
And Willie's grave promise falls sweet on his ears.
Strange, strange, I'd forgotten," said he with a sigh,
"How I longed when a child, to have Christmas draw nigh.
I'll atone for my harshness," he inwardly said,
"By answering their prayers ere I sleep in my bed."
Then he turned to the stairs and softly went down,
Threw off velvet slippers and silk dressing-gown,
Donned hat, coat and boots, and was out in the street,
A millionaire facing the cold driving sleet.
Nor stopped he until he had bought everything,
From a box full of candy to the tiny gold ring.
Indeed he kept adding so much to his store,
That the various presents outnumbered a score,