the wedding feast “without the wedding garments.”  But the day of our departure from Richmond Captain Nance rigged himself out in the pomp and regulations of war, his bright new buttons flashing in the sunlight, his crimson sash tied naughtily around his waist, his sword dangling at his side, he looked the “beheld of all beholders” as the troops marched with a light and steady step along the stone-paved streets of Richmond.  He had married a year or so before the beautiful and accomplished sister of our lamented Colonel, and had telegraphed her to meet him at Columbia on our arrival.  He dared not trust these innoculate garments to the dirty and besmeared walls of a box car so he discarded the new on our entrance to the train and dressed in his old as a traveling suit.  All the way during our trip he teased his brother officers and twitted them with being so “shabbily dressed,” while he would be such a “beaw ideal” in his new uniform when he met his wife.  He had never met his wife since his honeymoon a year before, and then only with a twenty-one days’ furlough, so it can be well imagined with what anticipations he looked forward to the meeting of his wife.  He was so happy in his expectations that all seemed to take on some of his pleasant surroundings, and shared with him his delight in the expected meeting of his young wife.  He would look out of the car door and hail a comrade in the next car with, “Watch me when we reach Columbia, will you,” while the comrade would send back a lot of good-natured railery.  It was an undisputed fact, that Captain Nance was a great favorite among officers and men, and while all were giving him a friendly badgering, everyone was glad to see him in such a happy mood.  He had given his new suit in charge of his body servant, Jess, with special injunction to guard it with his life.  Now Jess was devoted to his master, and was as proud of him as the “squires” of old were of the knights.  Jess, to doubly secure this “cloth of gold” so dear to the heart of his master, folded the suit nicely and put it in his knapsack and the knapsack under his head, while he slept the sleep of the just in the far corner of the box car.  When we reached Charlotte Captain Nance concluded to rig himself out, as this was to be our last place of stoppage until Columbia was reached, and should his wife meet him there, then he would be ready.  So he orders water and towel, and behind the car he began preparations for dressing, all the while bantering the boys about his suit.

At last he was ready to receive the treasured gray.  He called out to his man Jess, “Bring out the uniform.”

Jess goes into the car.  He fumbles, he hunts—­knapsacks thrown aside, guns and accoutrements dashed in every direction—­the knapsack is found, hastily opened, and searched, but no uniform!  The more impatient and more determined to find the missing clothes, the idea began more forcibly to impress Jess that he might have slept on the way.  So engrossed was he in the search for the missing suit, that he failed to hear the orders from his master to—­