received, and then think of the poor
fellows whose sufferings were a thousand fold greater, the only wonder is
that human nature could endure it all. But I started to tell how we passed
the time.

After doing our marketing, which, by the way, was happily illustrated by a
reb, who said he used to go to market with his money in his vest pocket,
and carry a basket on his arm to bring home his purchases in; but now, he
was obliged to take his money in the basket, and could almost carry home
his purchases in his vest pocket.

[Illustration: CAPTAIN ALBAN ON POLICE DUTY.]

We amused ourselves by reading, playing cards, chess, checkers, and other
games, while those wishing exercise played cricket or practiced the sabre
exercise or fencing, to keep our muscles up, and perfect ourselves in
the use of arms. Sabres and foils were whittled out of pine or ash sticks,
with which we supplied ourselves. One German whose name I failed to take
down, gave daily lessons in fencing, and he was not only an excellent
teacher, but an expert swordsman. I have seen him allow three of his most
advanced pupils come at him at once, and tell them to go at him as though
they meant to kill him, and he would successfully defend himself against
them all. One thing I distinctly remember was that he could not speak very
plain English, and when he would give the order, "On guard en carte," in
his quick way of speaking it, a person who did not know what he intended
to say, thought he said "Cut-a-gut," and he was known in prison as "Old
Cut-a-Gut" always after.

After we had exercised sufficiently we would lay down in the shade and
read or sleep during the hottest portion of the day. A number of us formed
a literary association, each subscribing toward the purchase of a library
that a citizen of Macon had to sell. He said he had a library of about one
hundred books, that he would sell for $500, as he was destitute and was
obliged to part with them to buy provisions for his family. So twenty of
us chipped in $25 apiece around and started a circulating library,
appointed one of our number librarian, and in this way we were well
supplied with reading matter for a long time.

I do not remember all, or any considerable number of the titles of these
books, but what interested me most were some old Harper's magazines, in
the reading of which I found days and weeks of profitable enjoyment. I do
not think I ever fully appreciated until then, how much real com