EXAMINING SURGEONS.

AFTER the battle of Shiloh, and the army had fallen back to Tupelo, Mississippi, and was quietly being reorganized preparatory to being transferred to Chattanooga for the campaign into Kentucky, there was an order issued from Richmond that all appointed medical officers were to be examined by a Board, as to their qualifications. Dr. Sandell was President of this Board at Tupelo-and one must know Dr. S. to appreciate the following occurrence. The assistant surgeon of the thirty-ninth Alabama was ordered to appear before the Board. He was naturally a quick-tempered young man, though one of good stern qualities, both of head and heart. The President of the Board took pleasure in touching the young man's testy temper, which he knew was already worked into great excitement by the dread of being rejected; and he perplexed him as much as possible. The young man was soon thrown into such a state of confusion that he could. scarcely appreciate the full meaning of the questions propounded. His feeling seemed to be a mixture of rage and diffidence, when the President asked him "what he would do for a man found on the field shot through the knee-joint ?" The young man said there were a great many things he would do for such a case, but that he thought the question a very broad one. Dr. S. again asked, "But what would you do mainly?" evidently trying to make him say that he would amputate at once. The applicant, by this time was in such a state as not to understand a much more pointed question, and remained perfectly silent. Dr. S. thought he would take him on another tack, and said: "Now, sir, what would you do for me if you found me on the field shot right through there"-holding up his own leg, and pointing to each side of

the knee-joint. The applicant hesitated for a moment, and then, his countenance brightening a little, with the light of the spirit of revenge, and of recklessness of the consequences, he broke out slowly, but vindictively through his teeth, "Well, sir, if it was you that was shot through there, I would not do one d-d thing." The President of the Board was a little put out for the moment, and told the young man he could go; but he went "by the Board."--The Land We Love.

LOVE vs. DUTY.

COLONEL VAN BROCK, chief of staff to General J. E. B. Stuart, in his reminiscences of the war, relates the following incident:

During the night, there came a telegram for General Stuart, which I opened, with his other dispatches, and found to contain the most painful intelligence. It announced the death of little Flora, our chief's lovely and dearly-loved daughter, five years of age--the favorite of her father and of his military family. This sweet child had been dangerously ill for some time, and more than once had Mrs. Stewart summoned her husband to Flora's bedside; but she received only the response of the true soldier: 'My duty to my country must be performed before I can give way to the feelings of a Eather.' I went at once to acquaint my General with the terrible tidings; and when I had awakened him, perceiving, from the grave expression of my features, that something had gone wrong, he said, 'What is it, Colonel? Are the Yankees advancing?' I handed him the telegram without a word. He read it, and, the tenderness of a father's heart overcoming

the firmness of the warrior, he threw his arms around my neck, and wept bitter tears upon my breast. My dear General never recovered from this cruel blow. Many a time afterward, during our rides together, he would speak to me of his lost child. Light-blue flowers recalled her to him. In the glancing sunbeams he caught the golden tinge of her hair; and whenever he saw a child with such eyes and hair, he could not help tenderly embracing it. He thought of her even on his death-bed, when, drawing me toward him, he whispered, 'My dear friend, I shall soon be with little Flora again!'"

WHICH SIDE?

WALKING one day on the beachat Biarittz, Louis Napoleon happened to meet an intelligent-looking boy, about eight or nine years old, who took off his hat as he passed. The Em. peror courteously returned the salute, and said, "Are you English?" "No," answered the boy, very quickly, and drawing himself up, "I'm American." "Oh! American, are you? Well, tell me, which are you for, North or South?" "Well, father's for the North, I believe; but I am certainly for the South. For which of them are you, sir?" The Emperor stroked his moustache, smiled, hesitated a little, and then said, "I'm for both!" "For both, are you? Weil, that's not so easy, and it will please nobody!" His Majesty let the conversation drop and walked on.

TAPPING THE TELEGRAPII.

THE following was published in a New York paper during the summer of 1862:

The telegraph line between Memphis and Corinth is exceedingly important. General Halleck's messages to Commodore Davis, General Curtis, and the commandant of this post have all passed over it. Little of the line is guarded, but of late the rebels have refrained from cutting the wires. Their unusual amiability is now explained; they found a better use for it.

For a week the Memphis operators have detected something wrong in the working of the instruments, and surmised that some outsider was sharing their telegraphic secrets. They communicated this suspicion to the superintendent at Corinth, who promised to keep a sharp lookout.

Yesterday they discovered that their uninvited confidant could talk as well as listen. The transmission of a message was suddenly interrupted by the ejaculation, "O, pshaw !" A moment after, it was again broken with "Hurrah for Jeff. Davis !"

Individuality shows itself as well in telegraphing as in the footstep, or in handwriting. Mr. Hall, one of the Memphis operators, instantly recognized the performer, not by his tune, but his time, as a young man formerly in Buffalo and other Northern offices, but now employed by the Confederates. Mr. Hall surprised him by replying promptly, "Ed. Saville, if you don't want to be hung you had better leave! Our cavalry is closing in on both sides of you!"

There was a little pause, and then the reply-"How in the world did you know me? However, I've been here four days and learned all we want to know. As this is becoming rather

a tight place, I think I will leave. You'll see me again when you least expect it. Good-bye, boys!"

The Rebel operator made good his escape. IIe had cut the wire, inserted a piece of his own, and by a pocket instru ment had been reading our official dispatches. Some of the utmost importance, giving the very information most desired by the Rebels, were passing, and as they were not in cipher he must have received them. One from General Hovey, commandant of this post, in reply to a question from General Halleck, stated the precise number of our available men in Memphis, and their exact location.

COLONEL MENEFEE'S ESCAPE.

As soon as the loyal men left in this section of the State heard of the appointment of their favorite leader, N. McMenefee, as colonel, they flocked to his standard, and fled with him to the mountain-fastnesses, where they lived for months, supported, clothed, armed and furnished at the expense of Colonel Menefee, and with old flint-lock rifles have annoyed the Northern army in this country, and made themselves a terror to the vandal hordes that have been sent here to stain our soil with innocent gore. The name of Menefee is to the enemy, in Eastern Kentucky, what Marion was to the British and Tories in South Carolina.

The gallant Major Thompson, who was left at Sounding Gap with four hundred of the Virginia militia to watch that place, was driven from the gap by an overwhelming force. who attacked him front and rear. But the major brought off all his men safe, I believe.