Clearfield Republican

Great Excitement.

Our town was thrown into a horrible state of excitement last Friday afternoon. It appears that when the Capers were called out for parade after dinner two privates fell from the ranks, entirely helpless. A messenger was immediately dispatched to town for Capt. Lorain and for medical aid. Soon the announcement was made that two or three others were similarly seized. Of course they were poisoned! Imagination did the rest. The deadly portion had been administered in the dinner! What villainous secession traitor could have had access to the kitchen of the camp? Of course the victims would not be confined to the four now writhing in agony: but all who partook of the meal in camp on that day must go the same road, and consequently every fellow began to feel in the region where his dinner was last heard from. All was bustle and excitement, alarm and confusion. Soon suspicion began to have a centre of attraction, and messengers, filled with terrible vengeance, were about being dispatched, just when things began to let up a little, and day-light, or something else began to be emitted.

As there were no deaths, and consequent no Coroner's inquests, and no post-mortem examinations, we were unable to learn the real cause, and we are left to conjecture that this little incident in the camp-life of our soldiers arose from over-eating as well as from over-exertion. The Surgeons reported no invalids on Saturday morning, and our brave fellows presented as fine an appearance as ever.