At Tracy Private O’Brien had an amusing experience with a rustic. It was early in the morning. The sun had just begun to trace his westward course in the heavens. The fields, with one exception, seemed deserted, as far as the eye could stretch. The air held a deep stillness which was broken only by the sweet singing of the birds and disagreeable snoring of the soldiers. It was a beautiful opening of a Fourth of July morning. Crossing one of the fields at this time was a country rustic who, upon seeing the train, had his curiosity aroused; so, changing his direction, he advanced toward it. It so happened he approached the car that O’Brien was guarding. What a queer specimen! He was attired as the rustic is generally represented upon the stage. His trousers were drawn up almost to his neck by an abbreviated pair of suspenders. His head was covered by a well-battered straw hat, and his feet incased--O’Brien swears that they were number 14--in a cowhide pair of boots. O’Brien amusingly sized him up until he arrived within about four feet from the car, then suddenly stepping forward he brought his piece with a snap to the “charge bayonet,” and cried out sharply “halt.” Astonished at the unexpected sally, the rustic started involuntarily backward and exclaimed, “Why the gol darn thing’s got stickers on ’em.” A visible representation of the stickers was enough for the countryman. He did not approach closer. The men as they awoke into consciousness that morning, but little refreshed by their short repose, were surprised to find that Sacramento was still a considerable distance off. It seems that those who were engineering the transportation of the troops thought it would be safer to proceed to the capital by way of Stockton, instead of going direct. The men now began to realize what a bitter teacher experience is. In their excitement and bustle over being called out, and also on account of the pretty general opinion that existed among the men that the service we were to perform would not last more than a day or two at the most, many of the men paid little attention to the order telling them to bring rations and underclothing. As the morning gradually advanced unto noon their stomachs began to remind them that it was time to eat. They were ready to eat; but what? That was what troubled them. Fortunately the company is possessed of some far-sighted minds when the subject under consideration is the stomach. These men had brought with them a good supply of food. But even when these divided their supply in true Samaritan style, the quantity given to those that did not bring food was so small that it alleviated but slightly the pangs of hunger. Company B suffered less in this respect than did the other companies. A large number of B’s men love their stomach too well to run the smallest chance of having it suffer. Future developments will disclose what dreadful effects the misusing of their beloved organ had upon the men.