The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-10-30

taken the romance out or Soidlerlng. an0
hailed with delight any change from
its dull monotony So after a hearty
breakfast, [ doomed my best clothes.
mounted my pet pony, and rode up to
head quarters, where I was Informed that
strict attention to my duties in camp fer
several months, having much grati6ed
my colonel, by his request l was tempo
rarly relieved from active service. and
ordered 70 northern New. York there to
superintend the enlistment and forward
ing of recruits to the seat of war.
Blowing my thanks with as much
calmness as [ could command, | backed
out of the presence of my superior Off
GERS, remounted my horse. rode off to tell
the mess of my good luck, packed up my
traps, aud left In the first train for L.,
pleasant town OH the Hudson, and not
thousand miles from Troy. My in
strucuons amounted to little less than a
furlough, the superiutendence consisting
in riding about TO severa. recruiting sta
tions to overlook the business.
"Of necessity, the entrance of a dash
ing dragoon, all booted and spurred,
somewhat disturbed the repose Of L,
and more than one pair of bright eyes
elistened through the bowed shutters, as
[ rode up to the Phoenix, $50 called, |
suppose, because it arose from its ashes,
gave my horse to the groom, and entered
my name-Lleutenan R, United
Slater Army, in faring characters on the
register.
ut required but short time for
scion of Uncle sam, fresh from the seat
of war, to make himself acquainted; and
the second afternoon found NE in com,
pany with Charley -, "a fine tel
low who isn't, but ought to be, soldier
in presence of three as pretty and agreea-
bic young ladies as one need wish 10 pass
au evening with. There is fatality in
my existence il never rains but l. pours
The desire to have a Irritation was su.
preme, but how to choose from three
equally attractive and pleasant was diff
cult. However, what indicislOn failed
to bring about, chance accomplished !;
and in less than three days Emma q
drop the Miss, as merely conventioDaD
aud myself were skirluis hing Sith Our
light artillery of glances, occasionally va
ried on my part by throwing in few
volleys of tender speeches, all supported
by reserve force of siehs whose import
wa unmistakable. In the mean time,
Mary was by no means neglected; and
az she lived in at other rart of the town,
the two ofaires dW c@ur seldom con
fictcd while Jennie, who manifested a
mo;hrrly interest in all of US, looked
particularly to the welfare of Emma, her
cousin and visitor.
"Pic MICS, drives, sails. and surprise
parties assisted old Father Time to travel
with uutisual rapidity, and 1 btg gan to re-
alize that my holiday was drawing to a
cluse. The frequent, indeed almost con-
slant, association with Emma, had excit-
ed in my heart something more than a
transitory interest, althodgh was hardly
willing to concede, even to myself, that
| was fairly caught in the net woven for
her That she did not dislike me, | Was
convinced, but nothing had ever escaped
her which gave me much ground for
hope while, on the other hand, Mary
vas as attentive and engaging as miss
Of sixteen. and evidently 10 no wise dis
pleased with my show of devotion, To be
the victim of unrequited affection was a
little more than my instructions called
for, aud my recruiting expedition seemed
likely, SO far as a sweetheart was concern
ed, to be failure. But I recalled the
! faint heart never won a fair lady adage,
} and determined at least to make the at
tempt. Vcni, vidi. and ! didn't feel dis
posed to abandon the field without the
Utci.
"As preliminary I projected sete-
made, and, with Charley for a companion,
proceeded, one magnificent night, armed
with a guitar and camp stool, to the
scene of action. The prelude had scarce
ly died away when the shutters we're
slightly opened and two heads-whtte-
capped, like the waves became indis
, tlnctly visible through the crevice. Ger
tain of the presence of my fair one, |
cleared my voice for sentimental melo-
: DIV, which was to serd conviction of my
, cinceritY to her heart. Striking an atti-
tuds-full opera blazed away, and
was in the midst of something about d
! deep seated affection, when the camp, stool
, broke, and over | went into the gutter,
elevating my heels toward the window in
an ungallant and spasmodic farewell
: The screams of laughter that followed
would have walked the dead Nigttcaps
r protruded from neighboring windows
: dogs barked, and watchmen sprang their
0 rattles; so l scrambled up, and with the
8 dilapiaated remains of the guitar in my
d hands, beat hasty retreat, rather crest.