M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1862-03-13
-HosPITAL, ND, }
February Z, 1924

-IlospITAL, -, MD,
February 7, 1892
DEAR ALEX: Your Istter came teu
days ago, but have not till now felt
able to answer it. Since the ampu.
tation of my leg | have been "power
ful weak, "and even yet can set up
but part of a day. When | shall
obtain my discharge l don't know, but
hope the new Secretary Of War will
look after US email folks, crippled
sergeants, and the like scum Of the
earth.
Our surgeon, who is a kind soul sat
with me this morning and told me Of
the Great Ball at the White House.
He describes well, and brought the
scene vividly before me. The crowd,
the dress, the splendor, the foreign
dignitarics. Army officers. Secretar.
les, Senators, Representatives, nota.
bilities of all kinds, o. poHoi, aud, in
glorious Climax, the ladies. The
President, respectable, cordial and
happy in his boiled shirt and ct tore
cothes, and Mrs. Lincoln, radiant in
white satin, flowers and diamonds,
end the supper! The whole world
ransacked tor luxuries, aud foreign
taste and skill employed to adorn aod
embellish with costly profusion and
magnifcence. Never did the palace
glow with such splendor, such Joyous
life, such abandonment to inbilant e1.
hilaration. All seemed as if borne
on the Aood-tide Of prosperous securi-
ty; in the gay hour Of festive peace.
After thesurgeon had gone | crawl.
ed out of my old cot, got into the
wooden candle. box by the side, and
sat nursing my damaged underpin-
ming, and thought. ! went back to
long ago. o''
s"" You knew how, after nv
wlfe's death. my two brothers, and |
enlisted under the call for $4,000
men; how Dick fell by your side in
that fatal fight, and how Wallace lin.
gered with camp fever till he was laid
at last in some unmarked grave
among the mountains. My boy, all
that is left me, is now on the frigate
-, q cabin. boy, powder.mon.
key, officers waiter. | know not
what menial. He, tn, quick, gener.
Gus, noble little fellow, not yet six.
teen, who can work q ships reckon
ing OF his thumb.nail, speak and
write five Languages, with q blush
and a smile like o girl, and fearless
as Nelson. Don'tlaugh ct a fathers
enthusiasm. Don't Alex, what bet.
ter could | do for him used up, one.
legged sergeant that am. l had 10
merit, no influence, no golden argu.
ments. had not 'stumped the State
for Abraham; could offer no bribe to
Simon; had no kindred with kindred
loving Gideon.
All this, and more came over me as
| sat on the little candle. box and
thought ofthe Great Party.
Tens of thousands, hundreds Of
thousands, millions, giving their mon.
ey, their time, their labor, their tai.
ents; some dying in their camps. Kill.
led in battle, languishing in hospitals;
suffering cold, we're on long marches,
in open bivouac; sleepless, watching, |
hungry, houseless, penniiess, hopeless;
willing. asking, demanding, to do and
suffer, fight aud die for-Mrs. Lin.
coins Ball
Yes, Alex, l believe that is it,
Yon will remember the stale quota
tions about the fi1dling Of Nero when
Rome was burning.
Well, England threatens, France
scoWls, Spain isjoyful. The Great
Republic struggles for its life; the coin,
the vital current of the Nations
blood, cut of, shut up; subsisting pre-
cariously on paper-promises Of mon-
ey; expending ten or twelve millions
every week; trying to keep up public
hope and confidence by brilliant as
suIances Of victory 10 morrow; and
not least Of all, compassed about, like
Cesar iu the very Senate BY the dag.
gers Of household traitors; ell this be
ing SO; every body knowing and feol.
ing it to be 80. Behold-perfumed
and delicate this nice little missive:
"The President aud Mrs. Lincoln
request the honor Of your company
on Wednesday evening, February ash.