Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-04-24
THE SOLDIERS LETTER.
by T. g. ARTHUR

"When did you bear from Thomas2'
young lady had stopped at the door of o
small house, standing on the outskirts of a vii
lage in Pennsylvania, and asked this question
OF woman who sat working on coarse gar
ment.
"It's more than two months since Pge had
word from him." replied the woman, In half
troubled, halfcomplaining tone. Then rising
she added: "Won't you come in, Miss Annie2"
The young lady accepted the invitation, and
as che took proffered chair, said:
1.-Two months is a long time not to have heard
from your son, Mrs. Rogers. Where is he7"
"The last news l had came from Wiiiams-
burg just after the battle. He sent me three or
"And you've heard nothing since2"
"Nothing, Mics Annie. He may be dead or
la prisoner, for all know. Oh, dear! dear!
Ips worrying the very life out Of me"
"When did You write to him last2" inquired
the young lady.
Mrs. Rogers moved uneasily, and shame.
flush covered her face, as she replied.
"I haven't taken pen In my fingers these
five years. They're all orsmpsd with hard work, /,
and couldn't write fit to be seen.
"a letter from your hand, Mrs. Rogers blot
ted and ecrswled though il might have been,
would have come to Thomas, In his far away
camp, as a most welcome visitor from home
Think of his comrades getting letters by every
mail, while there came not word or token
| for him."
"oh, but Miss Annie, I've sent him two pair
| of stockings knit with my own hands; aud he's
never 30 much as let me know he received
them"
ga letter should have gone With them" said
the young lady. The stockings, if they ever
reached him, were but dumb signs; loving
sentence, even if he had been obliged to spell
it out slowly from among Informed words,
would have spoken to his heart, and warmed il
with living pleasure. Write to your con, Mrs.
Rogers. Nothing you can send him will do
Thomas half SO much good as letter from his
mother. siDgle line will be precious. Don't
let him any longer have the feeling, among
his comrades, that he alone has no Que to care
for him, Or send him sweet rem membrances"
Il. 81 don't believe + can write, Miss Annie"
said Mrs. Rogers. 's,...s .
i "Try. Have you pen and ink7"
II mo Mics. As told youjust now, haven't
bad pen in my fingers these FIVE years; aud
don't believe conld compose letter, even
If had the ekill to write IL out"
4 "You must try, Mrs RogeFs. It will never
i do in the world tor Thomas 10 60 any longer
without O letter from home. have a spare
ink-stand, and will step around for ite'
| And the young lady arose, saying, as che
went out: ,.-
Cpl be back again in a little while, with pen,
ink and paper. Between US, Thomas must have
q letter." ,ssuFgs
On Annie's return with writing materials,
Mrs. Rogers, still reluctant to undertake the
unaccustomed task Of penning letter, sat down,
half per force, aud made snndry awkward at
tempts to form words and sentences, by way of
practice, before essaying the epissle which her
ardent young visitor had made up her mind
should be produced and mailed to the absent
soldier that day. :Fiit AT "-' Q
''Very we'll done! Of course you can write"
said Annie, encouragingly, as she watched the
paper, aud Just think you are talking to him.
Write down whatever you would like to cay,
and say just 90 much about home and what 10
going on here, that you think would interest
him, as you can call to mind. Take your time
| to it, and don't feel hurried. I'll come around
again in the course of an hour, and see what
you've done. Then we'll both go over it, and
I'll make all the corrections needed, 80 that
you can copy it out fairly. My word for it,
Ihere'll be nice letter Tor Thomas that will
do his heart good"
/ In an honr Annie came back as she had
promised. Mrs.. Rogers had filed Two pages Of
paper with rather badly spelled sentences, but
the matter was nil right, as far as ID WENT
Annie made all needed corrections, and then
waited until Mrs. Rogers had copied the letter,
which she folded and directed for her.
/ "shall mail II for YOUR 5s, x IS
| "If you please,p said Mrs. Rogers. f~1'
And the young lady went away, taking the
letter. Since learning that Thomas Rogers,
] whom abe we'll remembered, had not once re-
celved letter from his mother, Nlthough he
had been absent for over O year, che had felt
pity and concern for the young man, whom
lshe remembered as little wild In his habits
before be went into the army. This had made
her more urgent that the mother should do her
duty. g'rhe letter was as well % could have
been expected under the circumstances. still,
% Annie's thoughts went of, to the distant
camp, and dwelt on the young mans case, II
did not seem to her all that he needed. a
4 s"I will write to hint! che said as the case
continuing to dwell in her mind presented itseli
Id stronger and stronger light. "He wasonc
j for short time, my scholar In Sunday School
land that shall be my warrant" 5 VA
II So she wrote him a brief, but pointed letter
touching bis duties as soldier and u man.
1Inpt In o superior, lecturlng tone, but In kind