Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1864-07-29
From Iiarper's Week.
LULAsS LETTER.
A cMILD's STORY.

A CnILDs STORY.
Mamma" said my little daughter, "may
| write letter to soldier? An the GIRL
have"
Write letter to a soldier my child ~
Yes mamma. Maggy and Mary have
written theirs and put them in the comfor
bags, and we think the soldiers will be 81
pleased to find a letter. We scwed all yes
tcrday afternoon, and Magse's mother is go
ing TO send them away as soon as | write
May 7"
Leave granted, Lula brought the where
withal, and sat down gravely to the produc
ton Of an epistle. After an hours hare
work she brought it to me, nicely copied fo
the final reading. The composition was un
assisted ard ran as follows:
DEAR SoLprER We have al been max
ing things for the soldiers, and | send thi
comfort bag to you. | hope it will be yer,
useful How queer it must look to see n maj
sewing; but suppose it must be done wher
there are no women. think it is very goot
of you to fight for the country, and / low,
you very much for it, 1t must be dreadful
to get wounded so far away from home.
hope God will take care of you, and brin,
you safe home to your friends. | must stol
now. Please answer this letter, for | wan
TO know who gets the bag. My papa is Mr.
George Nelson, Brooklyn, New York. Yo'
must direct TO his care.
Your arectlonate little friend,
After the bags had gone Lula became i'm
! patient to hear from her soldier, as she call
ed him. But many long week went by
! ~. Il. Il h,l 4 IL
her father came in TO dinner with the long
! expected document. |, with the faithlessnes
Of middle-age, was surprised that 1t 8houl
come al all; but Lula was in ecstacics. Tia
impatient fingers tore open the envelope, an,
coming to me we read it together:
my DEAR LITTLE FRIEND" thus the lei
ter began" | have just finished your swee
note, and as you ask for reply you sha
have it at length. Accept my thanks 70
your gift. Bless the little fingers that mad
/ the bag, and bless The warm heart that fel
for the soldier and wished to write him
letter. 1t was the first one that had recey
ed for sixteen months. My dear little s;ste
Letitia used to send mea packet every week
She was my only correspondent, and whe
she died | thought had lost everything
Bat had my father. He was captain Of th
company of which / was, and am, private
| We Tsr3 together year and then, It'll
ono. in the battle Of Cedar Mountain, sav
him fall. ! could not 90 to him. The though
Of him lying behind me made me fight lik
a fend. After the battle ended, and tn
noise Of the guns, the tralnpling Of horses
and the rattle Of artillery had died away, tn
night became as still as it is in the countr
Et,r 3 .t.n l. L.. =.
begin their sad cry. Then could look 70
my father. found him at last. Near tn
place where he fell grew an old pine tree, tor
by shells, but a few plumy branches We
left. At its foot dug grave with my bay
onet. There left him sleeping his lon
sleep; with the sod of Virginia over him. -
Forgive me for writing you so dismal sto
ry. | could not help it; for since that aw
ful night have not spoken of what occurr
ed, and have been longing to tell somebody
| So you see what your note has done to com
fort me. am now going to mend my stock
/ ings with the help Of the comfort bag TIL
holes have tried to sew up would make 20,
open your eyes. hope your father will al
| low you to write to me again. | aclose al
envelope addressed, that you can use whel
You wish to do another kind action hay
the kcner to be @ ... ."
! Very respectfully yours,
| DANIEL r. FLEMING"
Lula wrote longer letter next time, tell
ing of her papa, ard mamma, and brothe
Johnnie; how she went to school wher
there was funny master, who pretended /,
be cross, and was not how she, aiding he
playmates, bought for him fine ruler as
present, aud placed it, with a note, Oh hi
table on April. FOOLS Day. Even about he
Java sparrow the little pen discoursed, he
dear j. s., who worc-a white standing. cola
like Cid Mr.. Waters, and who slept in bas
ket. She spent some time over the epistle
| sp led ink over the table cover, and double
| dyed her fingers. But she sent off cheer,
letter, and not word OF mine discourage,
her. La due time Mr.. Fleming answered
| and the correspondence went Cn all winter
| liked his letters very much; as well as Lu
| Ia did, which is saying great deal for them
| He remembered he was writing to a child
aud while he interested her, our feelings
were excited by his simple relations. Whel
Christmas approached Lula wished to SEM
| him box.
think ought, mamma he is my sol
dier, and has nobody else to think Of him.
RdNS uci Dut OlfeISu 10 AS
sistance, wishing to see how she wonld man
age. She begged a soap.oox of the cook
and Johnnie helped her line it with paper.
Grandma was now besicged with requests 70
a pair or two Of the blue stockings she wa
constantly knitting They begged me t,
make plum cake, and papa gave bottle o
wine. The children bought nuts and candy
and Lula, after an anxious talk with me
sent, as her own particular gift, pocket hand
kerchiefs marked with his name" d. p
Fleming" Papa having suggested some
thing to read, Johnnie brought his fa7orit,
books, Arabian Nights, and Pilgrims Pro
gress, and could with difficulty be persuaded
to substi ute iIarpcr's Magazines.
The acknowledgement of the box was
grateful letter that more than repaid u.s.
Lula was specially delighted, because Mr.
Fleming confessed to a weakness for candy
and her fatheer had laughed at her for send
ing bonbons to soldier. There vas a not
to Mr.. Nelson, in which Mr.. Fleming said h
was 20 have furlongh, with the rest OF tn
regiment, before re .enlisting for the war. III
| begged permission to see Lula. Mr.. Nelson
Immediately wrote for him TO come. But "
did not tell Lula, 10 save her the excitcmcn
and frctting of expectation. About tw,
weeks afteTward was reading in my room
when Lula flew ia.