The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1864-03-04
-.fH| m
/ FOR THE CHILDREN.
The Soldiers, STOCKINGS.

FOR THE CHILDREN. II
|a3'a The soldiers' Stockings. s-s4
From the Springfield Republican +. ',is1 s39"
Lettie Barnes little fingers knit them.
that is, all but turning the heels and mar.
rowing off. When they were done, and
ready to send to the Soldiers Aid Society,
Lettie wrote this note, and put it in the
toe Of one: 3lHa la2liiAsi Ja5 sA.iaT 1fhil5sgJ
"a Dear Soldier, pnf eight years old II never
knit any stockings before and it took me ever
90 long to make these. Il suppose they viii
soon wear out, as Won cannot mend them, but
the ladies viii send you more; SO don't you be
troubled. a~ov, ,,u, f..-t,...t "a III @
The box was sent off, and Lettie often
wondered what became Of her falls work,
but her mother told her she mustn't ex-
pect to hear from it again A whole year
went BY, and she got to be nine years old,
and could work 30 fast that she was quite
an active member of the society. o"" lad
Oh When November game, she was invited
with her father, mother and sister Mary
to spend thanksgiving at her grandmother
+ BarneI 3. They were all assembled the
night before, q large, merry party, though
| there were one or two empty seats, for
this family, like many others, had given
some of its members to 4 the country.
Grandmother had laid aside her knitting,
put on great blue apron. and was burst :.
ling about getting supper. Lettis and
her cousin Sam were popping corn in the
big kitchen fireplace, and saying how nice
it was to be there SO snug, instead Of out
in the driving rain. -'...'l ~ ~ .&D"O (
Suddenly there came q knock at the
door, Sam opened it, and in came a tall
man, in military suit which was drip
ping wet. Lettie jumped up, and gave
him chair, while Mrs. Barnes asked him
who he was. oiiIlgg a.s igort;a ss.,ag 4sf} $50 I.
al4" Ny name is Gray, !" said he. !" I'm a
lieutenant in the army, and have just come
from long imprisonment at the South.
My money didn't last to my journey end,
but ! was anxious to be at my home, which
is twenty miles from here, tomorrow, 80
tried to walk. Will you let me rest little
while by your fire z.s........ .. ..'
Then up spoke old Mr.. Barnes. ," You
shall stay here to night, and one of my
boys will carry you home in the wagon to-
morrow. Dont't thank ME I've got boys
in the war, and know how I'd like to have
them treated" aa - -5j.-a' IS IS I.
So Lieut.. Gray took tea with the rest,
and in the evening they asked him to tell
them a little about his Imprisonment.
They drew up in circle, and the young
man, taking a seat opposite hrOwn-eyed
Mary, began his story. fzu s.a.,.s. If. .
I. 81 was taken, with five others, in an
engagement about eight months ago, and
carried to Richmond, where we put up il
one of the dirty tobacco houses of that
city. In the same room were fifteen
others, several of whom had already been
there months. We suffered from cold,
hunger, and dirt. We had the coarsest OF
food and not enough of that We never
had change of clo' hing while there, and
sometimes weeks PASSED without oar hav-
ing chance to wash Several died from
disease brought on by this neglect But
the hardest of all was to stay there
week after week Wit, nothing to do.
We caught at anything for amusement.
The feet to my stockings were
quite worn off, and We THveled one of the
legs, and playe,! cat'- rG;lIle and puzzles
with the yarn. Thuse stockings had kent
my feet warm Du many a weary march,
and when they were worn ont, aud the
raveliDgs used to while away the time by
party ofdispirited prisoners, often said,
blessings ON the child who made them.
| Then I'd take out the note that came with
them, and read it aloud, aud when came
to. the last sentence, -. Don't you be
troubled, the men would lift their heavy
heads, and say,-"No, we won't! We
shall be free again some time, to fight for
such women and children as that; glorious
old Uncle Sam will give us new clothes,
and the women will knit us new stock
ings. p. And oneI Irish private always ended
with, "Arrah! thin, bully for that little
gurl!' >
Here the soldier stopped snd looked
around. Tears stood in many eyes. Mafy's
were covered with her hands, but little
Lettie's were stretched to their widest ex-
tent, and her little shrill voice cried, al
knit 'em wrote the note! Oh. mother,
yoa said I'd never hear of them again, .
and the happy child jumped tor.oy.
| The officer went home the next day, but
a friendship began that night between him
and the Barnes family which will last many
years And I'll tell yon secret. He
/ will probably depend soon, both for stock
'ings and letters, upon Lettie's sister Mary.
Little reader, have you knit anysoldier's s
stockings? II not, do begin pair now,
and when they are done, put note In the
1 toe: a ~. II t. r.
1