The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1870-06-18


orally sociable and genial man,
and it seems to me that on this
particular evening l was assaulted
with a storm of questions and re-
| marks.
Don't you think SO, Mr.. Arm
strong ? asked the lady on my
right, the lady on my left, and the
gentleman in black at the end Of
the table. / aimed monosyllables
at them promiscusously. and have
at present no means of knowing
whether they fitted the questions
| and remarks or not.
In the midst of mental speech,
was vigorously assaulted by
Mary, the table girl, and, looking
about me in surprise. l caught
glimpse of the boarding house cat
just disappearing through the
door:
And sure, Mr.. Armstrong, yer
must be blind. The blow was in
tended for the cat, she had her
paw in yer plate
Perhaps you don't know how
| pleasant it is to take a walk with a
little gloved hand resting upon
your arm, little feet keeping step
with yours, and soft voice chin
ing in with everything you say. 1
was happy on that particular
night. We walked on the Common.
The stars shone, and the long
branches Of the old elms swayed
to and fro in the moonlight, as we
passed under them It was just
the tins and place that l liked.
Miss Kate / began, 'in few
days l shall be far away from
home and friends, amid danger and
death. fighting the battles Of my
country. l have known you but q
short time; but that time has been
long enough to show me that |
love you with my whole soul. l
offer my hand and heart to you.-
May not hope that you will some
times think of the solidier--that l
may carry your heart with me P
4 think you may hope she re-
piled. gently; 'but this is very sud
den. | will give you my final
answer tomorrow morning
When we got home, we went in
10 the dinning room. and l helped
hor to glass of ice water, and
hoped she would linger there a
moment; but she was shy, and
bade me kind good night /
didn't know until next morning
what she was about the rest of
the evening; when she met mo on
the stairs, she placed small pare 81
in my hands, saying:
'My answer, Mr.. Armstrong;,
and was off like fawn.
opened it, and saw the stock
ings, blue, and warm and soft. A
note was stitched in the toe of one
eff them
Ny DEAR FRIEND: l said 1 was
knitting the stockings for sol.
dier. began them, with a patri-
otic impulse, for no one in particu>
lar. 1 finished them last night,
and knit loving thoughts of you in
7 with every stitch. l have always
liked you, but 1 do not think l
should have given you my hand if
you had not enlisted. love you,
but l love my country more. l
give you the stockings. When
you wear them, l hope you will
sometimes think of her who fash
ioned them, and who gives herself
to you with them. Yours, KATE.
reverently folded the tiny note,
after having committed it to mem
ory, and repeated its contents to
myself all the way to my office,
beginning with Mr.. Armstrong,
and ending with Yours, Kate
l was in state of extreme beati-
fication. Kate was mine, noble
girl! She loved me, and yet was
willing to give me up for her
country's cause. And l began to
repeat the note to myself again.
when, on a crossing, was accost-
ed by a biped, commonly known as
a small boy
Mister, yer stocking is sticking
out Of yer pocket
/ turaed calmly around. and ad-
dressed him
Boy, l glory in those stockings
l am willing that the universe
should behold them. My destiny
is inter woven with them. Every
stitch is instinct with life and love.
Don't see it, mister Glory,
hall elujah = and he ended his
speech by making en- exclamation
point of himself. by standing on
his head--a very bad practice for
sma boys. I advise all pre- oci-
Gus youngsters, who may read
this article, to avoid such positions.
We broke camp. and started off
in high spirits paraded through
the streets with bouquet of rose
buds on my bayonet I found a
note among them afterward, more
fragrant than they.
When our regiment left Boston, +,
it went from Battery Wharf. l
went on board the Merrimac.
Kate could not pass the lines, and
stationed herself in vessel oppo-
site, where we could look at each
other. ] aimed rosebud at her;
it fell into the green water, and
foated away. The second and
third were more successful. She
pressed one to her lips and threw
it back again: the other she kept.
Afterward, with the practical fore
thought which forms part Of her
character, she bought out an apple
woman, and stormed me with ap-
ples. The vessel left the wharf,