The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-06-07
A Loan From Gen, Washington.

war, had the happiness to win the heart
Of Caroline N, the daughter OF one
OF Vlrginla's proudest arstocrats, but
not the good fortune to win Che approval
Of her family. In fact, his advances
were repulsed, and lie was left the
alternative Of endeavorlng to induce
Caroline TO leave all for him, or to
abandon his suit He was not Of
temperament to choose the latter course,
and Miss N loved him too truly to
hesitate long In her choice of the two
courses left for her adoption. They were
married privately and without the
knowledge and consent of Mr. N.
When the latter received the informa-
tlon OF what had been done, he obeyed
the dictates of wounded pride and refus-
ed to be reconciled to his daughter
Shortly after the marriage of Lieut..
s., he was ordered to the Western
frontier. Caroline accompanied him,
aud bore the change in her lot with the
sweet patience of loving wife. Three
years after this removal to n far Western
post, during which time the young wife
had not once heard from home, although
she had written often In the hope that
some one would relent, the health of
Lieut.. S. began to decline so rapidly
that IL became nescessary for him to
seek life of less exposure than the one
he was leading. As he had no income
beyond his pay as an officer, If he retired
from the army he must enter into some
business or pursuit for livelihood.
He was n good engineer, but an engineer
was liable to as severe exposure rs an
officer. Finally, after considering the
matter carefully, he determined to write
on to the head of the War Department,
TO whom he was well known, and solicit
the first Office that might become
vacant. He also addressed letter to
Gen. Washington, then President of the
United States, who had once or twice
honorably noticed him during the Rev
olutiouary campaign, stating his case
and asking him to second his applica-
ton to the Secretary of War.
This application was successful. Lieut..
s. received an early appointment, at
salary of 81 200 year, and immedi-
ately removed with his wife and one
child to Washington City. Instead,
however, of finding that improvement
in his health which he had anticipated,
the change from active service in the
open air to passive life in a small
room, with its confined atmosphere,
was detrimental rather than beneficial.
He grew paler and thinner daily, and
his strength gradually failed. TO coun-
teract this, he used as much exercise as
the intervals of freedom from the duties
of his Office would permit. This was
salutary, and prolonged his life for
several years. But the destroyer was at
Work, and his victim at last yielded to
his steady inroads.
On the death of Lieut.. s., he left
his griefstcken widow with scarcely
500. And this was all she possessed in
the world. What was she to do when
this was gone was more than she could
tell. She knew of no possible means of
subsistence for herself and child, and
sank down in grief and helpless despond-
ency. She had made few friends since
her residence in Washington, and these
felt deeply for her situation. One of
these friends, who had occupied the
same office with Lieut.. S., represent
ed the destitute condition of the widow
to the head of the department, and
obtained for her the copying of various
documents, by which means she was
able to earn just enough to procure the
necessares of life. This continued for
some months, during which time Mrs.
S. worked diligently, but in sorrow
and dependency. Several times she
wrote home, and represented her condi-
tion in the most earnest and touching
manner, but no replies came to her
letters, each of which was stained and
blotted by her tears that she strove in
vain to repress.
Never having been used to such close
application to any bodily employment
as was now required of her, Mrs. S.
often became weary and faint over her
task, One day she felt so unwell that
she could hardly continue her employ
ment. Her head ached with throb-
bing, binding pain, and every now and
then faint sickness would pass over
her. a length she rose suddenly from
the table at which she was writing, and,
staggering toward the bed, had just time
to throw herself upon it when she sunk
into insensihility. She had tainted. She
xyae alona with ber liftla oirl ahout nina