The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1889-06-21
A BLUE STOCKING
Formed the Unique Beginning of
Harley's Romance.


He was of duty and it was raining
raining in that slow. meditative way so
eKasperating to one waiting for a clear
up.
All night he had walked back and
forth in the misty weather, the white
tents showing in long rows like so many
ghosts in line. But the ghost-lil1e tents
hadn't intruded their dripping outlines
between him and a picture; the old,
familiar hills of far-away Connecticut
drifted into the interim. Somehow the
murky welkin recsded war grew so
very vague and distant, and his native
village nearer
1t was well that he didn't mind as he
paced slowly to and fro. that his feet
were aching in spite of the exercise.
He was glad now, that he hadn't com
planned, for the soldiers box which
came late last night, was now being
opened, and already nice comfortable
pair OF socks had fallen to him. He
would go inside the tent and put them
on; the luxury Of whole stocking was
something simply sublime Away with
the jags Of yarn he had been wearing
into a distant corner, and on went a
bright blue sock with white toe; and
now for the other one.
As Harleys toes settled down to the
enjoyment of home-knit hose, some
thing seemed to get between them. Of
came the sock in a twinkling. for
he was curious to know what sort Of
New England butterfly had gotten in
side and come all the way to Georgia
unframed. 1t might be a spider. No.
it was scrap of paper containing a
few lines in tiny penciling.
Well" said he, a sweet, bright light
kindling in his blue eyes, this is what
! call romantic. A soldier yanks off n
lot of rags and installs his pedal ex-
tremities into a luxurious pair of hose,
only to draw forth the sweetest little
love letter he ever saw.
'Ruthier' / wonder what she is like.
A refugee. fleeing from Atlanta, leaves
beautiful home to the ravages of war
and finds haven among his own native
hills The family, being Unionists, is
scattered in fear OF the Johnuies; her
brother in the Union army and her
father. an invalid, is with her.
And this touching the soft, 7eecy
articles, is her first pair of soczs-she
having learned to knit since going
north-and she sends with them her
love to the soldier boy" who gets
them, hoping that he will be able
10 march to a glorious victory in their
comfort.
A pleasant thought comes to Harley.
He was off duty and it was raining; he
would write to "Ruthie," thank her for
the nice letter and the luxurious foot
gear and he would tell her as much
about himself as she had revealed; it
would only be civil
So he wrote, telling her he was an
orphan without sisters, to write him
CHEEKY letters and ended by asking her
TO write him occasionally as a friend,
adding that she had no idea OF how
much real heaven her letter of the
stocking toe brought into his soldier S
lot.
The taking of Atlanta is in pro-
gress. Among the first to be seriously
wounded is Harey. The ambulance
rattles over the uneven road and joIts
him into unconsciousness from the pain
and intense suffering. When he opens
his eyes again, he is being carried into
an impromptu hospital, improvised
from lovely. suburban home whose
battle-scarred doors are thrown open
to receive the brave boys in blue fall
ing on that terrible day His wound,
an ugly laceration of the thigh by a
piece of shell, has been dressed. and he
lies looking from the open window.
measuring his sufferings with truly
heroic fortitude and listening to the
roar OF battle as it sweeps in. hushing
the means of the wounded.
There is something else occupying
his thoughts as well Ruthie has writ
ten to him often since his first letter;
she writes to cheer himup," she says.
She is doing more than that however
She is winning his first true, passionate
love. Does she comprehend?
Harley believes she does; her name
is on his lips. What's dat you be
a-sayin'. NASSAU A black face full of
sympathy looks into his, and the old
colored nurse smooths back his hair
and continues. 80 ye knowed the
young missus dat lived hysr afore she
went norf did YEP"
A suspicion of some sweetly strange
condolences flashed across his mind, as
he thinks OF her.
Miss Ruth9 Yes; she's very kind
TO us Union soldiers"
'.Oh, yes, sab! She's awful good and
as lubly as she is good. Takin' keer
OBJ her ole fader now in de MORT; pretty
tuH low for a gal o seventeen, sab,
but she's pow'ful res lutte. Ruth is.
Knowed her ever since she war baby,
sahi Howsomeber, my ole heart aches
20 see this nligant hoase ruined, but
~'spose it's dom de Lords business
now, massa-"
Harley's recovery vas slow and tedI-
Gus. The fact that !; would be weeks
bSfore hR cc-ild va ABOUT on crutchos