The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-06-05
Selected Storm.
Counting for the Captain.

lubTt WAS pTODdDlJ uO uOIC yOuJn-
full bearer of a colonel's commission in
the civil war than myself. Born in
family of soldiers, educated and drilled
from infancy as soldier, gained high
rank as boy and was able to perform
my duties to the satisfaction of my SUI
periors. But aside from duty, Twas as
larky y as any young college chap in
the world.
A box of goods made by the kind
hands of loyal women reached my regi-
ment through the Christian Commits
sion. The quartermaster, who super
intended the distribution of the COM
forts, brought me one evening a note
he had found pinned to pair of
wooden stockings. Some fun-loving
girl wrote that she would, through
charity, correspond with the soldier re-
ceiving those foot coverings. The let
ter was signed Dolly Miller and the
writer's post office address was given.
l took the slip of paper, and when
the @. NJ. had departed, indited note
in my best style to the young lady. The
name l placed at the end was not my
own, but that of Captain T. B. Reid,
in command of one of my COM
panies. A fine fellow, handsome, brave
and young, was Reid great favorite,
also, with the ladies. He had won his
rank by gallant service and was a SOL
der all through. Though he could al
ways keep his end up in conversation,
his early education had been neglected.
He wrote villainous hand, and all his
ideas froze before they reached the
point of his pen.
added a V to the initials of my
comrade so as to identify the answer Gf
one came), when it reached the adiu-
tant's tent, where all mail matter was
delivered.
Three weeks after there was a note
for Captain 7. b. V. Reid from a town
in Ohio. OF course the screed was de-
livered into my hands. A very sweet,
modest little letter it was. The con-
tents told that some lively girl chum
had written the original and signed
Miss Dolly Miller's name thereto, but
the real young lady said that "the let
ter she received was so gentlemanly in
tone and so interesting in contents that
she, patriotic in the extreme, would
carry out the promise made in her be-
half, and if Captain Reid could find
amusement or pleasure in correspond
ing with her she was willing to do
what she could to cheer him in his du-
ties and dangers"
OF course | answered and "spread
myself" No FOOLS letter would do for
this bright, honest Miss Dolly, and be-
ing fiattered by her high estimate of my
early work, l "put in my best ticks"
1t was not long before letters came
and went every week. l was really in
terested in the true, kindly maiden l
had never met, and had it not been for
"the girl | left behind me " | might
have explained my first deception and
gone in for myself. AS it was, felt
rather conscience-stricken when found
to what extent my gush and romance
had taken hold on the dear young lady's
feelings. But l kept it up all the
same.
AS 1 "piled up the agony" on the
miseries of soldiers life, and gave
utterance to longing for some tender,
loving woman to reconcile me to the
world and its trials, Miss Doly's letters
became more and more affectionate and
suggestive. She wrote that she was an
orphan, had considerable money in her
own right, and that she could love a
brave soldier and honest gentleman
such as she conceived Captain Reid to
be from the tone of his letters.
l sent her Reid's photograph, taken
from my album, and received her own
in return. A very sweet, innocent,
contiding face it was; good girl written
in every feature. Reid spied it soon
after placed it among my collection,
and he admired it hugely. did not
hint that it really had been sent to him,
but felt more ashamed than ever.
Still continued the correspondence
and, forced to reply in kind, dare say
that | wrote many words that con-
! veyed great affection and used much
language that could easily have been
construed Into proposals of marriage
though these were always qualified by
remarks showing how unwilling
would be to bring young wife to share
the privations and hardships of a life
in the field.
This interchange of words, growing
continually more tender, was kept up
until after the capture of Mobile, then
my regiment was sent to point on the
Mississippi river.
During the stirring times of action
and the confusion OF change in station
our letters in many cases miscarried or
failed to reach us. | had not heard
from Miss Dolly for nearly six weeks
and earnestly hoped she had dropped
the correspondence, for it had grown
entirely too warm for my comfort and
peace of mind under the circumstances.
One day it happened-as things coin
cident do happen in this world-that |
was sitting in the provost marshal's
office at the landing when large steam
boat came down the river. 1t stopped
at our post, as all boats had to, in CON-
pliance with military orders. | saw
several passengers land, among them
a lady. These were left standing on
the levee while their passes and bag
gage underwent examination.
In few minutes the lieutenant COM
handing the provost guard came to me
"Colonel, there is young lady here
asking for Captain Reid of your regi-
ment."
OF course | was all attention and ac-