The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1893-04-12
How Jim's Wife Went South,
BY II. q. LELAND.

The quartet of men in the big bay
window were three OF them old nc.
quaintnnccs, although meeting that
day In the southern city by accident.
Pond was Oh his way to Palatka to
Join his coast survey party; Gcorgcson
had been down Mt Key West on II
collecting trip for the National Mu-
scum, and was now on his way back
TO Washington; Middlebrook, col
legc friend of Pond'a, was visiting in
Savannah with Judge Borden, who
had Introduced the trio at the club
and was now, after perfect lite
dinner, entertaining them with story
after story of southern life before and
during the war.
The judge was an elderly man, ia
nous as II raconteur, and, young in
heart himself, was fond of younger
men, and never enjoyed himself so
well as OIL occasions of this kiud; but
he finally stopped short after a yarn
about the occupation of Savannah by
Shcrmau's Army.
"Don't ask me for any more, boys.
Those were great days, and you may
well regret that YOU were boru so late.
| would hardly exchange my expert
once for all your youth aud ambition.
Let Inc sec. You're the oldest of the
three, Mr.. Pond, and yet I'll warrant
you remember nothing of the war;"
Pond, a tall, dark fellow of thirty
odd, well known in scientific circles
in Washington, smiled broadly:
"l was thinking, judge" he said,
"whic you were telling that cxperi-
ence of your wifes at Nashville of an
experience of another little woman
had at the north about the same time,
and while, us you suppose, remem-
Der nothing of the war myself, ]
have II vivid personal interest in this
event"
"Let us hear it," said the Judge.
"lts only fair that the other side
should be given n chance" And cali
ing for cigars the judge settled back
in his easy chair in II comfortable way,
as good listener as he was a talkcr.
"The little woman in my mind"
said Pond, "was living in Baltimore
in 1862. She was only twenty, but
had been married two years, and girl
baby of nearly II year occupied her
time day and night. Six months be-
fore her husband had been sent 10
North Carolina and was acting as
nnval storckceper at an important
station OF the North Atlantic squad
ron. and she had been left in a bourd-
Ing house with widowed aunt.
''lt was awfully hard on the poor
little thing to live away from her hus-
band, but of course it was 10 place for
her down there; so she had to make
the best of it OH his infrcquent letters.
She actually used 10 put the baby up
in her high chair and make believe that
she was Jim just back from the south,
and she'd tell her how much size loved
him, aud how lonesome she'd been
while he was gone, and what good
baby she had been and how glad he
would be 10 SEQ her, until she was all
mixed up in her personal pronouns
aud broke down aud cried over her
own poor little game.
"ln fact, it only took about seven
months to make her desperate. In
spite of Jim 8 description of the desc
lation of the place, and in fact partly
because of it, she made up her mind
TO join him. Three-quarters of Jim's
salary had been coming to her every
month from the paymaster general 8
office in Philadelphia, aud 80 she
wrote TO that official aud told him
plainly that she must get transporta-
ton 10 Wilmington, N. c., and that
she would die. or something of the
sort, If she didn't. In few days q
reply came. OH official paper, signed
u. c. Smith, assistant stating that il
was practically impossible to comply
with her request. but that an oppor-
hni'y might come by some possibility
at some future day, and asking fur.
ther particulars as to her reasons.
whether her husband was sick and
whether she was strong enough te
stand such rough journey.
"The little woman replied in full
and thinking ID. G. Smith TO be ,
person Of great Importance, made a,