The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-06-23

had a struggle with his burning desire to see
the inside Of the envelope, but he conquered,
and put the letter back in his pocket until he
was thoroughly sober.
But he knew not what 20 do 10 Gil up the
time till he could oonscientiOusly open the
letter. lie thought Of going hack and fulfill
ing his lOng-dclayed purpose Of thrashing
Grounding. but on reflection this scarcely
commended itself as a fitting prelude.
lie heard voices approachiDg-one sympa-
thetic and encouraging, the other weak,
pain-breathing, almost despairing. He
looked cut and saw the Chaplain helping
back to the hospital a sick man who had
over-estimated his strength and tried 10 reach
his company. The man sat down on a rock,
in utter exhaustion.
Shorty thrust the letter back into his
blouse-pocket, sprang forward, picked the
man up in his strong arms, and carried him
bodily to the hospital. 1t taxed his strength
to the utmost, but it sobered him, and
cleared his brain.
lie returned TO his covert, took out his
letter, and again scanned its exterior care
fully. He actually feared to open ii, bat at
last drew his knife, and carefully slit one
side. He unfolded the inclOsure Us carefully
| rs if it had been a rare flower, and with
palpitating heart slowly spelled out the
words, one after another:
"BAD Ak, WISCONSIN,.
CAPRI THE TwESTY-FIRsT, 1863.
"MIsTER DANIEL ELLIOTT, Company Q,
Booth Indiana Volunteer Infantry
RESPECTED SIR: / talk my pen in hand
| toe inform you that / am well and hoap that
you aiEe injoying the saim blessing. For
this, God be prazed and magnified forever"
Goodness, how religious she is" said he,
| stopping 10 I1minate. How much nicer ID
makes woman to be pious 1t don't hurt
! man much to be a cuss-at least while he's
| yOung-but l want a woman to be awfully
| religious. 1t sets her of mOIe'n anything
else"
lie continued his spelling exercise:
Il am very glad that my sOx reached
you all rite, that they fell into the hands OF
a braiv, pious Union soldier, and he found
them nice"
Brave. pious Union soldier,'' he repeated
to himself, with a whistle. Jewhiilikins,
I'm glad Bad Ak, Wis, is 50 fur away that
she never heard me maxim remarks when a
mule-team's stalled. But must git brace
on myself, and clean up my langwidge for
inspection-day."
lie resumed the spelling:
Il done the best | could on them, and
mOren That no one can do. Nimmen can't
fife in this cruel war, bat they ought all to
do what they can. | only wish l could do
more. But the wimmen must stay at homo
and watch and wait, while the men go to the
front"
That's all right, Miss Jerusha Ellen
Briggs" said he, with more satisfaction.
Z" You jest stay at home and watch and wait,
and I'll try to do fightin' enough for both Of
US. III put in some extra ticks in future on
your account, and they won't miss you from
the front"
The next paragraph read
. l should like to hear more Of you and
your regiment. The only time l ever hesred
of the 20Oth Indiana regiment was in letter
writ home by one of our Wisconsin boys and
published in the Bad AK Grindstone, in
which he said they wuz brigaded with the
20Oth Indiana. good fighting regiment, but
which would STEELE even the shoes off the bri-
gade mules if they wuzzent watched, and