St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1899-07-01

My Bull Run Soldier
BY Fannie I Fancher.

YT'S going to be regular scorcher,
mother" said Cousin Tom, COM
ing in at. the kitchen door with two
brimming pals of foaming milk.
..Think we won't go to the village to-
day, and Parson Brown will preach to
empty s,ews!"
..Ncry likely! It's 50 sultry l know
a severe storm is brewing" said Aunt
Jane, while dcftly straining the milk
into the rows of shining pans.
The door of the li,ing-room was ajar,
therefore this conversation had been
noted by Cousin Helen. Sister Kate and
myself. With lazy stretch and yawn,
Helen said: .'Oh, dear. this long. sui
try Sunday viii be very tiresome. What
can we girls do to relieve the monot-
ony? To go to church is out OF the
question:"
..Sister Ruth and | must write our
father long letter-poor dear father!
/ had bad dream about him last night,
thought he was woun-
"Hush, for pity sakes!" cried eN-
citedly. Don't you remember the
Saturday night dreamed and Sunday
morning told. twill come to pass be-
fore a week old.
20, fie, Ruthie, wouldn't be so su-
perstitious!
"You wouldn't would you? Who
wore n stocking inside out all the way
from Ohio to Wisconsin. fearing to turn
her luck, and who regretted the night
before starting, that the moon was
visible over her left shoulder?' said !,
triumpbantly.
..Oh, well. body can but think OF
these ncnsensical things, that they hear
from bsbyhood. though they may not
believe in them! Hcigh-ho! I'm going
to begin letter to our dear old captain
this minute"
.Al right. Kitty. you are SO good at
description, tell him all about ouI
Journey last week to this western wild
and I'll write particularly regarding
uncle. aunt and cousins, though father
was here visiting his sister about five
wears ago. 1t isn't nearly SO isolated
here in Wisconsin as expected. Why
Milwaukee is really prettier city thar
Cleveland.
.Hnlloo. girls" cried Helen, rushing
I'm from the kitchen, here's splendit
idea for taking up time. See. the frs
page of yesterdays paper is completed!
filled with lists of poor soldiers who arr
languishing in hospitals. Let eacl
choose name. and write just the bes
letter of sympathy that we can frame
surely we can do this much to chez
the dear boys who are risking thei
lives for us.
.Capital idea!" said l, ''but we ha'
better ask Aunt Jane if it is perfectl
proper"
81 can see no harm. my dear, SAT-
aunt who, being on the porch. over
heard the plan.
SNOW for our names; said Heller
"let's choose from different hospitals.
Quickly making a choice. the scratc
~ our pens was the only sound hear
for some time on that muggy Angus
day. After reading aloud each sympa
thixinr missive, our eyes were suffuse
With tears. All. we did not in the leas
exarrerate our feelings. for in thos
terrible times how we suffered from th
horrors of the cruel war, and thoug
our sex exempted us from going to til
front. the months and days Of agoni;
ing suspense caused us great suffering
Ssv not that woman had no part in th
terrible conflict; to part with all tina
she held dear. to suffer through her a
f-ct;ons caused as much pain n tn
physical suffering II the soldier.
ii was very hard for my sister Kat
and me to part with our father. sint
he;nu bereft Of a mother we were le
ouite alone; hence our visit that te
r;ble summer Of 81 to Aunt James far
home in the far west.
Nearly two weeks had passed SIM
cvr letters had been sent away whs
Uncle Jsnes brought home two lette
of reply. With nervous haste l to-
mine omen and read the following i
teresting epistle:
NJ deer miss Franklin
vas orfp. glad tn git line from su
hoi1y sides my own folkses ! Was IN q
hat.le OF Bull run m run IKE go
seller WaM sence been sick in this e
hospital. i rit potry bout the o.1ue o. q q
-. 81 vew rite tu me agin. win send "
the hui q varses of my pome
Yours trewiy Jack Downs
pooescrip