Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1899-06-29
My Bull Run Soldier
By Fannie L. Fancher.
NT5E'1''EzSs'Is FEx
GhTTs going to be a regular scorcher,

mother" said Cousin Tom, com
ing in at the kitchen door with two
Drumming pals of foaming milk
Think we won't go to the village to
day, and Parson Brown will preach tc
empty pews!"
Very likely! It's so sultry know
a severe storm is brewing" said Aunt
Jane, while deity straining the milk
into the rows of shining pans.
The door of the iving-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 will be very tiresome. What
can we girls do to relieve the monot-
ony2 To go to church is out of the
question:"
SISTER Ruth and must write our
father long letter-poor dear father!
I had bad dream about him last night,
thought he was woun-"
"Hush, for pity sakesl" cried ex-
citedly. Don't you remember the
Saturday night dreamed and Sunday
morning told, twill come to pass be-
fore week Old"
20, fie, Ruthie, I wouldn't be so SUI
perstitious!"
you wouldn't would you? Who
wore 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 shoulder2" said I,
triumphantly.
ooh. well, body can but think of
these nonsensical things, that they hear
from babyhood, though they may not
believe in them! Heigh-ho! I'm going
to begin letter to our dear old captain
this minute"
"All right, Kitty, you are so good at
description, tell him all about our
journey last week to this western wild,
and I'll write particularly regarding
uncle, aunt and Gousins, though father
was here visiting his sister about five
years ago. 1t isn't nearly so isolated
here in Wisconsin as 1 expected. Why,
Milwaukee is really prettier city than
Cleveland"
"Halloo, girls" cried Helen, rushing
in from the kitchen, heres u splendid
idea for taking up time. See, the first
page of yesterdays paper is completely
filed with lists of poor soldiers who are
languishing in hospitals. Let each
choose q name, and write just the best
letter of sympathy that we can frame;
surely we can do this much to cheer
the dear. boys who are risking their
lives for U.S."
Capital ideal" said 1, "but we had
better ask Aunt Jane if it is perfectly
proper"
II can see no harm, my DEAR" said
aunt who, being on the porch, over
heard the plan.
"Now for our names;" said Helen,
let's choose from different hospitals"
Quickly making choice, the scratch
of our pens was the only sound heard
for some time on that muggy August
day. After reading aloud each sympa-
thizing missive, our eyes were suffused
with tears. All, we did not in the least
exaggerate our feelings, for in those
terrible times how we suffered from the
horrors of the cruel war, and though
our sex exempted us from going to the
front, the months and days of agoniz-
ing suspense caused US great suffering,
Say not that woman had no part in the
terrible conflict; to part with all that
she held dear to suffer through her af-
fections caused as much pain as the
physical suffering of the soldier.
1t was very hard for my sister Kate
and me to part with our father, since
being bereft of mother we were left
quite alone; hence our visit thnt ter
rible summer Of 81 to Aunt James farm
home in the far west.
Nearly two weeks had passed since
our letters had been sent away when
Uncle James brought home two letters
of reply. With nervous haste 1 tore
mine open and read the following in
teresting epistle:
Ny deer miss Franklin
/ was orful glad I'll git a line from sum
body sides my own folkses. was in the
| battle OF Bull run an / run like good
Teller. Wall sence been sick in this ere
hospital rit potry bout the battle of Bull
run ef yew rite tn me agin, will send yeW
the hui % varses Of my pome.
Yours trewly Jack Downs.
postscrip
/ Civ below the fust varse sost yew kin
sea its prime.
Oitell yew that we leggedit
When like rane the bullets fel
Yes, 1t was big skedaddle,
Sojers rushin here and thar pel-mel'
An that battle Of Bull run
VIII go down in histrys pages.
Names Of heroes on thet day
Will go thunderin' down the ages.
i've got a bullet tho doctors fshed out OF
my back. 50 i'm not Kelly to forgit it.
Yewer Brll run. sojer, Jack.
The contents of my letter excited
much mirth, but Helen left the room in
tears telling me to read hers. 1t was
most touching line from a hospital
nurse. She enclosed Helen's letter say
ing she had just taken it from the dead
soldiers hands. "Send back her letter
and tell her it helped and comforted
dying soldier"
uDoor fe1Ioxyln wrote the nurse "HC