Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-11-14

We'll, l am sorry you don't like me
| like you, major, and have been think
ine for some time of coming in and
thanking you for extending the guard
so as to protect me during nights. 1t
was very kind of you"
"Miss-what's your name?"
Barnes"
Barnes? What is your given name :"
Jennie"
Then the major looked out of the
window at the cocoanut grove; he looked
some time, but his mind was not on the
cocoanut grove.
Miss Barnes, Miss Jennie Barnes. this
is Thanksgiving day"
Yes, sir, | have been thinking about
it. | have been very homesick today"
Il think you are sorry you came;
am glad you are sorry"
Il am homesick, but not sorry | came"
Never mind; we have Thanksgiving
dinner, the adjutant and myself. Agui-
naldo the second has trailed turkey
and | guess the dinner will be fit to eat.
| would like to have you remain and
enjoy it with us. You can step into the
adlutants office, now. Here, take these
magazines and make yourself comfort
able. In about an hour from now dinner
will be ready
For nearly an hour the major stood
at the window and looked at the coccsr-
nut grove, but his mind, as before, was
not on the cocoanut grove. He was still
looking at that grove when Aguinaldo
the second announced dinner.
The three, two officers and a lady. en-
joyed the dinner immensely. It was the
first time in over thirty years that the
major had said dozen pleasant words
to q woman, and yet he seemed to en-
JOY himself
Il think, adjutant, YOU might write
out those orders, including the one an
nouncing the appointment of sergeants
and corporals.
Miss Barnes. Miss Jennie Barnes, be
seated. | want to talk to you. Tell me
about yourself, will you? Who your
father was and who your mother was"
Miss Barnes complied and then turned
the tables on the major.
Major, you are an odd character Let
me be odd, too. Now, will you be kind
enough to tell me who you are, all about
yourself, who your father was, who your
mother was? Have you any brothers or
sisters? Where did you come from?
Why did you Gomez"
No one ever before heard the major
laugh as he did at this shower of ques-
tions.
Il was born in illinois, never mind
what town. | was Is years of age in
1861 when the great war began and went
out with the first company from my
town. Among my schoolmates in that
town was n girl, the only girl | ever
thought just right, the only one l ever
loved. But | hadn't the courage to tell
her | loved her until l had been in the
war two years and was sent home from
Gettysburg so badly wounded that it
required six months to get me patched
up and ready for further service. That
girl called at our house every day while
] was home crippled, and every day there
were fresh flowers in the vase, for my
benefit, and she brought them. Well,
while | was crawling around on crutches
we two were together a good deal When
it came time for me to 90 back, | went
as the accepted lover of that young
woman. At Spottsylvania | was again
wounded, made prisoner and was not
released until the following April. and
upon reaching Washington, was striek-
en- with typhoid fever and could not even
tNAt Nip was SoJ OAtT lHS IeNHI
but was insane and remained so for two
years. Suddenly NV reason began to re
turn. recalled my var experiences. my
prison life. my return TO Washington,
and thought of the girl / had left be-
hind Two or three days later | met
friend from home. He was greatly as
tonished to see me. He wouldn't believe
for some time that it was l. Then he
told me the story that changed my whole
life. Why he said, every one at the
old home has supposed You dead, since
1864. Word came to us from Spottsyl-
vania that YOU were killed and we have
never heard anything to the contrary
Many changes have taken place in the
old home. The young lady YOU were
to marry is the wife of another. She
incurred for you two years and a half
and chen married. He is a young law
Yer aud has established himself in the
old home town
Miss Barnes was all attention. Again
the cid major stared at the eocoanut
grove
fN,m that time l was dead NV
y, was Morgan c, James. From that
DAY v was James c. Morgan. The next
day | enlisted rs a private in the regti-
lar army and was sent out to the
plains. The captain of my company
thought l did something unusual in one