The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1907-11-08
A Real Home
BY Jay Palmer
(Copyright.)

from the actual scene of hostilities
who followed the operations of the
war with Spain with more interest
than frail Miss Ellen Dale.
Miss Dale was alone in the world.
Her history was a sad one. At the
dawn Of the civil war she had been
betrothed to a young naval officer.
He left her to become one of the de-
voted band that went down in the i'll
fated Cumberland. With him per-
ished also her brother, a fellow-officer.
The double tragedy had well-nigh be.
reft her reason, leaving her after the
storm with silvered hair and broken
health. Her father, an army officer,
emerged from the conflict only to III
cumb to a disease, resulting from
hardships of the campaign, leaving a
family Of which Miss Ellen was now
h only survivor. She received a
small pension from the government,
which enabled her to live carefully
under the friendly shelter of the Old
Ladies' Home.
Among those in the habit of visiting
the home was Ethel Vernon, the
daughter of one of the trustees and a
favorite with Miss Dale. She was an
attractive girl with winning ways, and
a gift of sympathy which dispensed it.
self as naturally as the sunshine. Miss
Dale was quick to respond to such a
nature and they soon became warm
friends. Ethel brought so much bright
ness from the busy. outside world into
the old lady's lonely life that it was
a grief to her when the young girl,
being a Red Cross nurse, was called
away to the hospitals by the war.
Deprived of these visits and driven
in upon herself by the uncongenial at
much of her time in her own room.
One day it suddenly occurred to
her that it would be a pleasant labor
to make a scrapbook of the war,
In collecting and classifying the ma
terial for her book she gained a very
clear comprehension of the operations
Of the war, and noted many individual
acts of bravery only briefly mentioned.
She also decided to write to some of
the officers and ask them for their au-
t%ographs.
When the revolt in the Philippines
broke out it promised to furnish Miss
Dale with more names to add to her
roll of honor. Many young officers,
some already distinguished, were sent
out with the new volunteer regiments
to put down the rebellion. Among
these was Capt. Lee Peyton, of Vir-
ginia, who had won special mention
and promotion by a daring act in the
assault upon Caney, in Cuba, the pre-
vious summer. He had been after
ward attacked with fever and only re-
covered In time to embark for the
Philippines with his new regiment,
one of the first to be sent out to rein
force Gen. Otis.
Great Scott" exclaimed Peyton, as
he entered his old quarters in the city,
IF this isn't luxury to see a bed once
more and a roof over ones head, to
say, nothing of getting cleaned up
again after floundering in that beastly
m~ud-Hello!" Here his eye fell upon
a letter on the table and he bounced
upon it, longing for news of home.
But it was not a home letter. This
is what he read after he had torn it
open:
September u, 1899.
Captain Lee Peyton.
Dear Sir:-I tax a liberty in writing
to ask for your autograph: but 1 should
-.,l a. 49, -, 80 o,~
ices to the country by your brave act at
Caney last year, and by your present la
bors in the Philippines.
You and your fellow-soldiers are en-
gagged in a righteous war for civilization
as we'll as for our flag, Notwithstanding
the narrow, traitorous criticism Of a few
at home. All true Americans are proud
of your splendid work.
Hoping you will pardon a stranger for
thu addressing you. l am.
Very respectfully,
ELLEN DALE,
1871 East - Street New York City.
"Jove!" he calculated, when he had
finished the letter. THAT girls a
brick and no mistake! 1t puts life
into a fellow to feel that some in Gods
country know this dreary business is
not a picnic excursion. Ugh! how we
all hate it,"
He had lit his pipe and was putting
at it, th%oughtfully. I'D like to see
that girl" he soliloquized; "she must
know a great deal about the situation
and the war; she has followed events
and got her facts straight. And she's
a lady, one can see Wonder if she's
pretty, like that Red Cross nurse at
Camp Wikoff, who pulled me through
the Santiago fever; / owe my life to
her-wish l knew where she was
now!"
A few months later Capt. Peyton
found himself at a hotel in New York
city. After having fallen a victim to
fever in Manila and been through a
very severe illness, he had been sent
home on sick leave. The long sea voy-
had greatly benefited him, but he
was still far from strong. He had
stopped in town expecting to e an
old friend, and had just learned that
he was absent in Europe.