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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1888)
THE WEST SHORE. 21)0 ladies, as each had the letter uppermost in her mind Miss Miller's motion, bo numerously seconded, was put by the president and carried with a unanimity seldom seen in a gathering of this kind. The secretary was instructed by the president to read the letter, but before she could do so, Clara Vaughn jumped to her feet and excitedly said " No you don't, Belle Johnston. Amy is to read the letter; that was the agreement" " Very well," said the president, " I will read it" Receiving the letter from the secretary, Amy read: Camp Mihebaim.k, near Sloiuii or Pespoxd,) Ikjcembcr 14, 152. ) Mim Cura Vai'giix, Wapakoneta, Ohio. My Ikar Mint Vaughn: I know you will jardon a lonely soldier for presuming to write you upon the flimsy pretext of finding your address, written on a tiny card, in tiny letters, ami, I will venture the assertion, with the sweetest and tiniest hand in the Buckeye stala. You must forgive my carelessness, when I tell you that I enjoyed the comfort of those well, I must say it, and run the risk of shot-king your modesty tieau tiful socks one whole day before I found your card. The truth is, I was so anxious to wear something made by the hands of some fair lady, that as soon as I became the happy ossessor of the aforementioned socks, I removed the gunlwat from my feet, and with tears of joy swimming in my eyes, proceeded to encase my feet. liut, horror of horrors ! they would not go on. I pulled, tugged anil prayed ; but it was of no use; they re sisted my most earnest endeavors. They were several sizes too small. After resting a while, I got one of the boys, who had some knowledge of civil engineering, and we made a practical survey of the socks, then of my feet. " It's no use, Jack," said my friend, " you can't get a num ler six sock over a number twelve foot." My friend left me in my trouble. How awfully unsympa thetic these fellows get after they have leen in the army a while ! I sat down on a log and contemplated the socks, those k-autiful blue woolen socks, which you had knit with your lit tle fingers. I can, in fancy, see you now, with your deft little hands, and the blue yarn wraped around your fingers, making music with your knitting needles as you round otT the too of the last sock, a sigh of relief cm-aping you as the hwt stitch is dropj'd from the needle. I remained sitting ujon the log for some time, trying to work out some way to overcome the dilemma in which I found my self. At length, a happy thought came to me, and I acted uj;n it at once. I would exchange socks with one of the loys. I 1-H from the log, and with my blue treasures in my hands, started for the quarters to find some one with a jir of bluo nonc but blue would suit-socks largo enough to fit my M; but lsforo I could ak the question, nearly every man in the company yelled, "Jack, have you a pair of Urge socks to ex change for a small iir ? " I tried every man I met, but it w is no go. Th?y were all in the same fix I was. to you know, 1 felt like going to the jond-the boys call it the " Hough of !- pond,M-cating myself in, and lying there until the water got deep enough to drown me. Hut thinking tlte matter utr, I changM my mind, and here I am writing to my kind Uwlao tmw. Finally another thought struck me-it didn't hurt very m-jrh. 1 said not a word to my me.matis, but quickly gribWl up my so. ks, and finding an axe, went to the wl, I selected a tree suitable to my j-urpo and soon had It lying on the ground. Cutting otT a part of the trunk of tho tree, about two feet in length, I hewed it roughlyjinto the hap of a foot my foot. After hewing and trying, 1 finally succeeded in get ting the block Into proer sliaj-e to stretch the sock over, which I did with the aid of a set of block and tackle. On e on the models, I let them remain over night, so that they might IxH-ome thoroughly set to the shape. 1 removed them from the blocks the next morning, and oh, raptures of bliss! I was able to get them on my feet. True, there was not much of the ti jier part of the sock left, but enough to swear by. Tho world was all sunshine once more. I wore ths socks all that day, not minding tho little matter that my too was Mng hurt ; but at night I turned the one that was giving mo tho trouble wrong side out, thinking that, perha, in your haste to send them to me, you had left a ball of yam In ono of them. Hut happy wa I when I picked up tho tiny card which lre your name and address, and I trust you will ovcrlk my carrlenes whi n you read this ami learn of my trouble In putting your gill into practical uo. I can not close this without expressing my warmed thanks to the dear young ladies who are doing so much to cheer Ihe hearts of tho soldiers, and remind them f tho dear homes they left far to tin? northward. May (iod Hew you, Individually and colle lively, Is tho prayer of I'wvm Jack Cham. P. S.-I dreamed hwt night I held In mine tho littlo hand that knit the socks. -M' Oh, yes ! Knit all tho socks at leat four slie larger. All tho hoys have large feel-in fad, mine are tho mnalUl In tho company. Now, if you don't answer thU, I wdl demt and como to wo you; and when I am caught, I will l? shot, and I know you would not like to hear 4 that mUUtutte omtaking me. Therefore, I give you fair warning, that you may know what will follow should you not anrr this letler at ome. ('mm. After tho letter was finished, Clara tmo to her fect and asked: M Am I to answer tho letter? " " Yea," cried several of tho girU at onco. " Silence! " called the president, at tho satno time bringing down upon tho Ublo a jiotato masher, which had leen borrowed from Mrs. Harrington's kitchen to servo as a garcl, ith uch forco a to break tho handlo, rendering it useless for tho creuing. " You'll ketch it, Amy Harrington, fer breakiu' your mother's UU-r masher," said tho irrepressible Melissa Updyko. As soon as order was onco more restored, tho pres ident said: " What is your wish regarding th letter?" M Lay hit under tho Ubl" said Miss Updjki, wbemo knowledge of parliamentary usago was some what ragun. M I moTP," said Mia ttrattaio, "Miss Vaughn instructed to reply to tho communication." 14 Hit hain't a communication; hit's letter," said Mia Updyke, wishing to correct tho but shaker. 44 1 -cond Miss Urattaiu's motion," said Mi4 Child. Tho motion wm put am! carriM with but ono no, MUs Updyko casting negativo tot, iho U ing on bad terms with Clara.
