"Bad Ax, Wis., Nov. 10.
"Capt. McGillicuddy.
"Dear Sir: I believe you command the company, as they call
it, in which there was a gentleman named Mr. Elliott. The
papers reports that he was kild at thfe battle of
Chickamaugy. I had some correspondence with him, and I sent
him my picture.
Would you kindly write me the particklers of his death, and
also what was done with sich letters and other things that
he had? I would very much like to have you return me my
letters and picture if you have them. Send them by express
to Miss Jerusha Briggs, at this plais, and I will pay the
charges. I will explain to you why I want them sent to a
difrunt naim than that which I sign. Upon learnin' of Mr.
Elliott's deth I excepted the addresses of Mr. Adams, whose
wife passed away last summer. You may think I was in a
hurry, but widowers always mene bizniss when they go
a-courtin', as you will know if ever you was a widower, and he
had two little girls who needed a mother's care. My husband
is inclined to be jelous, as widowers usually are, and I
don't want him to ever know nothin' about my letters to Mr.
Elliott, and him havin' my picture. I am goin' to ask you to
help me, as a gentleman and a Christian, and to keep this
confidential.
"Very respectfully,
"Mrs. Benj. F. Adams."
They all listened eagerly to the reading of the letter, and when it was finished looked for Shorty. But he had gone outside, where there was more air.
CHAPTER VIII. SI IS PROMOTED
ANNABEL APPRISED OF IT—SHORTY MEETS JERUSHA.
ANNABEL came in just as the reading of the letter was finished and her arrival caused a commotion in the family, as it always did, which momentarily distracted attention from the missive and Shorty's absence. She and the mother and daughters had to exchange kisses and news about the health of both families. Then she had to give a filial kiss to the Deacon, who had already begun to assume paternal airs toward her, and finally she got around to Si. Neither of them had yet got to the point of "kissing before folks," and had to be content with furtive squeezing of hands. Si's heart was aching to have Annabel read Capt. McGillicuddy's letter, yet such was his shame-faced modesty that not for the world would he have alluded to it before the family. If he had been alone with her, he might have slipped the letter unopened into her hand, with a shy request for her to read it, but so sternly was the Deacon and his family set against anything like "vainglory" and "self-praise" that he could not bring himself to mention that such a letter had been received. At last, when full particulars had been given about the spread of measles and whooping-cough, who was to preach and who to be baptized at the coming quarterly meeting, Maria's active mind turned to things nearer Si's heart, and she said:
"O, Si's got sich a nice letter from his officer-boss, his Corporal, or Colonel, or General, or whatever they call him—Mister—"