"The story of our love is incomplete;"
The leaves of many years are missing;
Lonely apart we pined, each seeking truth
Together, we will find love's land enchanted.
The past is flown, the future still have we;
So let our twin souls blend beyond the ages,
Till young and fair, beside the Jasper Sea,
We may discover all love's torn out pages.

One word of retrospect. As will be remembered, I was ambitious to secure a commission from the War Department. I had worked zealously and faithfully for it. My trials and troubles with the War Office have been told here. It had resulted in my being disappointed for many days. Yet, at the time of which I am writing, while I was serving as an enlisted man, drawing my rations and pay as such, I was in fact an officer and did not know it, and only learned it some months afterward. This anomaly was brought about after Gettysburg by Mr. Lincoln, who, on learning of my former services, ordered my commission ante-dated one year. So that, when I got my parchment at last, I found that I ranked some of the older officers in seniority.

As I have furnished other references to establish the correctness of my statements, I take especial pride in putting before the readers the following correspondence.

I lost my original parchment while traveling in California in 1884. General Stoneman, then Governor, to whom I wrote about my loss, kindly interested himself in assisting me in my search for it, but, not finding it, I applied to the War Department for a certified copy. The following is the reply, which explains itself:

[2677 A. V. P., 1885.]

War Department,
Adjutant-General's Office,
Washington, April 29, 1885.


Mr. —— ——,

Sir: Complying with your request of the 27th instant, I inclose herewith copies of your commission as Second Lieutenant, Signal Corps, and of letter of June 12, 1865, from this office, notifying you of the acceptance of your resignation as such, to date June 9, 1865.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. McKeever,

Assistant Adjutant-General, in charge.

(Two inclosures.)

War Department,
Adjutant-General's Office,
Washington, April 29, 1885.

As will be seen in the copy, I did not resign until after the war was over.

The original was on parchment, with Mr. Lincoln's and Mr. Stanton's autograph signatures.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

To all who shall see these presents, greeting:

Know ye, That, reposing special trust and confidence in the patriotism, valor, fidelity and abilities of J. O. Kerbey, I have nominated, and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint him Second Lieutenant in the Signal Corps, in the service of the United States, to rank as such from the third day of March, eighteen hundred and sixty-three. He is, therefore, carefully and diligently to discharge the duty of Second Lieutenant by doing and performing all manner of things pertaining and thereunto belonging. And I do strictly charge and require all officers and soldiers under his command to be obedient to his orders as Second Lieutenant. And he is to observe and follow such orders and directions, from time to time, as he shall receive from me, or the future President of the United States of America, or the General, or other superior officers set over him, according to the rules and discipline of war. This commission is to continue in force during the pleasure of the President of the United States for the time being.

[Seal.] Given under my hand, at the City of Washington, this fifteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, and in the eighty-ninth year of the independence of the United States.
By the President. Abraham Lincoln.

Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War.

[Seal.]Given under my hand, at the City of Washington, this fifteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, and in the eighty-ninth year of the independence of the United States.