m
1 1
WINTER JOYS
When the window pane is crusted
With i fairyland of snow
And the -wizard
Of the blizzard
Has shut off his biting blow
When the mornings gold has busted
Like a billow on the swamp
From my cozy
Rosy posy
Uest I fly with Persian pomp
Oh my spirits bright and sunny
And joys echoes in me wake
When I pour the shining honey
On the
Buckwheat cake
Oh the frosty air is bitter
And the poodles eyeballs shine
And the chicken
Zero stricken
Roosts upon the horses spine
Oh the snowdrifts gleam and glitter
JVith a gleaming glaring glit
And the sparrow
To his marrow
JBy old Bqreas is hit
Yet I listen to him chirrup
In the bramble and the brake
While I pour the maple syrup
- On the
- Buckwheat cake
Oh I watch the dumpy possum
As he wags his tail in glee
While hes rooting
Or a scooting
To escape the fricassee
With his nose a frozen blossom
Doth the small boy now appear
At the gateway
And he straightway
Moulds of snow the deadly sphere
And I see the man who passes
On his ear that snowball take
While I pour the rich molasses
On the
Buckwheat cake
New York Journal
THE COMEDY OP
MR TUCKER
Ma
No answer There was a gentle clat
ter of china in the kitchen and a smell
of steaming soapsuds
Ma I say The call came this time
from the head of the stairs
Well what is it
I want my clean shirt
Its right there in your drawer just
Where I put it
I cant find it
Mrs Tucker wiped her hands hastily
on the towel as she crossed the room
The stairs were built in the wall and
he laid her hand against it going up
it was the third time she had been up
stairs that morning
There she exclaimed triumphantly
in her good hearted tone drawing forth
the desired article just where I said
twas
I thought that was another one an
swered her husband Aint you most
through Youll be late
No I guess not
It was a sweet Sunday morning in
-June and the sunshine struck glints of
gold from the surface of the grass
blades The sky was a clear rain
washed blue the fragrance of wild rose
was abroad in the air Mrs Tucker
looked out of the kitchen door at the
old horse switching his tail at the gate
He too wore a Sunday aspect Id
like to sit down and take it all in she
thought to herself Therell be the
ride to church anyway
Presently there came another call
froni above Hurry up Youll make
me late
Spose so said Mrs Tucker silent
ly now lesigned to her fate It seemed
to Almira Tucker at times as if she
bad been hurrying up all her life
When she went upstairs Mr Tucker
-was standing in his shirt sleeves before
the glass chin out and mouth drawn to
one side as he wrestled with his collar
button She stopped to fasten it for
hhn before sitting down to put on her
-shoes then standing behind him she
craned her neck over his shoulder to
-see how her back hair looked He did
not move and she did not seem to ex-
pect it
I wish youd fix this tie Almiry I
cant make it come right
Just a minute Isrel
He shifted his position uneasily from
one foot to the other I cant wait all
day
His wife dropped the just arranged
waves of her front hair in disorder and
tied the necktie There was not a neat
er or more particular man in town
than Israel Tucker and she was proud
of the fact His stiff shirt bosoms never
broke in the wrong place
Ill be all ready by the time you get
rnnhitehed she said breathlessly dart
ing here and there as he put on -his Sun
coat and vest Yes Isrel Im com
ing she called a few moments later
Oh dear 1 always get so fiustrated
Well I can put on my gloves s we go
along
Oh my Aint it a pretty day she
exclaimed now quite serene again
Dont those daisies look like a lot o
children havin a party See em bow
in1 an dancin How pretty pink those
roses are
Well enough said Mr Tucker in
dulgently The patronizing toleration
of the unimaginative temperament for
-what is beyond its grasp is a secret
spring of glee to the humorous mind
Mrs Tucker was not definitely con
scious however of anything unsatisfy
ing She took Isrel just s she found
him After all they had much in
-common
jSLter church they drove to their mar
ried daughters to dinner Emmeline
lived in the village Mrs Tucker al
ways felt this visit to be something of
an event It was the only day in the
week when she could sit still in her best
black silk and see someone else fly
ra round Emmeline IpYed to fly around
- -and and inexhaustible
She was young plump
haustible She rushed up to her mother
as soon as the buggy stopped and
switched her collar Into shape I didnt
want to tell you in church but you got
your collar on crooked again Now
i
- a
Jfeame right in Dont you do anything
ma sit where you are Im going to
have chicken for dinner
It was pleasant to see her little aire
of position and hospitality Shall I cut
up your lettuce for you Henry uhe
asked at table
If you want to answered her hus
band a thin dark man with a rather
discouraged expression I wish the
pesky stuff would grow cut up for my
part
They all laughed Later on in the
meal reference was made to something
in the weekly newspaper Emmeline
at once jumped up and brought it to
him
Why didnt you let him go asked
s
Mrs Tucker afterward She was think
ing complacently Emmelines got a
good home
Well I knew just where it was
You dont want to do for him in
every single thing Let him wait on
you some Its just as well to begin
right
Emmeline came to a standstill oppo
site Her eyes had a jocose light in
them her round good humored face
was like her mothers
Now ma Id just like to know how
much more I do than youve been doing
for pa as far back as I can remember
Well maybe so said Mrs Tucker
surprised The matter had never been
so forcibly presented to her before On
their way borne that afternoon she
thought it over She had the ability
rare in women who lead restricted
lives to face a situation and sum it up
from an impersonal point of view She
was doing this now
What Emmeline said was true All
her married life she had waited on her
husband hand and foot until he had
become so wonted to it as hardly to be
able to get along without her help and
it had been a wonder to her in the in
frequenttrips which he made to the city
how he managed to dress himself un
aided She had found his belongings
for him and put them away for years
and he expected it Did he call she
dropped everything and ran to him it
had been so much easier to run than to
tell him what to do She realized now
that it was this that kept her always in
a hurry The Tuckers always did
take a sight of attention she thought
with no sense of grievance Well he
is as he is I suppose
Nevertheless when Mr Tucker
stopped on his way out to harness the
horse next Sunday to remark that he
hoped she wasnt going to keep him
waiting a whole half hour again she
made a stand for herself
Ill be ready soon enough if you
wont call me away from my work
It aint that said Mr Tucker in a
tone of conscious superiority its
something else I dont know how tis
but a woman never can get ready to go
anywhere without fussin
Well you look after your own
things today and Ill tend to mine then
well see
Mr Tucker came in and went up
stairs Presently his voice called
Is the water hot
Yes said Mrs Tucker rubbing her
spoons with cheerful energy
There was silence for two or three
minutes then the voice called again a
little imperatively I asked you if the
water was hot
Hot enough for shavin better come
an get it right off
I cant I aint fixed to
You can fix yourself well enough to
come down theres nobody passin
Mr Tucker didnt look exactly fixed
as he limped crossly downstairs in heel
less slippers with his suspenders dang
ling and his old shirt bulging out at the
back in an extraordinary manner I
didnt know you was so put to it t you
couldnt hand up a dipper of water he
observed with sarcasm
Well I aint a goin to have you tell
me Im iate this time said his wife
Soon he called again Whered you
put those socks of mine Almiry
Just where I told you righthand
corner of your draper
I cant find em
Well you look again an I guess you
will
Strange sounds arose overhead shov
ing sounds squeaking rattling sounds
a tramping back and forth Over Mrs
Tuckers face stole an irrepressible
smile of pure enjoyment Great doins
goin on she said deftly turning oven
the dishpan and hanging the towels up
to dry I declare Im about through
She entered her room The bureau
drawer that held Mr Tuckers linen
had been taken out bodily and dumped
upon the bed it looked as if a cyclone
had whirled through it Hanging over
the edge were various nondescript
bundles partly unrolled some even
strewed the floor Mrs Tucker paid
no outward attention though her or
derly mind was dismayed She dis
ported herself leisurely before the glass
smoothing her hair and pinning her
collar with the utmost nicety Behind
her stood her husband dodging his
head from side to side
What is the matter
I cant see anything while you take
up the whole lookin glass
You can see over my head just as
well as I can over yours Want any
thing
He would not answer until she looked
up Then he pointed to his tie
As soon as Ive putron my bonnet
Why what makes you fidget so Get
your coat an vest on if you want to be
doing something
Five minutes afterward Mrs Tucker
might have been seen in the ample sitting-room
door with her striped Sunday
shawl on her arm occasionally glancing
over her shoulder for her husband was
behind time As he finally appeared
warm and tired she remarked pleas
antly You see I was all ready
Mr Tucker apparently did not hear
He got stiffly into the buggy It was
not until the end of the day that his
wife discovered that he had worn socks
that were not mates
Now it happened that their nearest
neighbor besought Mrs Tucker to pay
her a visit that week Youre almost a
stranger Almiry said she cant you
and Mr Tucker come to tea toward the
end of the week
Id be pleased answered Mrs
Tucker Mr Tuckers busiern com
mon just now with the hayin but per
haps he could come along late in the
afternoon and go home with me
Mr Tucker however would make no
promise Ill see about it was what
he said The day was so warm that
Mrs Tucker went to the storeroom to
get out a certain black and white
sprigged lawn which she kept for the
hottest weather and which had not
been worn that season The store closet
was built around the chimney It was
too small for a room too large for a
closet and it had a little bit of a win
dow near the floor that would not open
Mrs Tucker was all ready to go when
she saw that she had left the door un
fastened and she stepped back and
turned the button
It proved to be an enjoyable after
noon though Mr Tucker did not come
to tea I dont suppose it was so he
could get away Mrs Tucker ex
plained apologetically the hays
ripenin so fast She was disappointed
herself for she enjoyed her husbands
society at times he made a good ap
pearance in company On this account
she returned early in the evening hold
ing her muslin skirts well up to keep
them out of the dust Contrary to their
usual twilight habit the side door was
closed Everything looked just as she
had left it She hooked back the door
and opened a window to let in the fresh
air It went up with a bang Rat-a-tat
rat atat What was that Mrs
Tuckers pulse jumped wildly both her
hands sprung up as she listened There
it was again A loud thump thump
going on upstairs
Mercy What can it be Wheres
Isrel that he dont hear the noise It
cant Awful fears chased her as
dragging her everyday hat by one
string she rushed upstairs where the
sounds louder and louder guided her
straight to the storeroom door
There was no mistaking the animat
ing motive of those blows r rage word
less and impotent rage was venting
itself in regular pounding thwacks like
a battering ram inside that closet the
door trembled under them Mrs Tucker
turned the button and the door shot
forward with the force of a catapault
A tall burly form partly white and
partly black in the dusk stepped forth
Isrel Putnam Tucker how you
scaret me How came you there
Did Israel Putnam Tucker deign to
reply Not he He stalked majestical
ly across the hall with a measured
tread that lost none of its impressive
ness from his being in his shirt sleeves
His wife followed at his heels all agi
tation and remorse
You dont say you was in that closet
all the aftnoon Why the awful Why
didnt you speak Why didnt you say
something I was in a hurry an I
suppose you didnt have time An the
boy was way over in the lot want he J
Of course he couldnt hear you Im
dreadful sorry Isrel I wouldnt done
it for anything if Id known Such a
hot day too Im afraid youll be sick
Your face is just purple
This was going just too far Mr
Tucker lifted his free hand the other
held his vest and wilted collar in a
single determined gesture as one who
should say Avaunt He might have
been posed just so on a pedestal for a
statue of his namesake Then looking
neither to right nor left he marched
downstairs
Consternation made Mrs Tuckers
round eyes rounder and puckered all
her face something else divided her
swift mind something that wanted to
be amusement and had no kindred soul
to share it with
xOh my hes just full of mad she
soliloquized Dont blame him Sod
I be if Id been shut up four or five
hours in that little closet only Id been j
thinkin some how comical twas and
kind o makin a story of it to tell after
ward an he dont get any comfort that
way
Mr Tucker came in from the yard
after awhile and sat down in the door
with his newspaper His wife fluttered
about anxiously Let me make you a
glass of lemonade Isrel she sug
gested
The top of Mr Tuckers head above
the newspaper waved decidedly from
side to side
I wont ask him Ill go make it
thought his better half he hasnt had
any supper either
The pungent freshness of lemon peel
and the tinkle of the spoon in the
pitcher were pleasant things that warm
night and Mr Tuckers senses seemed
to greet them with approval but as his
wife set the glass beside him he looked
askance at it and spoke for the first
time I dont want it
Do drink it Isrel itll cool you off
She said no more but carried the
glass out to the kitchen and left it in
the window By and by Mr Tucker
arose and with his eyes still on the
paper sauntered casually out that way
When Mrs Tucker went into the pantry
to stir up bread the glass was empty
and an immense wedge was gone from
the berry pie she had baked that morn
ing She looked pleased
Well I guess he wont starve she
said
What makes pa so solemn asked
Emmeline next Sunday He acts justs
he did at the time those bunko men
took him in at Hartford
Now Emmeline you mustnt say one
word Mrs Tucker was really aching
to tell the story She told it dramatical
ly because it was -her nature If it had
been a joke against herself it would
have been the same Emmeline dropped
the flour seive and plumped herself
down on a stool in the pantry she also
was dramatic
Oh ma she said I shall give up
You mustnt do so
It is hard to know how to treat a man
In the sulks You can punish a little
boy who does not behave to please you
whether you are right or wrong for he
is the under dog but what can you do
with a little boy of fifty seven For aj
week Mr Tucker showed a surprising
propensity for keeping himself in evi
dence He would come in from the
farm at all hours of the day and insti i
tute elaborate searches for unknown
tides and if his wife asked him what
he was looking for or begged to help
him he invariably turned a deaf ear
He found numberless things requiring
his immediate attention within sight of
the kitchen door It was not that he
wanted to be near at hand to answer If
spoken to and not answer He also de
veloped a rigid independence to his
toilet He could look after himself he
guessed he didnt want any meddling
with his things One rainy day he was
busy for some time upstairs and later
on his wife found out that he had been
turning out the contents of his bureau
drawers and rearranging them after an
original conception of his own By this
time she would have worn sackcloth
and ashes if sackcloth and ashes had
anything to do with the case He even
refused assistance with his collars go
ing so far as to trim off the frayed
edges of an old one to wear to town
meeting much to her mortification and
on Sunday while driving to church as
she saw his checked necktie sliding
around to his ear and ventured to re
place it he deliberately put up his left
hand and shoved it around again Then
she knew he was very mad
Of course it wore off in time but a
touch of new independence remained
and another result less palpable per
haps a shading off as it were of the
undisturbed self importance which had
hitherto marked his demeanor A man
cannot be confined four or five hours in
a closet on a broiling day in July from
circumstances over which he has no
control and preserve intact his sense of
conscious superiority over all inani
mate things Even a stout wooden
button of his own fashioning may be
a sufficient agent to enlarge his views
The instruments that shape our ends
are not always such as we would choose
ourselves It is a curious fact yet
true that nothing had ever done Israel
Tucker more good than being shut up
in that closet
In the first sharp days of fall Mrs
Tucker fell sick and when she recover
ed the doctor told her husband that
her heart was weak You must see
to it now that she doesnt overdo he
said Make her sit down more and
not stoop over or reach up or get tired
out
He was a young doctor and very able
Israel went to the door to see him drive
out of the yard in his mud splashed
buggy He did not go back to the room
where his wife was He looked out
of the end window Little was to be
seen from the window and that little
he did not see but he stood there some
time
It was a trial to the able bodied wom
an whose life had been spent in taking
steps for others to give up her active i
ways and let many things go undone
Israel did his best to follow the doctors
instructions He did more he began in
a feeble rudimentary fashion to take
care of her At first it seemed to Mrs
Tucker more bother than use She ex
pressed herself quite openly about it
She had never been a scold but she
had had her own way in that kitchen
His fingers were all thumbs Wben
he broke the handle off the sugar bowl
trying to make her a cup of tea she
felt that the whole household was go
ing to rack and ruin and told him so
By-and-by it began to give her a cer
tain pleasure to see Israel stepping
about the house bringing her her shawl
or placing a footstool for her He had
never done those things before even
when courting he had supposed that
she knew enough to take care of her-
self
One day she sat in her room while
Israel on his knees beside her strug
gled over her shoes with the button
hook His sleek gray head and busy
work hardened hands were pleasant
in her eyes She suddenly threw her
arms around his neck and kissed him
And I suppose she had not done it like
that since she was young
Our New England emotions are like
our bottled cider they have a tang
of their own but the cork comes out
hard and not always without an ex
plosion
Oh Isrel said she youre so
good I dont like to make you do so
much for me aU the time
Israel looked up He was not smil
ing but in his sober face there was a
look as of one who was slowly rising
to the occasion
You might as well get used to it
he said Doctor said to see to you
some an Im going to do it
But I dont want you should- wait
on me so much I dont need it
I aint said yet I didnt like it an-
swered Israel New York Tribune
A Comforting Text
The late Mayor Howland of Toron
to called one day on a poor sick wom
an and as usual read a portion of scrip
ture and offered prayer On leaving
he named a passage of scripture which
he thought would give comfort The
husband of the sick woman was in
censed that Mr Howland should have
left no more substantial evidence of
sympathy and gave expression to his
anger in vigorous language After a
little the Bible was opened again and
a 10 bill was found The angry man
went at once to Mrv Howland and of
fnrori fcis humble apologies and at the
fnnpral of his benefactor there was
not a more sincere mourner than the
one who had failed to understand that
there is more than one way of bestow
ing charity
Nobody but a woman will carry
watch without keeping It wound up
ill VVl WK
A ZWasonic Rinjj
A prisoner named Davenport who be
longed to a Maryland regiment and
whose home was in Baltimore had a
hut near that of Richardson and Bell
He had been sick for some time He
failed rapidly and seemed to realize
that he would live but a few days
Richardson was by his side a good deal
of the time
I want you to do something for me
Charley said Davenport
Name it and if possible it shall be
done
Then Davenport slipped from a bony
finger a ring upon which there were
emblems which his friend did not un
derstand
I want you to get permission to go
outside and find Sergeant Hall the
Confederate who helped Wirz the day
we came to the prison hand him this
ring and tell him I am very sick
I went down to the gate said Rich
ardson and waited for a chance to
speak to the officer in charge While
standing there I examined the ring
The Confederate guard noticed it and
asked me to let him see it I held it so
he could see the ring not daring to let
It get out of my possession You need
not be afraid to let me take that ring
young fellow I have one like it you
see But what are you doing with such
a ring You are not old enough to be
a Mason
I then told him about poor Daven
port and what he had askeu me to do
Corporal of the guard No 1 cried
the guard without saying a word in an
swer to me In a moment a corporal
appeared and the guard asked him to
have Sergeant Hall sent to the gate ex
plaining that a prisoner had a message
from a man who had a right to call up
on him
Sergeant Hall soon came to the gate
The guard pointed at me and said He
wants to speak to you I held up the
ring as he approached and began to tell
him why I had come after him but
hadnt gotten half through when he
said Take me to Mr Davenport I
can guess the rest
Ten minutes later the soldier in gray
was lovingly bending over the soldier
in faded blue Hall did everything in
his power for Davenport but help had
come too late Three days afterward
Davenport died Hall took charge of
the body and word came to us that
Davenport had been buried with Ma
sonic honors
It was about the middle of Decem
ber 1S64 when word came to the pris
oners at Florence S C that a batch of
the sickest and weakest men would be
exchanged Now Bell we will try
again and we did
A few days before I had found a
new friend a brother printer the first
before-the-war acquaintance I had met
since becoming a prisoner He was M
P Walsh also of a New York regiment
but like myself a resident of Milwau
kee Walsh Bell and myself fell in for
examination All three were badly
wrecked My weight had gotten down
to 70 pounds Walsh and Bell were no
better off
You can go and so can you said
the surgeon when he came to Walsh
and Bell
1 guess you can hold out until the
next batch is called for young fellow
Is what he said to me
I staggered and would have fallen
if one of the boys hadnt caught me
Cant I go doctor I have been a
prisoner over a year I am sick and
too weak to live here any longer But
my appeal did not avail
Walsh told me to cheer up and said
that it wouldnt be long before I would
get out I asked him to call on my
mother when he got home and tell her
where I was I ran away to go to the
war and had never written her while in
the regiment for fear that she would
get me out because I was under age
For two or three minutes before saying
good by Bell and I stood with arms
around each others necks crying not
softly but heart brokenly loudly I
can never forget that parting
Richardsons brothers and sisters had
long since given up their brother as
dead but his mother was sure that he
was alive and would return home
The night before Christmas 1S64
Mrs Richardson startled the family by
saying that one of their Christmas gifts
would consist of information from
Charlie She could give no reason but
stoutly declared that she knew the glad
tidings were coming
Sergeant Walsh since a member of
the assembly and Sheriff of Milwaukee
arrived home the night before
Christmas
While the Richardsons were at break
fast the mother talked about her son
most of the time closing with And this
is the day we are to hear from him
She took a seat near a window and
watched for the messenger who was to
tell her something about the boy she
had not seen nor heard a word from for
more than three years
The hours dragged slowly along Two
oclock came and the watcher had
watched in vain The family had gath
ered about the table to enjoy the Christ
mas dinner There was a rap at the
door
The news has come cried the moth
er as she hurried to open the door I
dont know who you are but I do know
that you have come to tell us about
Charlie said Mrs Richardson before
the caller could say a word
Thats what I have said Walsh
He is at Florence prison and I think
he will soon be exchanged and start for
home
There what did I tell you ex
claimed the overjoyed mother as sho
fell into a chair and wept wept as any
mother would have done under like cir-
cumstances
Three months later the boy returned
to his home One of his first acts was to
write and ask how Bell was getting on
Word came back that he had died on
the way home J A Watrous in
Times Herald
always Have any prisoners been
taken The love for capturing prison
ers amounted to a passion with him It
did not seem to arise from the fact that
they added so largely to the trophies of
battle and was no doubt chiefly due to
his tenderness of heart which prompt
ed him to feel that it was always more
humane to reduce the enemys strength
by captures than by slaughter His de
sire in this respect was amply gratified
for during the war it fell to his lot to
capture a larger number of prisoners
than any general of modern times -Century
Kill and Capture
When after the second battle of Bull
Run General Sickles assumed com
mand of a division of the Army of the
Potomac he gave an elaborate farewell
dinner to the officers of his old Excel-
sior Brigade
Now boys we will have a family
gathering he said to them as they as 1
sembled in his quarters
Pointing to the table he continued
Treat it as you would the enemy
As the feast ended an Irish officer
Captain Byrnes was discovered by
Sickles in the act of stowing away
three bottles of champagne in his saddle-bags
What are you doing sir gaspedi
the astonished general
Obeying orders sir replied the cap-
tain in a firm voice
You told us to treat that dinner as
we would the enemy and you know
general what we dont kill we cap-
ture
Moses was the ablest law giver who
ever lived He was aiso an executive
manager of matchless resources and
the system of state government found-
ed by Mm has ever since beena model
7
A New Lincoln Anecdote
A Kentucky contributor sends to the
Youths Companion a pleasing anecdote
of Abraham Lincoln It has never be
fore been published he says and was
received by him from the other party
to the story who is still living in Ken
tucky It Illustrates once more the
genial friendly temper of the great
war President During the Presidential
campaign of 1S40 when Gen William
Henry Harrison was the Whig candi
date Lincoln then a young man just
rising into prominence accepted an in-
vitation to address an audience in
Union County Kentucky at a Whig
barbecue
He was met at a landing on the Ohio
River about ten miles from the place of
the barbecue by a committee headed
by Capt George W Riddle and was es
corted to the meeting seated in a spring
wagon by the side of Captain Riddle Jf
the driver
On the road Mr Lincoln entertained
the committee with several amusing
anecdotes and on arriving at his des
tination delivered an able and eloquent1
address probably the only address
that he ever delivered in his native
State
After the speaking Captain Riddle
who commanded a military company
fired a salute in honor of the orator of
the day but the cannon an old six
pounder was overcharged and explod
ed though without any serious results
Captain Riddle raised a subscription
to pay Mr Lincolns expenses contrib
uting liberally himself and then es
corted him back to the river The fu
ture President was much pleased with
his visit and so expressed himself
Many years passed Mr Lincoln was
elected chief magistrate of the nation
Riddle took sides with the South and
having expressed his opinions rather
boldly was arrested for treason and
sent to Camp Chase a military prison
It was a dull and gloomy place for
me said the old gentleman in relating
the story and after I had remained
there about ten days I got home sick
and concluded I would remind my friend
Lincoln of bygone hours So I wrote
to him as follows
My Dear Mr President After pre
senting my compliments to you I wish
to remind you that a good many years
ago I had you in tow at a Whig barbe
cue near Morganfield in Union County
Kentucky On that occasion I tried to-
treat you kindly and even burst my
cannon in firing a salute in your honor
I hope you have not forgotten it Now
sir you have me in tow and I am your
prisoner here in Camp Chase I am
lonesome and home sick and want to
get back to my old wife Please let me
go Yours truly
GEORGE W RIDDLE
When Mr Lincoln received this letter
he laughed heartily and at once wrote
upon the back of it Please let Capt
George W Riddle go home A Luv
coin
Delighted in Taking Prisoners
Grant made very few comments upon
the stirring events which were crowd
ing so closely upon one another until
the reports came in regarding the
oners When the large numbers cap
tured were announced he said with the
first trace of animation he had shown
Thats the kind of news I like to hear
I had hoped that a bold dash at day-
light would secure a large number of
prisoners Hancock is doing welL
This remark was eminently character
istic of the Union commander His ex
treme fondness for taking prisoners
was manifested in every battle he
fought When word was brought to
him of a success on any part of the
line his first most eager question was
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