Page:The Story of Aunt Becky's Army-Life .djvu/173

Rh It was a very warm day, and the poor old horse felt the heat extremely, and the boys bade us "good-bye," with many a joke at our stylish equipage, scarcely expecting to see us return as we went.

But we reached camp at last, and were greeted with loud demonstrations, which would have done credit to the arrival of a favorite major-general; and indeed our whole journey had been a continued ovation.

The boys hastened to the roadside, calling our horse along with hands held forth, suggesting to the half-famished brute the oats, the taste of which had almost gone out of his remembrance, so long ago were they taken into his stomach.

But we were in time for dinner, and remained awhile, dispensing the good things to the boys, to whom hardtack had become second nature. At dusk we arrived back at the Hospital, being greeted like voyagers who had dared some great and perilous sea.

The autumn winds grew chilly over City Point, and we were astonished one day by the sweeping discharge of all the women connected with the Ninth Corps, with the exception of my humble self, who was retained by what process this deponent knoweth not.

Why the others were discharged was quite a mystery for the time. Some said it was because the surgeon in charge disliked women in general, but as he doubtless had wife, mother, or sister, that could not be.