Page:The Story of Aunt Becky's Army-Life .djvu/234

192 one, and an officer, taking my refusal as the result of an empty pocket, very courteously offered to pay the required sum, if I would allow him to do so.

I said to him, thanking him for his kindness, "I am a government nurse, on government duty, and my pass calls for lodging as well as transportation, and I have money enough to pay the required sum, but I am not disposed to humor this captain by putting seventy-five cents even into his pocket. My pay is twelve dollars a month, and rations."

And I slept soundly on the sofa in the cabin all night, replying to the captain's rather impudent stare in the morning, that I was delighted with my couch, and greatly obliged to him for his kindness in providing it.

Wishing once more to see the regiment before they broke up at the front, I went up one day in the cars loaded with provisions for the horses, feeling as grand as a queen on a bag of oats. I enjoyed my seat, coarse cushion as it was, and the ride was one of keen pleasure, for all was so quiet, and no anticipation of its being broken by martial sounds.

The Thirty-Seventh Wisconsin Regiment lay by our own, and as the band came out to play for us, Major Eaton stepped in wonder to the door of his tent, thinking they were doing honor to some captain of renown, and beholding only Aunt Becky in her worn and faded dress, retreated in silent awe.

I learned of the death of Charlie Morgan, of Co. G, of our regiment, who was in our hospital for weeks, low with a nervous fever. Some days I