Page:The Story of Aunt Becky's Army-Life .djvu/243

Rh agony of body. He was a lieutenant from a Rhode Island regiment, and bore the distress with no complaint from his white lips.

Another officer—a captain from a Pennsylvania regiment—was enduring great suffering, but his mother stood at his side, and I saw many an eye turned wistfully that way, as though they envied him his happiness even in his agony.

I could leave him contentedly with the one who cradled his infancy on her bosom, and watch by others who had no mother near to stand by them, as she did by him.

In Washington my first business was to see Miss Dix in reference to my pay, which I had not received in ten months, although I had been once from City Point to obtain it, and failed through the neglect of some necessary form.

Now I needed the money sadly, and was determined to omit no formality which would keep it still in reserve.

Miss Dix ordered me to the surgeon-general to get my papers made out, and thence I was sent to the paymaster, and from him farther on, and in turn referred back to him, as the proper person from whom to obtain my pay.

Highly relishing this journeying backward and forward through the mud of the capital, I presented myself before the paymaster again, and he flatly refused to pay me, saying I was not in his line. So on to the surgeon-general I took my way, thinking my money more than earned over again, and received