Page:The Story of Aunt Becky's Army-Life .djvu/258

214 let that thinking, breathing material be treated like men, or else let those who are able to ride in splendor, on caparisoned steeds, and in rich carriages, on land and sea, save the nation themselves. It is worth as much to them as to the man who, not one whit the less noble, earns his bread by the sweat of his brow.

To a man, I hope they would stand up to be allowed the decencies of travel in their route to and fro, or failing to obtain this, refuse to take up arms in defence of an ungrateful government, which with close hand withholds from the masses to lavish on the few rich and great.

I may be thought bitter; I feel bitterly on this subject of justice to the common soldier, when I have had tears of agony rain back on my heart to see them dead and dying, treated like swine driven before the butcher.

It may be only neglect, not a wilful oversight of Government, but if it is, it is none the less culpable, and asks for a remedy to be applied to all the future,—for the past is beyond recall.

The last token of regard from the dear old One Hundred and Ninth as a body, came to me—a check on the bank for one hundred and sixty-five dollars, "in appreciation of my kindness and faithful services," they said, when I had done no more than duty bade me, and nothing but what my hand was prompted to do for any one who wore the army blue.

Scattered abroad—some in the South, wooed there by gentle winds, and gentler voices, some in the old homes grown doubly dear since they first went from