Early Candlelight

VI

N a day of bright sun, when the sky was a miracle 0of blueness over a world of white, two specks appeared moving up the ice-bound Mississippi. They were sighted first by the young DuGays, fishing through the ice with hungry zeal. Under intent inspection , they resolved into two soldiers. These were bent under packs and plodded slowly, but one of them lifted a wearily elated arm. The DuGays dropped their poles and chased each other up the bank. “The maill The maill” The sentry at the big gate heard them. “The mail! The mail!” Some soldiers who were priming the pump ran toward their barracks. “The mail!” The words raced down the line of officers’ quarters. They sped out to the Indian Agency and jumped the bluff to the island. The DuGays, who never received any letters, ran madly about in circles. “The mail!” they shouted, “the mail!” There had been no news from the east since early winter. Once since that time a pair of soldiers, by slseping in snowdrifts and eating rose berries, had accomplished the trip to Prairie du Chien. But Prairie du Chien had not heard from Peoria, and the precious express, when it returned, contained only local news. Now, however, there had been a spell of fine weather. VI ON a day of bright sun, when the sky was a miracle of blueness over a world of white, two specks appeared moving up the ice-bound Mississippi. They were sighted first by the young DuGays, fishing through the ice with hungry zeal. Under intent inspection , they resolved into two soldiers. These were bent under packs and plodded slowly, but one of them lifted a wearily elated arm. The DuGays dropped their poles and chased each other up the bank. "The mail! The mail!" The sentry at the big gate heard them. "The mail! The mail!" Some soldiers who were priming the pump ran toward their barracks. "'The mailI" The words raced down the line of officers' quarters. They sped out to the Indian Agency and jumped the bluff to the island. The DuGays, who never received any letters, ran madly about in circles. "The mail!" they shouted, "the mail!" There had been no news from the east since early winter. Once since that time a pair of soldiers, by slc;eping in snowdrifts and eating rose berries, had accomplished the trip to Prairie du Chien. But Prairie du Chien had not heard from Peoria, and the precious express, when it returned, contained only local news. Now, however, there had been a spell of fine weather. 56 VI ON a day of bright sun, when the sky was a miracle of blueness over a world of white, two specks appeared moving up the ice-bound Mississippi. They were sighted first by the young DuGays, fishing through the ice with hungry zeal. Under intent inspection , they resolved into two soldiers. These were bent under packs and plodded slowly, but one of them lifted a wearily elated arm. The DuGays dropped their poles and chased each other up the bank. "The maill The mail!" The sentry at the big gate heard them. "The mail! The mail!" Some soldiers who were priming the pump ran toward their barracks. "The mailI" The words raced down the line of officers' quarters. They sped out to the Indian Agency and jumped the bluff to the island. The DuGays, who never received any letters, ran madly about in circles. "The maill" they shouted, "the maill" There had been no news from the east since early winter. Once since that time a pair of soldiers, by slc;eping in snowdrifts and eating rose berries, had accomplished the trip to Prairie du Chien. But Prairie du Chien had not heard from Peoria, and the precious express, when it returned, contained only local news. Now, however, there had been a spell of fine weather. EARLY CANDLELIGHT 57 This expedition had been a success. The travelers were relieved of their burdens, rushed to fires, rewarded with whiskey, and the garrison turned itself in fearful joy to the mail. A child had died and been buried back in Vermont; a rotund corporal walked down to the St. Peters alone. Another letter contained a yellow bank note; its recipient led a jubilant queue to the sutler’s store. Private Hittle’s sweetheart had married a butcher. All through the winter his barrack mates had heard her virtues extolled, groans and thrown boots had greeted the very mention...