I knew that I never had seen two more
beautiful beings on earth. The steps began to lengthen out, and seemed
to be all around me; they seemed to shine a halo of glory all about.
The two ladies came closer, and closer, passing around, having a
beautiful wreath of flowers in each hand, and gracefully throwing them
backward and forward as they laughed and danced around me. Finally
one stopped and knelt down over me and whispered something in my ear.
I threw up my arms to clasp the beautiful vision to my bosom, when I felt
my arm grabbed, and "D--n ye, I wish you would keep your d--n arm off
my wound, ye hurt me," came from the soldier in the next bunk. The sun
was shining full in my face. I got up and went down to breakfast. The
bill of fare was much better for breakfast than it had been for supper;
in fact it was what is called a "jarvis" breakfast. After breakfast,
I took a ramble around the city. It was a nice place, and merchandise
and other business was being carried on as if there was no war. Hotels
were doing a thriving business; steamboats were at the wharf, whistling
and playing their calliopes. I remember the one I heard was playing
"Away Down on the Sewanee River." To me it seemed that everybody was
smiling, and happy, and prosperous.
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