ng your arms," said he,
"lahk you were proud of yo'selves!" Other little localisms slip in. When
a man had explained a question that the captain at first did not
understand, he said when he grasped it, "Oh, Ah see; Ah didn't locate
yo'." But it is a pity to misspell so broadly. The differences of accent,
though evident, are slight and pleasing, even musical.

Love from,

DICK.

FROM ERASMUS CORDER, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
IN HARVARD UNIVERSITY, TO HIS WIFE

Plattsburg, Monday, Sept. 11.

MY DEAR PRISCILLA:--

You will want to know, now that I have shaken down into this life, how on
the whole it suits me. I feel as if I had been here a fortnight, such
being the power of routine. You know I am among perfect strangers, for
though Nelson is in my company, I see very little of him. We actually
have not looked each other up since Saturday. And though Watson of the
Philosophy department and Jones of the Library staff are both here, they
are in other companies, and the best I have done is to pay each of them a
hurried call. The real life is the life of the squad, and I find myself
among interesting fellows.

The work is not too hard, for the officers give us periods of rest, and
we are gradually hardening up. I live very cautiously, always change my
stockings and rest my feet whenever I come off the drill-field, and
whenever I can I lie down for a nap. But I am getting so lively that I
find myself tempted to ignore these precautions, and hope that before
long I can take not only the work but the fun as it comes. The excellent
stockings which you knit for me are not too heavy nor too hot; you were
wise to mark every thing that I wear, as in this camp articles of
clothing very much resemble one another. My sewing kit, with all its
threaded needles, called out the wonder of the corporal the other day,
and the whole squad stood around and admired it.

I hope in time to attain a more military carriage, but it is a hard fight
with habit. I wish I were as springy as these boys around me; even as I
work the fat out of my bacon, I don't find myself perfectly elastic. For
I get a bit stiff in the knees from long standing at the manual; and as
the evening chill comes on I find it gets more into my joints than I
like. And so I am watching the development of a problem with which I,
that is, my mind, can have very little