But it had all been paid for by a
perfectly solvent Union government. So, if I were to consider it from
the purely material standpoint, which you imagine to be the only one I
have, I should rejoice over the raids of the rebels because they make
trade for contractors. I'm a patriot, even if I do not fight at the
front. Besides my feelings have been hurt."
"In what way?"
The contractor drew from his pocket a coarse brown envelope, and he took
from the envelope a letter, written on paper equally coarse and brown.
"I received this letter last night," he said. "It was addressed simply
'John Watson, Washington, D. C.,' and the post office people gave it to
me at once. It came from somebody within the Confederate lines. You
know how the Northern and Southern pickets exchange tobacco, newspapers
and such things, when they're not fighting. I suppose the letter was
passed on to me in that way. Listen."
"John Watson,
Washington, D. C.
"My dear sir: I have never met you, but certain circumstances have made
me acquainted with your name. Believing therefore that you are a man of
judgment and fairness I feel justified in making to you a complaint which
I am sure you will agree with me is well-founded.
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