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In My Thirtieth Year.
211

Last night I found you there for the first, and I was so glad. But you were not friendly, as you were the first time I saw you, so now I am afraid to write another loveletter to you, for fear you will be mad. . . . Why did you let that horrible soldier Murphy hit me and throw stones at me? He ought to be ashamed to hit a girl... . After I got home, I cried my eyes out because I couldn't come in and talk to you as last time, and because you aimed a gun at me. . . . Do please speak to me the next time we meet, because I shall be too much afraid to speak to you . . .

I am, adored sergeant,
Your slave forever,
Jennie June


About two weeks later I find the same sergeant on guard. Having no fear because of his previous familiarity, I beg to be allowed to spend an hour on the porch of the guard-house, as he had once permitted. But as soon as I arrived there, he declares he gave me permission simply that he might put me under arrest. I beg for mercy: "Do please let the baby go home, and don't arrest her!"

"Hand out a ten dollar bill and you can go home. I won't have you writing such letters to me as you did. Just for one sentence you wrote to Sergeant V you could be imprisoned: 'I am a woman entombed in the body of a man.' How can you write such things? "

"You cannot complain of the letters I write to you when you have used to me the indecent language you have.