I signed my name and mailed it immediately, and it appeared next morning. That day Schuyler Colfax sent a box to my lodgings, and five dollars in a note, bidding me send to him if more were wanting; but that day lemons began to pour into Washington, and soon, I think, into every hospital in the land. Gov. Andrews sent two hundred boxes to the Surgeon General. I received so many, that at one time there were twenty ladies, several of them with ambulances, distributing those which came to my address, and if there was any more hospital gangrene that season I neither saw nor heard of it. The officers in Campbell knew of the letter, and were glad of the supplies it brought, but some time passed before they identified the writer as the little sister in the bad ward, who had won the reputation of being the "best wound-dresser in Washington." CHAPTER LIV. GET PERMISSION TO WORK. Rules required me to leave Campbell at five o'clock, but the sun was going down, and I lay on a cot, in the bad ward, feeling that going home, or anywhere else, was impossible, when that large doctor came, felt my pulse, laid his hand on my brow, and said: "You must not work so hard or we will lose you! I have been hunting for you to ask if you would like to remain with us?" "Like to remain with you? Well, you will have to send a file of soldiers with fixed bayonets to drive me away." He laughed quite heartily, and said: "We do not want you to go away. I am executive officer; Surgeon Kelley and Dr. Baxter, surgeon in charge, has commissioned me to say that if you wish to stay, he will have a room prepared for you. He hunted for you to say so in person, but is gone; now I await your decision. Shall I order you a room?" "Surgeon Baxter! Why--what does he know about me?" "Oh, Surgeon Baxter, two medical inspectors, and the surgeon of this ward were present this morning when you came in and took possession." His black eyes twinkled, and he shook with laughter when I sat up, clasped my hands, and said: "Oh, dear? Were they the men who were standing around Charlie? Why I had not dreamed of them being surgeons!" "Did you not know by their shoulders traps?" "Shoulderstraps? Do surgeons have shoulderstraps? I thought only officers wore them!" "Well, surgeons are officers, and you can know by my shoulderstraps that I am a surgeon." "Oh, I do not mind you; but Dr. Baxter! How I did behave before him! What must he have thought? And he does not allow women to come here!" "Well. You passed inspection; and as you propose to stay with us, I will have a room prepared for you." He then went on to state that the reason Doctor Baxter would not have female nurses, was that he would not submit to Miss Dix's interference, did not like the women she chose, and army regulations did not permit him to employ any other. "But," he continued, "no one can object to his entertaining a guest, and as his guest you can employ your time as you wish."