| The Life of Dr. J.R. Miller |
Chapter 2 |
Page 9 |
The work during February was sadly interrupted by the departure of delegates who had served their appointed time, and the arrival of others to take their places. But Mr. Miller knew how to inspire green workers. Within a few days after the arrival of delegates from the North, they were, in most cases, doing effective work. This month a new department of activity became popular with the soldiers:
“In our room a writing table sufficient to accommodate twenty or thirty men has been fitted up, and paper, envelopes, pens and ink constantly supplied. From one hundred and twenty-five to two hundred letters are written daily. In our reading room files are kept of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville and New York dailies, besides the magazines and miscellaneous periodicals. No one can realize the value and importance of these facilities to the soldiers till he has some experience of the privation of army life… Our rooms are always crowded.”
On March 1 a station was opened at London, not far from Knoxville. A humorous incident of the work there was included in the journal:
“The room assigned to us for a reading room had been previously used by a band of minstrels for a concert room. When we took possession of it, they erected their tents close by, and carried on their performances. For several nights they had some success, but soon their former crowds diminished till the concerts were almost deserted. The reason was that our religious meetings in the church attracted all. After a week or so, the proprietor came into the Commission rooms one morning and said: ‘We can’t run these things together. Your prayer meeting is drawing away all my patrons.’ ‘Well, which do you think is the more profitable, the prayer meetings or your performances?’ he was asked. ‘I like the fifty cents mighty well,’ he replied… However, after one other trial he left the town, and donated his lumber, etc., to the Commission.”
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