here at the post, and is not only very nice, but cost General Phillips
almost nothing, and, as we have to buy everything, I said at dinner
last evening that we must have some precisely like it, supposing, of
course, that General Phillips would feel highly gratified because his
taste was admired. But instead of the smile and gracious acquiescence
I had expected, there was another straightening back in the chair, and
a silence that was ominous and chilling. Finally, he recovered
sufficient breath to tell me that at present, there were no good
carpenters in the company. Later on, however, I learned that only
captains and officers of higher rank can have such things. The
captains seem to have the best of everything, and the lieutenants are
expected to get along with smaller houses, much less pay, and much
less everything else, and at the same time perform all of the
disagreeable duties.

Faye is wonderfully amiable about it, and assures me that when he gets
to be a captain I will see that it is just and fair. But I happen to
remember that he told me not long ago that he might not get his
captaincy for twenty years. Just think of it--a whole long
lifetime--and always a Mister, too--and perhaps by that time it will
be "just and fair" for the lieutenants to have everything!

We saw our house yesterday--quarters I must learn to say--and it is
ever so much nicer than we had expected it to be. All of the officers'
quarters are new, and this set has never been occupied. It has a hall
with a pretty stairway, three rooms and a large shed downstairs, and
two rooms and a very large hall closet on the second floor. A soldier
is cleaning the windows and floors, and making things tidy generally.
Many of the men like to cook, and do things for officers of their
company, thereby adding to their pay, and these men are called