title: Pickets and Dead Men: Seasons on Rainier
author:  Bree Loewen 
description: this is a fine, enjoyable read ... Loewen's prose is so disarming -- at one point she says she wants her last thoughts to be about white chocolate macadamia nut cookies -- you don't notice the seriousness of her trade until people actually start to dying. (Cailin Smart <i>Gripped</i>)<br /><br />3.5 stars -- The book is engaging, honest and often painful. (Alison Osius <i>Rock & Ice</i>)
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  # On Picket Duty and Other Tales
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### Louisa May Alcott
  
  
  This page copyright © 2002 Munsey's.
  
  
  http://www.munseys.com
  
  ON PICKET DUTY.
  
  
  THE KING OF CLUBS AND THE QUEEN OF HEARTS.
  
  
  THE CROSS ON THE OLD CHURCH TOWER.
  
  
  THE DEATH OF JOHN.
  
  
  
  
  
  
      
  
  
  This eBook was edited by Charles Aldarondo (www.aldarondo.net).
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### ON PICKET DUTY.
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
    
  _WHAT_ air you thinkin' of, Phil?
  
  
    
  "My wife, Dick."
  
  
    
  "So was I! Aint it odd how fellers fall to thinkin' of thar little
  
  
  women, when they get a quiet spell like this?"
  
  
    
  "Fortunate for us that we do get it, and have such gentle bosom
  
  
  guests to keep us brave and honest through the trials and temptations
  
  
  of a life like ours."
  
  
    
  October moonlight shone clearly on the solitary tree, draped with
  
  
  gray moss, scarred by lightning and warped by wind, looking like a
  
  
  venerable warrior, whose long campaign was nearly done; and
  
  
  underneath was posted the guard 