The Hawaiian gazette., 1869-05-05

THE DRY ToRTUGAs-A Washington cores
pondence of the Chicago Repaibiiedn, dated
Feb. 18th, says:
Another stricken woman's feet have press
ed the costly Wilons of the Executive man
sion, and sorrowfully as Hager's did the
parched sward of the wilderness. 1t is the
wife of DR.. Mudd, the man who was tried
with the other conspirators, and now serving
out his term at the desolate "Dry Tortugas."
During the last dreadful yellow fever cpl
demic our officers on the island testified to
the almost superhuman efforts of DR.. Mudd
in behalf of the prisoners and soldiers. He
seemed to have a charmed life among the
dead and dying. There was nc duty 60
loathsome that he shrank from it, and when
he could do no more for the sufferers In life
he helped to cover their remains with the
salted sand. Armed with this testimony of
the officers, for months Mrs. Mudd has at
tended Andrew johnson like his shadow.
One day last summer, personal friend of
the Presidents was admitted to the Execu-
tive presence as he took the lady's hand, he
smilingly remarked: a" am sorry | kept you
waiting"
She replied: "There is another lady who
has been waiting longer than have"
"Do you know her 81 asked the President
al never saw her before" said the lady.
The President called a messenger saying.
"See who is in the ante-room waiting"
A smile crept over the messengers face as
he answered, It's only Mrs. Mudd."
"Only Mrs Mudd I" echoed the President,
while a spasm of pain passed over his coun-
tenance: "that woman here again, after all /
have said" At the same time the President
put both hands to his lace.
"Wby do you allow yourself to be so an
noyed 81 said the friend, using the license
which belongs to wonan's friendship.
1.-THE President of the United States
ought not to be annoyed at anything; be-
sides have no right to put any one out Of
this house who comes to see me on business
and behaves with propriety. Don't let US
talk about that; let us think Of something
else" The pardon has since been issued
OF all the forsaken places on this planet,
there is none that will compare in terror to
Helena is kind of terrestrial Paradise. Nei-
ther friendly rock, shrub, tree, nor blade Of
grass is TO be seen on its surface. II is a
small, burning Sahara, planted in the bosom
Of the desolate sea, without a single oasis to
relieve its savage face The garrison and
prisoners have to depend entirely on cisterns
for their supply Of water, and out Of the 81
carpenters who in the beginning Of the re-
beIlion went there with the corps Of engi-
neers to look after repairs, only four return
ed alive, and two Of these have been con-
frmed invalids ever since. When the car
penter was questioned to explain the great
mortality, he said II was owing, to this par
tieular time, TO miserable quarters prepared
for the workmen, and to the bad water that
was dealt out 10 them, of which, bad as II
was, they could not get enough to supply
their pressing wants The island swarms
with insects that bite and sting, and, If the
soldiers on duty there were not frequently
relieved and sent to the main land, mutiny
and its attendant horrors would be sure TO
follow. When criminal deserves to expiate
ten thousand deaths in one, II Is only neees-
sary to send him TO the Dry Tortugas.