The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-02-24

in sufficiently large quantities to supply
the enormous demand, in the country
where the hospitals were located, and
the price of what was bought ives exho-
bitant beyond belief Mother Bicker-
dyke hit upon plan to remedy these
difficulties. When the Medical Doctor
came into her hospital one morning on gu
errand of inspection, she accosted HIM
thus:
"Dr. -, do you know that we are
paying those methodist secesh fifty cests
for every quart of milk we use? And do
voc know its such poor stsf-tvo thirds
chalk and wator-thnt if you should
pour it into the trough Of respectable
pig ct home, he would turn up his nose,
and run CT squealing with disgust +"
"Weli, what can we DO about its"
asked the doctor, between whom and her
self there wac BOW fast friendship.
"If you'll give me thirty days fur
Tough and transportation, III go hoEae
and get sll the milk and eggs that the
| Memphis hospitals can use ta
sect milk and eggs! Why you couldn't
bring them down here, if tho North
would give you all there is among the
LOYAL people. A. barrel Of eggs spoils
this warm weather, before il reaches US
and how on earth could you bring down
nilk."
ooh, I'd bring down the milk and egg
lproducers. I'd get cows and hens, and
we would have milk and eggs ofouf ewn.
1.-The folks at home, Doctor, will give no
| all the cows and hens we need Cor the
use Of those hospitals, and jump &C the
chance to Dc it. Yeu needn't laugh and
shake your head" as he turned away
greatly amused and very unbelieyine;
Il tell you the loyal people ache 60 do
something for the boys down here, and |
can get fifty COWS in Illinois alone by ask
ing for them"
| Pshawl pshawa" said the Doctor,
"you'd be laughed at from one end ef
the country to the other, if you should
go up on such wilG Grand"
"Who cares foI that: Give me fur
Tough and transportation, and let me go
and try it." 80
So she came north again., and did not
stop till she reached Chicago. Imme-
4 diately circulars were issued from the
{Commisson, stating her Grand, end ask
ina assistance trom the farmers in accort-
plishing her purposes. The press recho-
ed the call, and presently there cane
generous responses. The cows were sent
to Springfield, ILL.,, where Coy. Yates had
promised to see them shipped in squads
Of dozen or fifteen, sending eonle one
along to be sure that they were properly
cared for. The hens were sent to the
! rooms Of the Commission III Chicago. Ia
week after the call the building was
transformed into h1ge hepnery, Gom.
4 pletely driving out the workers therein,
They were dispatched to Memphis in
four shipments, in coops containing about
four dozen each. G
| Before her thirty days leave of absence
! was ended, Mother Rickerdyke Yves on
the return route to har hospital, forming
part OF bizarre procession of nearly
one hundred coaos, and enc thousand hens,
strung all along the road, from Chicago
to Memphis.
/ She entered the city in triumph, amid
immense Lowing and cackling, and crow
! ing, when she informed the astonished
5[cmphians, that these were loyal cows
and hens-none OF you secesh trash that
give chalk -andwster milk, and laid loud
smelling eggs" Gen.. Washburn, who
was at the head of that department, hear
ing Of this novel immigration within his
lines gave up for the accommodations OF
the noisy newcomers, PresiG ant's Island
living opposite Memphis, a stretch Of land
50 elevated that it was above the highest
stage Of water. Contrabands were q Ill
ed to take charge of them, and as long as
hospitals were needed in Memphis, there
vas an abundance of the coveted milk
and eggs tor their use.
Gen Sherman is the beau ideal of Moth
er Bickerdyke's great man and great
soldier. She would defend Gen. Grant
| like tigeress, if he was assailed but
il was clear to every one that Gen. Sher-
man was the especial object of her idola-
try. And today, really think that she
would give her life for Sherman if the
sacrifice was necessary-that she would
count it small thing to die for him
She rates him higher than Grant, higher
than President Lincoln, and altogether
superior as a soldier, to Gen. Washing
ton and woe to the lucklcss wight, who
would dare to lower her idol to his prop
er place OH the pedestal
| General Sherman, on his side, fully ap
preciated Mother Bickerdyke, and when
he was curt and repellant to all agents
and nurses, and employees Of the Santa
~ and Christian and State Commissions
she had the entree to his head quarters
and the granting of any favor she might
ask. There is something in her charac
ter akin to his own-both restless impet
; uous, fiery, hard working. and indomita
, BILE. After the fall of Vicksburg, he ask
that Mother Bickerdyke might become al
especial attache of his corps the Fifteenth
Ever after, during the war; she consider
ed herself, in an especial sense, under
Sherman's direction and the soldiers O