Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-10-08

| A Lows SroRY OF fuH Rssxfasox.-
We we're sitting in our room at th< blades
Hotel. In Oakland. Nd, With harm.
ing lady who bad dropped IN on visis.
Que Of cur sisdoss looked into NoE Of
another room 30 plseed BY the prcj
Of the main building that halt Of 2 tate.
rior could be seen. We we're u Ia -
and admirins issls chubby. hs-eycl
two year-old. white - snow. 1ho 1ss
pulling bouquet 70 pieces - tossing
out the fragments. or elappiu9 her li,tis
hands with delight as train vent thun.
dering by.
These rcou.ssa -said- 90 Cir visitor.
shave some very tender = lpsiasiess -
me"
"why so Z" We asked.
"Well." she answered. ''during the
war the greater part Of the hotel was
seized BY the Government as hospital.
and We sere crowded into . few rooms.
Nv sister and had this. In that room
where that little beauty h were two Uu-
ion officers, one sick Of fevcr and the 9th
er of wound. It was hard to tell wheth-
CT they we're slowly dying or sloxly get
ting we'll. fncver saw such ghassly skel-
e,ons to be alive. We we're .scccsh.'
aud not modest about it either. but still
our hearts ached for the poor voting men.
60 i'll. pcrhap. dying. far from friends
aud relatives"
1T bo,hers ono 10 know how this should
be hospital" we said. ''it is so far re-
moved from active operations"
1T vas thought" she answered. THAT
the mountain air Of the gladcs WOULD bs
more favorable to recovery than elsewhere.
so this was made . hospital One day
one of these officers dragged himself to
the window. and under the impulse Of tho
moment my sister asked il we could do
anything for them. aud he answered.
gasping for breath. that a little chicken
soup would save their lives. Chickens
were rare in those days-an army is hard
on poultry. The men will work al night.
after marching during the day. to secure
a few chickens; so that while the hospital
nurses and physicians had an unlimited
supply Of actual luxuries in the way OF
wines. pot,cd meats and canned veecta-
bles. they were without anything fresh.
We knew a few chickens we're hid in Q
cellar. by . neighbor. aud No coaxcd ous
out Of The owner. and after deal o. vsx.
a.ious troubie-for nt every turn We were
met by fxed bayonct and IN insult
We got the soup ready, and Is the guard
in the hall would not permit rs to ap-
proach our patients. my sister attempted
to hand the bowl to the officer in the win
dow. Just az hc was fecbly reaching for
it, and she stretching berself halt out to
give it to him. harsh. ugly voice below
cried aloud. Look out therc-poison. =
She nearly dropped herself. soup aud all.
Drawing back. she hesitatcd second.
and then she took spoon and began eat
ing the broth. oh bother cried the
officer. don't waste il that way-1 am
not afraid aud so she gave him the soup.
1t seemed to revive them, aud they con-.
,inucd steadily to improve as day after
day we supplied them with chicken broth
until the cellar was empty. During this
time we sat at the windows talking. and
we sang to thcm--saug MY Maryland
and all the Southern songs we knew ua-
til they were we'll enough to leave tho
hospital aud to return to dnty. They
both seemed sorry to 60. and forced on
Us quantity Of hospital stores and some
coffee, which last We sadly needed. Then
one gave a ring aud the other brooch as
tokens Of their kind feeling"
"And did they never return p wo
asked.
"Onc did not. for. poor fellow. he Was
killed in the very next battle in which he
was engaged. His companion wrote us
about it. and the writer insisted upon
opening correspondence with my sister /;
aud soon his letters grew into love letters.
and after time they were engaged
,, Nearly year subsequent to this our rs-
ticnt got leave OF absence. and came tobe
married. He put up at hotel, and, will
you believe it. our own brother. who Vas
in the Confederate service and knew noth-
ing Of my sisters affair. led q band Of
guerrillas at night into town and cap.ur-
ed his intended brother. in-law from his
bed. This not only deferred the mar.
riage. but deprived the young West Poin-
ter Of his promotion. that had been prom.
-ised for gallant services in the Geld. It
was really aggravating. for exchanges
had almost ceased. aud il looked as If the
lovers would have to wait until this cru
el war was over before they could b
united"
'.You should have appealed to Abra-
ham Lincoln to give married brigadicr
for an unmarried lieutenant"
1--WE did better. Procuring passes. We
went through the lines and appealed TO
JEFF Davis. JEFF said he would put my
brothers prisoner in his sisters keeping.
They have been happily married these
many years. He is breset br:gadier-
general now, and it oil came Of our nsrs-
/ ing the enemy in that ROOM"
! Here Is the foundation Of a drama Sc
perior to ,ha, given By Boucisault N
m a n ~