The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1876-11-16


Younger Brother. Injured by n
Memphis Lady Who Aided the Suf.
fercr-
From the Memphis Avaianche.I
Many of our citizens will remember the
blowing up of the steamer ''Pennsylvania,"
near Austin, Mississippi, some time in June,
1858, We think. The survivors, after living
all day in their misery, mostly without pro-
lection from the broiling sun, were brought
to this city and placed in the courtroom Of
the Exchange building, out of which had
been improvised.a temporary hospital, where
for weeks, night and day, came our skillful
physicians, our pastors, our noble Christian
men and women, with hearts full of SYM
pathy and hands whose ministrations failed
not.
With all the untold anguish centered in
that room, there was a CHASTITY Consequences
the remembrance ofwhich is with US yet
The patients had been covered with white
paint, and this, overlaid with raw cotton,
gave an effect impossible to describe. Our
risibles were excited, and even some of the
least injured could so far forget their pres
ent misery as to point at and jeer each 9TH
er. 1t made US wonder il We were not
within the wards of a mad-house. Stretched
on pallets were GO or more men, burned
in some instances literally cooked, -scald-
ed, and maHgled, few moaning in their
agony, but only few, for at such times
m n are brave; some diving, and a few
who had been blessed with spsdier re-
lease lay silent and rigid beneath white
sheets. Once at midnight We remember to
have seen Rev Father Gam administering
the last consultations of his church to poor
creature whom burning had blinded and
blurred almost past humanitys traces.
A few days after the accident young
gentleman, clerk or pilot on another packet,
arrived from New Orleans TO search for his
brother, Henry Clemens. who was also clerk
on the nsylvania." Weneed not describe
the meeting. Every one had been attract
and slight physique were called upon to en-
uuEt tO anu WhisC
manner made il a gladness TO do for him |
what could be done in the absence OF a |
mother and sister for whom his heart grew
sick. Once, in his delirium, he said: "ssm,
do you know what mother would do were | |
at home :" Oh. after all, it was mothers
love to which he yearned, but even that,
strong as it is, had no power TO stay the de-
cree gone forth TO set bounds 10 his days.
Lacking for her dear presence, were there,
with gentle hands and tones, TO do for him,
TO tenderly bind up the poor scalded hands
and fold them over gentle breast after the 4
weeks agony had ended his young life
They kissed, for her sake, the fair young
face. 1t was almost the only one unmarr-
ed by the cruel stream and flame; and al
mos, crszed with grief, the other brother
carried the dead BODY of his young brother
back to the stricken mother in ST. Louis,
'for she was a widow" and this was her
BENJAMIN" This older brother was Sam
uel L. Clemens, now known TO the world as
"Mark Twain The reading of his graphic
sketch, in "Gilded Age" of the steamboat
race, recalled TO lady of this city, who
had watched with young Henry, the facts
above stated, and hunting among cid letters
for one that had been received in acknowl-
edgment Of the kindness shown the son and
brother, she forwarded il TO Twain in or
der TO verify her surmise. We are permitted
to publish his reply, as it contains such
graceful compliment to Memphis kindness.
Among many who worked there SO brave
ly and generously We name Mayor X. d.
Baugh, Esq. Richards, John Newsom, DR..
W. I. Bailey, Drs. Taylor, Shanks, Irving,
X. F. Brown, and many Others whose names
escape US. but who will see that though
their names and their places may be for
gotten, still
They remembered by what they have done.
"HARIFoRD Conn.,, Oct. %, lS76.-Mrs.
=, DcD Madam: Yes. l am that person,
and have been trying to place you, but i
have such a dlsgraceful memory that
amt quite compass it. 1t is mainly be-
.ause that week in Memphis was so terrible
hat have never liked to think about il.
could not even think Of the many pleas
mt features of that soiourn without drift.
ng into the others-the dreadful ones.
"You will easily believe that l did not
want to forget you, or any other of the kind
friends who helped me there, aud made me
orget that l was q straneer-no, the for ,
getting was the result of the process have ,
ust described. What do remember, With
,ut the least trouble in the world, is, that
Ehen those 60 scalded and mutilated peo-
pie were thrown upon her hands, Memphis
,ane forward with q perfectly lavish out. /,
pouring OF money and sympathy, and that
This did not fall and die out but lasted i,
through to the end. Even then neither the |,
pure nor the compassion of Memphis Va. !
exhausted for the Pennsylvania victims