Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-04-03

neglected for a day or two or longer he
had resigned himself to death. when this
good woman entered his chamber and
with kindly words called back his spirit
from the mouth of the grave.
She had been allowed to keep an apol-
ogy for horse, 50 old and broken-wiud-
ed and rheumatic that he was not worth
stealing. aud also rickety wagon. With
the assistance of neighbor whose color
permitted him to be humane. she carried
the Sufferer to her house. and at last he
found himself in clean and comforta-
ble bed. his wounds washed and his
baniages cleansed. and best of all, his
wants anticipated by a gentle female
tenderness that inspired him with sweet
thoughts of his home. his family, and
his life even yet perhaps to be regained.
The physician of the neighborhsod. a
kind old gentleman, was at once sum
mOned from distance of several miles,
and uniting personal sympathy with pro-
fessional zeal, be promised his daily at
tendance upon the invalid. The chance
was still but slender one. so much had
been endured. and 50 little vigor re-
mained, Yet those two good people deter
mined tO expend their most earnest en-
deavOrs IN the almost desperate attempt
to save the life of an enemy.
And they succeeded. The details of
eOnvaleseence are always uninterestlng /;
it Is enough to say that Bedell lay for
many days wrestling with death. but az
last he began to mend, and from that
tine his Improvement was rapid. But
although Mrs. VanMetre and the good
doctor were able to supply the Lieuten-
ants most pressing wants, still. much
more than they could furnish was need
ed for the comfort Of the invalid. and
even for the proper treatment Of his
wounds. No stimulants could be obtain
ed except the vilest apple-jaek, and the
necessity for them seemed absolute no
clothing was to be had, and he was still
in his bloody garments Of blue delicate
food was needed, but the impoverished
Virginia larder had none but what was
simple and coarse.
At Harper's Ferry, however, there
was depot of our Sanitary Commission
and stores in abundance. Some one
must undertake journey thither. 1t
was long days ride to make the dis
tance and return. and success was by no
means assured even if the store-house
Of strangers and enemies. The Lieuten-
ant was too feeble to write, and even if
be had been able to do so, there was no
method Of authenticating his signature.
But a woman would be far more likely
to succeed than a man, and in fact no
man would be allowed to pass within
the limits of the garrison encircling Har-
per's Ferry. So it came about that the
feeble Rosinante, and the rattling Eag,
on, and the brave-hearted solitary driv.
er, made the dangerous journey, and
brought back feast of good things fol
the sufferer
The piequet had been seduced by her
eloquenee TO send her TO Headquarters,
under charge of a guard which watched
her carefully as probable spy. The
General in command had seen fit to al
low her to carry away such trihing arti-
cles as the Commission people would b
willing TO give, and although the chan.
ces we're even that the gifts would bt
used in building up some wounded reb
! el. still the earnestness and the apparent
truthfulness Of her entreaty for relieI
oTerbOre all scruples the old fashioned
vehicle was loaded with the wished-fol
! supplies, and the suspicious guard es
! eorted the cargo beyond the lines
The trip was thereafter repeated weel
, BY week, and when letters were at length
, received in answer TO those deposited by
the fair messenger. postmarked among
, the Green Mountains. her triumph wal
complete, and her draft good for any
thing the Sanitary treasury contained
The only lingering doubt was in regarC
70 the enormous amount Of Ehiskey th'
/ invalid required. Mrs YanMetre. how
ever, explained that il was needed foi
{ diplomatic as well as medicinal purpos
: es. OF course il had been bruited abou
: among the neighbors that the miller
} wife was nursing Federal officer. Ii
| that region now abandoned to the rul'
Of Mosby and his men. coneealment wa
E essential Therefore the old men Fh
2 had heard Of the conFaleseent must b
, taken into confidence and pledged to Sc
: crecy, a course rendered possible Onl.
5 By the liberal use Of the .Spiritus Fra
: Haenti. Under the influence Of such Ii
r quor as had not been guzzled in the Val
i ley since the peaceful days Of Buchanan
the venerable rascals were easily con
g WINGED that such a shattered life as tha
: Of the Lieutenant could not greatly il
G jure their beloved COnfederaey.
Five weeks after Bedell received hi
E wounds, our army was encamped On Ce
q dar Greek and Sheridan was In Wash