The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-01-02

until ne he was overtaken. There was
3 close, sharp fight, which resulted in
the, defeat and disbandment of the
guerrillas. John McKeene returned to
the ruins of the Harris homestead and
learned the whole story. He met Annie
Harris, and the two pledged their VOWS
of eternal vengeance. There was. more
than that. She said she would 60 with
him and deal the blows of death as
he did.
On horseback they went to humble
preachers house, and, without alight-
ing, had him make them man and wife.
She threw away her woman's dress and
donned male attire. She put on belt,
beside, and two revolvers, and her long
hair she tucked up under her hat. She
looked as much like soldier as many
young boy that went out with QuantreH.
The whole land was full of Federal
soldiers, and John McKeene and his
guerrilla wife had to share the dangers
and privations of all of their kind.
Their home was the saddle, their shell
ter the woods. They were together in
more than one ambush attack, and To-
gether saw more than one of the hated
enemy bite the dust When the winter
came and the leaves left the trees, they
there until the leaves were again as big
as the ears of squirrels, when they re-
turned to their constant battle-ground.
On June morning, 1868, as they, with
half dozen others, were riding along
over the prairie, near where now stands
the little town of Lees Summit, they
were met by detachment of the Sew
enth Missouri militia. There was des-
perate encounter, in which John Nc
Keene was shot dead and Anna McKeene
was shot through the shoulder. The
others of the guerrillas escaped. When
the Federals came up to where Mckeene
and his wife were lying, one of the sol,
diers leveled his revolver at the head OF
the woman in disguise, but before the
trigger was pulled she threw off her hat
snatched her long hair down, and sal
up before him with the face of woman
The revolver was put up, and the mys
terry solved. She told them all she had
| lived for was gone. but that she was moi
ready to die herself. She begged then
to give her companion the best buria
they could, and said she wanted to e
to Kansas City. There was a tone o.
voice and a style of earnestness abou
what she said that touched the hearts O
the rough soldiers, and they buried JohI
McKeene out on the broad prairie; bu
there was not stone nor a piece o
wood within half-dozen miles of tn,
place, and nothing was left to mark thu
place of the grave. But it was such {
burial as many a poor man did not have
in those days.
Annie McKeene was taken to Kansa
City, where she recovered. under tn
blessed care of some Sisters of Mercy
She went to Memphis, Tennessee, ant
there joined the Catholic Church, ant
resolved to devote her life to the care O
the sick and distressed. She became
Sister of Mercy, went to the front o
the army, and, during the remainder o
the war, was unremitting in her work O
love and mercy. After the coming o
peace she went to New Orleans, anl be
came attached to the Convent of tn
Sisters of Mercy. In devotion to he
mission there was not one who SUI
passed her in earnestness. She was a
ways ready to bear the heaviest burder
and manifested the fortitude in goo
work that she had in reckless gue
rilla warfare as the wife of John Nc
Keene.
She bore the secret of her life vel
1t was memory that had grown sacre
by her expiation, and around it was th
sweet incense of a thousand prayer
that had gone up out of soul OF tear
When the last epidemic came on sh
was among the foremost to go to tn
bedside of the stricken and the dyins
She watched by day and by night-s
faithful nurse as ever saw the spark {
life go out. Not only with her han
did she aid the suffering, but in word {
we'll, did she give strength to many
poor heart. Thus she labored and tir
she fulfilled the sacred VOW of her lif
until the Father of Mercy claimed tt
Sister of Mercy as His own. Ann
McKeene, of 1868, was the Sistt
Celeste whose death is announced in tt
notice at the head of this article.
, " But that wild ta'e she brooked not to unfold,
And sealed now each lip that could have told"