Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1879-10-02

/ " was EiHVPu sIuuof neT
care. She nursed Bln, carefully,
but in spite of all that could be
done for him, it became evident
that he must die. He Was the only
son of wealthy parents who dotted
on him. When lie was ts]d that
he could not live long, he CALLED
the beautiful nurse 10 his bedside
and told her he had one request to
make, and that was chat she would
not let him be placed in an un-
marked grave. She promised and
he died happy. She kept her
promise. He was buried with
pomp. A long line of carriages
followed him to his grave. She
bore all the expenses. In a few
days thereafter the father and
mother appeared, having heard thai
their only son had been wounded.
Ihe father went to the hospital,
where he learned that his son had
died, and there he was referred to
Miss ST. Clair, whe gave him all
the particulars of his sons death
and funeral. He and his wife
were deeply grieved at the loss Of
their SOIL, but their grief was great
ly sottened by the contemplation of
the generous, Hnselfish conduct of
his kind nurse, and they expressed
to their appreciation of her kindness
in 10 measured terms. They did
more. After making inquiries
about her, and learning her past
history and true status, when they
returned to Richmond again, after
carrying the remains Of their son
home to be buried, they sought her
out, and said to her: "We have
come here to make proposition ito
you, which we sincerely wish you
to accept. We want you to 90
home with us and be our daughter.
We will adopt you as such. We
arc wealthy, we have 20 children,
and nobody will have any right to
complain OF our conduct. We make
this proposal after careful thought
and consideration. We are ac-
quainted with your past history,
and know what is the opinion of
the world in respect to one in yonr
situation, and we believe that any
woman who has acted so nobly and
generously as you have done can be
reclaimed, and forgetting your past
life, we earnestly desire 10 take YOU
to our hearts and our home and
adopt you as car daughter. Will
you comet" The beautiful nurse
evinced great emotion. Her bosom
heavea, and tears flowed from her
eyes, and then, amid her sobs, she
declined the offer, saying: "To
would, while beneficial to
me, be doing an injury to you.
do not deserve snch generosity. and
my services to your poor boy we're
not given with the expectation of
reward, but to crafty my own
feelings. 1 know that ,you are SIN
cere in your belief that you would
ignore and forget my past life, and
that you would treat me as if 1 were,
in fact, your daughter, but the
world, and your friends and ac-
quaintances, would not let you do
it, A ban is npon me society calls
me an outcast, no matter what
trials, temptations and solicitations
/ may have encountered. [ have
fallen, and there is an abridged
gulf between me and society for
ever. You would rescue me, anG
yoHr offer will be source of hap
piness to me during all the few
remaining years j havestoilive, but
as much as I woald like to 90 with
you,' Il cannot wrong you by ac-
cepting your offer. My doom is
fixed, 4 regret, alas, too late, to
say, and knowing that l shall never
be forgiven by man, Il mnst look
alone to Him who is mecy's self,
to paroon me hereafter"
The old Confederate Major, as
hefreacheG this part of his remir-
iscence, drew his big bandana and
wiped his eyes, saying to the cor
respondent, l"Yon see,I witnessed
that scene, and i tell yen it was
the saddest i ever knew. The old
gentleman and his wife could not
alter the determination Of the bean-
tiful girl. Finally they said: 1tls
there nothing we can do for you to
show our appreciation of yenr kind
ness for our SOM" She said:-
eyes; j; I ask that yon will hestow
some of your means in purchasing
delicacies for the wounded soldiers
and prisoners of. both armies. y
They did so, and hundreds of Con-
federate and Union-soldiers, tossing
.np3n sick beds, blessed the ontcast
woman who give them rare wines
and cordials and deiicacies ont Of
the liberal means at. her disposa.
and so she became known as the
"Angel Of Castle Thnnder9" and al