The National tribune., 1882-08-26

hiding most of the time to avoid raiding
parties of rebel guerillas who were hunting
his life. There were no physicians near,
and there seemed little prospect of my poor
brothers recovery. The surgeon had ampu-
tated his leg and bound up the bleeding
stump, but had departed Immediately, leav-
ing directions for future dressing OF the
wound. The women of the house, rude, un-
cultivated people, were as kind to the
stranger guest as they could be and the eldest
daughter nursed him continually. 1t is not
strange that my brother lost his heart COM
pletely to his nurse or that, woman like, she
loved him for loving her, and that as soon as
he could stand with the support Of crutches
the two were married.
when the war closed he wrote his par
entS of his adventures and as he was very
poor, begged them TO go and visit him. My
father, who was also a poor man, complied
with his sons request as soon as he could
raise the necessary MEANS and on his return
told US of the destitute condition OF my
brothers family.
Thereafter it came to be the greatest
! pleasure of our lives to divide with him the
sCanty earnings of our little farm, and as
| soon as was old enough | commenced teach
ing school that ! might add to the donation.
My father died few years later and my
mother sold the farm and removed to the
little village where I taught the district
school, and but for the repeated calls for
assistance from our poor manned brother
we would have got along comfortably. l
was soon after engaged to be married to a
young man whose father had purchased our
farm and given it to him, and the prospect
of returning to the house where l was born
was very pleasant TO ME and my mother
| determined before my marriage that I
would visit my brother. My lover and I
talked the matter over, and he concluded
that after we were married he would not
like to have me leave him, and he could not
afford to go such distance with me. ] had
added considerably to my income by color
ing photographs, and getting my little hoard
together l found that l could pay my fare
both ways and have hundred dollars left
to expend in presents for my brothers
family. I think no girl ever set out from
home with more joyous anticipation of
pleasant visit than / did. | had never
been further from home than Detr oft.
but / had studied the route on railroad
maps and in school aliases until I was
familiar with every mile of the way. 1 had
no difficulty in reaching my brother, whose
outstretched arms were waiting to embrace
me. l was received with noisy welcome
By the houseful of boys and girls, who
seemed to regard me as an angel, and as a
sister by my brothers wife. / opened my
bundles of presents, and the happiest day of
my life was that on which / heard their ex-
pressions of gratitude. / gave my brother
all the money 1 had in the world, except
enough to buy my ticket home from Chat
tanooga, the nearest point on the railroad,
and few dollars with which to supply
meals along the route, and after visit of
month started home to my mother and the
dear, faithful fellow whom l loved now more
than when l left home.
81 could not afford to travel in sleeping
car, but having a whole seat to myself,
doubled my wraps up for pillow, and slept
soundly until morning. When we changed
cars at Nashville new conductor came on
the train and called for our tickets looked
in my travelling bag for the littlesenvelope
containing my ticket, and it was gone. /
searched everywhere for it, but no trace of
it was found. The conductor had in the
meantime, passed on, leaving me to continue
the search. When he came back was cry
ing bitterly. Thoughts of being ignomini-
ously expelled from the car had full posses
sion of my mind. The conductor questioned
me closely as to where 1 lived, where had
been, and where was going, and ended the
investigation by passing me free to Louis
Vile
"When / got here found that I had one
dollar and eighty cents, stranger in
strange land. had not written my mother
of my departure from my brothers house,
and she would not be expecting me. So / |
left my trunk at the depot, and started out
to find cheap boarding house where could |
stay few days until 1 could gather my wits |
together and think. / came here and told |
my story, and dear Mrs. - took me in. |
sent for my trunk, and the next day started
out TO look for work. 1t was fruitle.s
hunt. There seemed to be no room for me |
l went at last 10 photographer and asked |
to be employed coloring photographs He |
gave me one upon which to test my skill |
and | spent the remainder of my money in !
paints and brushes. To my great Joy he ex-
pressed satisfaction with my work, and gave |
me dozen to color, but the price was so low |!
as to barely enable me to pay my board. |
some freak, l do not know how TO |
account for it, l did not give my proper
name when l first came here The name |
you know me by is my mothers maiden |
name. You are ready to ask why, in my ex-
tremity, ] did not acguaint my mother with |
my necessities or write my intended hus-
band. My mother had no money to send .
me, and would have been greatly distressed.
Ny lover would have been greatly embar-
raSsed, even if he could have raised the
money to send me- l knew all the circum-
stances, and determined to work my way
out. / knew, however that they would
soon be anxious about me, as had written
every week during my absence, and now |
wrote telling the exact truth, but begged
,haTn IN GapriUa or ,,>o,-.,.