The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-03-03
HER STORY


has few parallels When the war broke
out the family consisted of the fa
Their and mother, four sons and two daugh-
tiers, of whom this Sister of Mercy was the
youngest, then barely sixteen. The family
belonged to the Episcopal church, but the
daughters were educated at the Academy
of the Sacred Heart at Georgetown, now
part Of the city of Washington. Both were
hurredly brought from school when the
war broke out to bid adieu to their father
and brothers, who were of the first to fall
into line With them went the betrothed
of the elder sister, and the lover of the
younger, only sons of a neighboring plant
er of great wealth and social standing
The care and management of the immense
estate were left to the overseer and the
small army of slaves At the battle Of An
tietam the father and one of the sons fell
and another was brought home to die in a.
little while of his wounds
AIsFoRTUNEs
began to fall fast. The oversser, who,
from the start, had been unworthy of his
charge, shortly after the death of these
three members of the family, fled, leaving
the estate hopelessly entangled and the
slaves in a state of uncomfortable insubor-
dination.
The two remaining sons came home on
summons to attend their dying mother.
They found their elder sister broken in
spirit and health, but the younger brave
and cheerful amid the terrible struggle
Before the boys returned to the field they
buried mother and sister, and one remain
ed to manage the estate, while the other
went back to fight. In the field he was at
tached to the staff OF Gen. Beauregard, and
was killed while, in obedience to orders,
he was conducting reconnoiter.
Thus there remained but the younger
son and daughter of the family.
sHERaAN's DEVASTATING ARMY
was coming, and scarcely a son of those
left to South Carolina failed to shoulder
gun to meet him, among them this only
protector of the beautiful and accomplished
lady who as Sister of Mercy, was on her
way to ST. Louis yesterday. Before Sher-
man reached the plantation, which was
now in equally unworthy hands as trust.
the slaves had set fire to every building
ever SO small, on it, besides numbering the
agent. The young mistress, the day be-
fore, with a faithful slave, had fled to the
plantation of her lover, from which she
viewed the flames which wrapped her be-
loved home in ruin. From this shelter she
arlny for it, like scores of others, was left
in ashes. She now found herself in the
city of Charleston, a dependent on the
bounty of others. The terrible carnage
about Atlanta soon followed, and among
the first to fall were her last brother and
the lover of her elder sister, who, till now,
had gone through the war unscathed, but
bearing high honors.
No one was now left but her lover, and
ne came back without his left arm.
RUIN AND DESTRUCTION
were everywhere. She was absolutely
eft without male relative, and the few
Of her own sex were, like her
self, engufed in misery and ruin.
In the course Of time the one armed low
II and the brave little remnant Of this
,lighted family were married, the young
wife having in the meantime barely sup
ported herself by teaching and the ac-
of the needle. They very
quickly removed to New York, where the
husband had secured a position in a cotton |
house. Two handsome children were born |
o them, and life seemed measurably |
bright when suddenly the husband was |
aiken sick, and, after lingering for months, |
lied Soon after his death newly born |
infant died in the hour of its birth The |
mother struggled heroically through these |
lew miseries, but when health and activity |
lad come back, not only the past few |
ears of prosperity were gone, but the |
urniture must go too, and the apartmenti
aust be given up. All this came to pass
Looking about for
NEW ANCHORAGE,
be widowed mother bethought herself of /
II old schoolmate in ST. Louis, to whom
he communicated her situation. The
choolmate requested her to come to st.
4ouis, where she would find ample field for
er accomplishments. With a hopeful
cart the poor mother started for st Louis,
eng obliged to nurse the oldest of her
hildren all the way he having been some
me ailing Three days after her arrival
] st. Louis the boy died, and before she
ould fairly leok around her the remain
lg child bore the stamp of the grave in
is sweet little fave. He simply appeared
} wither away, and never spoke except to
all for his brother and his papa. The
lricken woman was unable to attend this
.st link to the grave, being confined to
hat must seem her death-bsd She arose,
owever, but the bright golden HAIR that in
avs gone by fell about her like cloud of
f
low.
THE HAIR HAD FADED
nd the beauty somewhat; but the heart of
TX was as staunch as of yore, and, as
rents have since proven, SO completely
asened that to-day it yearns to help bear K
Ie- sorrows of other hearts besides its ,
Hn.
And this sweet-faced Sister of Mercy
en- in the Rock Island depot yesterday
orning is that white-haired, oaken-heart- /
mother who was unable to see her i
.rling boy laid under the sod. She be-
me a convert to the Catholic church, en-
red the convent and became q member
the holy band Of women who gave her
e accomplishments by which she was en- f
led to bear up against poverty and want.
nd she is cheerful and hopeful and stout
arted still.
A PREDICTION. :
fs,,,sa q ~.