The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-01-02

pital 9''
mot until 1 tell you sou was the prompt
reply of the woman whom they all loved and
worked for faithfully.
Through the dashing rain, over all the
obstacles in the conquered but rebellious
city of Memphis, darkness everywhere, halt
ed at every half dozen steps by the closely
set guards, Mother Bickerdyke made her
way to the headquarters of the post-com-
mander. He was in bed. Hers Emporium
ate request prevailed and she was conducted
to his presence. She told her story In her
own quaint way, and asked for written
authority to keep her detailed contrabands
until he, the General, should revoke the or
der. 1t was granted. Back through the
rain FLASHED Mother Bickerdyke Triumphant.
The next morning the Doctor made ms
appearance early at the Gayoso Hospital.
The negroes were at work as usual in the
laundry, kitchen, in the ward, and wherever
the little woman had appointed them to go.
She was making soup in the kitchen, sea.
soning it, and tasting and stirring, so busy
that she hardly took time to look up.
''Say, did you receive the order left for
you last night?" he asked stormily.
;, Yes, sir, did," she replied, slipping and
blowing and tasting the soup meanwhile,
intent on having it made JUST right.
San order it was to have these niggers
Exactly so, sir,' she said, adding little
more pepper to the soup.
81 expected the order would be obeyed,
he shouted, angry with her imperturbable
GOODNESS.
A''I suppose so, sir,' she replied, putting
bit of light kindlings under the kettle to
hurry up the delicious mess.
''Why has it not been done?'' he thunder
ed, reddening with anger.
ttMan Iurlhr,rst has OiVpn
me an order to keep 'em here as long as |
need them" And here the little woman
paused to add generous slice of butter to
the kettle of soup. stirring and stopping to
taste it before she finished the sentence.
'And, Mister, the General happens to out
rank you-hee, hee, heel l must obey him
before do you and-say, you Jefferson, you
and Andy bring the dipper and the plates,
and we'll get some of them poor, hungry
souls at this soup before you could say Jack
Robinson. Please get out of the way OF the
black boys, mister, or you might get your
coat-tails splashed with the soup-he he'll
That was a real woman's way of putting
the matter in as ludicrous light as posi-
Bile. The Doctor raved; he swore; he vowed
he'd have her out of Memphis in no time.
81 sbant go, mister,' was the cool rejoin-
der. Pm like the boys. I've listed for
the war. You need me here. You can't
get along without me-or that's the way L
mean it. No use for you to try to tie me up
| with yer red tape. There's lots of hard
| work to be done down here, and my hearts
| in it, and I'll stick to it as long as Grant
and Sherman do. Don't get mad, Doctor;
lay down your pill-bags and stay to dinner,
and eat long with my poor boys, No sense
| in gittin' mad just cause l won't play Sec
ond fiddle. Mind, whenever anybody gets
into fuss with me one of us has to go to
| the wall-an', mister, that one AMT never
| mer'
In the end the Doctor and the brave little
| woman became the best of friends. At one
time it was difficult to supply the hospital
| with milk ard eggs. Milk was fifty cents a
| quart, and very poor at that. Mother Bick-
| erdyke objected and after a good deal of
| parleying in " hich they hooted at her plans
and knew the whole North would laugn at
| her nonsense, they granted her thirty
| days furleugh and transportation to carry
out her proposed object. Yhey had faith in
the little woman. She went up to Chicago
| the Commission issued circulars stating her
errand and asking assistance from the farm
ers; the press took up the call-and soon
| came generous responses. In less than
thirty days here came old Mother Bicker-
| dyke, forming part of procession of near
| ly one hundred COWS and one thousand hens,
| strung all along the road from Chicago to
1
Memphis. She entered the city in triumph
| amid immense bawling and cackling, and
Growing and lowing. she INFORMED tne
memphis people that THESE were not Secesh
cows, whose mllk was nail wafer, nor Wee
Inc mems Ihe Klnd tnaG gave stare eggs. ne
soidiers capped tneir nahos ana tossru eheli
caps, the ladies waved tnelr handKercnleis'
and the darkies grinned joyfully over the
funny sight of the little woman at the head
| of such a drol brigade
General Washburn gave to the noisy new
corners fresldenGs island, lying opposlte
Memphls, stretcn OF iand SO elevated that
IT was above the highest Stage OF water.
took eba aT of the COWS and cbictens and
there Was an abundance of cream and milk
and GOOD fresh COOS az lono as there was !
| bosnital IN Memnh;s
| rho Iast dow ~ tba naor of 1919 .yas ono M
,,anaorahIa onIdness os ,,-as +ba f;rs+ Say y,
;e4 If was varv sayera weather where
Mother R;ctardvte was located for the hit.
tor ru;ndS snant dow m,'' Tooiont Monntsiy
and hoSia5 tbronob tho vallavs If Mission
| P;dno and ,,,ada g fn,;ons 5nrrioono tho,
oveTtnrned the hosnitsi tants in which 1sy
the most badIv ,vonnSad men n hurled
| them ont into the mourning rain that became
| glarine ice as it touched the earth. NIGH
| SET in with most intense ccldness for which
thew were wholly unnrepared There were
| fifteen hundred in hospital tents--all wound.
ed men-alI had cases Partially recovered
men were thrown ont bv the Storm break.
| inc their limbs anew. The rain poured
| down 60 incessantlv that tba torrents from
the mountains made a f1ood around them
and actnalIv swent ont into the swollen
creeks several of the feeblest patients. who
were in single tents and the moor fellows
were drown ed Obi the dreadful NIGHT that
set in amid the roar of the winds and the
| rnsb of tho mad yvatarei The faebla cries
went ont IN the lashing Gale from snfferino
men who were drenched to the skin and he.
| ING frozen To death
| Inc surgeon IA charge, paraiyzea WIN Inc
| greab proDlem Whlcn was beyond MS com,
| prehenslon, III an agony OF mlnu crept Oh
into his quarters and wrapped, himself in
ms DlanKets. MOI so the guardian angel
the little old woman with The brown wooden
shawl pinned closely ABOUT her shoulders
she VINO mad no social position" There
was no waiting Tor red tape proceeding
That night. All through that memorable
night she WORKED IKE onep assessed with SUI
pernuman power. Great nres were made close
TO the tents until tney were surrounded with
immense piles OF olazlng, and cracking logs.
AZ midnight the iuel gave out. Could they
sehd men TO Inc 1oresl 10 cut and bring in
fuel 1t was lmpractlcable. Mother Bick-