San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-12-20
San Antonio Light.
MYSTERY OF TIE WAR.
INCIDENT OF THE SIEGE OF ATLANTA.
Tragic Tale of "A Memorable Time in Amer
lean History-The Unknown Visitor
at the Hospitals.

OF all the weird stories which have
been told of the siege Of Atlanta, says
the Constitution, one of the most tragic
and sensational has never yet seen print.
1t was when Sherman was playing
hide and seek with the army of General
Joe Johnston, on the way from Chatta-
nooga. that a woman of ravishing beauty
made her appearance in Atlanta. Where
she came from no one knew; of her peo-
pie she never spoke; but it was surmised
by some ladies who had gotten near her
that she bore some secret sorrow, per
haps the sacrifice of some loved one on
the bloody fields of Virginia.
Day by day train loads Of wounded
confcdcratcs reached Atlanta from the
front. The ladies of the city engaged in
hospital work with a zeal worthy the
sisters and wives of brave men. Jealous
as all were in this work. Miss Emma,
which was the only name by which she
was generally known, became noted be-
cause of her endurance and fidelity. As
she would pass from ward TO ward the
diving men would turn their eyes smil-
ingly toward her. She was indeed the
angel Of the hospital.
Notwithstanding all this, the eye of
suspicion fell upon her Was she n spy?
The question would have been laughed ut
by most people. and yet there were
those who detected in her manner some
thing which they did not like. But this
suspicion was hushCd by the uniformly
philanthrOpic work in which Miss Emma
vas engaged
A. In- bov
sround the city and the people began to
experience all the horror of a siege. The
sick and the diving were multiplied, and
the efforts of noble women to relieve
them became exhausted. Miss Emma
grew pale with her excessive work.
Rest she declined to take while a wound
was to he bandagCd or a dying man
longcd for kind words.
The sound of rcvclry was often heard
amid the din of battle. Even when the
people were driven into their bomb
proofs they sang and danced, for they
recognized the philosophy of driving
grief away by pleasure. Balls, some
what impromptu, it is true, were given,
and the ladies looked more charming in
their confederate toilets than they could
have looked in silks. The officers were
always INC DtiuA Vi SuCI OCCdSlOIS' lbl
beauty is attracted by bravery.
To these gatherings Miss Emma never
went, but there came q time when she
was pressed to go. The colonel of a
gallant infantry regiment had invited her
90 a bomb proof ball. Miss Emma was
urged to go as a relief from the pressing
hospital work which was slowly killing
her She at last consented, and was
soon in the whirl of the merry dancers.
The kind lady with whom Miss Emma
lodged did not awake until the sun
was an hour high next day. She had
not heard Miss Emma enter, but no
dream of harm entered her mind. She
determined not to disturb the poor lady,
but to let her sleep on, for did not her
faithful service entitle her to rest2
There were excited crowds upon the
streets OrdcrliGs on horseback dashed
to and fro. The roar of Sherman's ar
tillery was becoming more and more
terrific There was something in the air
which announced that crisis was i'm
minent.
But still the lady slept.
The hour was growing late, and the
excitement of the people outside was in
creaSing.
A knock at Miss Emma door brought
no answer When the door was burst
open singular sight was presented.
Reclining upon the sofa, Miss Emma
laid as if in peaceful sleep. She was
dressed in white, with yellow belt
around her waist, and blue cape thrown
carelcsSly across her shoulder. Upon
the finger of one hand was an elegant
diamond ring. The other arm, snowy
in its whitenesS, was thrown above her
head. She presented beautiful picture.
She did not move upon the entrance OF
her friend.
To the touch she was cold.
If she breathed at all, it was so quietly
that death could not still it more.