The Opelousas courier., 1886-03-13
"HER YANKEE
An INCIDENT OF THE WAR.

AN INCIDENT OF THE WAR.
There is a long lapse of years between
that time and this, but the incident has
lost none of its pathos or beauty, because
If that.
I can see her now as she trips along to
school, a sweet little girl of 7 years, her
mnny curls blown back from a iair
forehead, her bright blue eyes glad in
he innocent happiness of childhood.
It was in 1864 that there were a few
prisoners Of war brought to C. for
incarceration and kept here several
months, well guarded. Little Sallie
passed the prison every morning On her
way to school, and, with childish curl
ssity, though not evincing any fear, she
would look at the gloomy place of con
inement giving a glance of eommingled
pity and awe at the prisoners, peering
hopelessly from the small windows of
she forbidding house. The men, weary
# the m%onotony of captivity, were glad
% see the little sunbeam as it fitted
BY, morning and evening, though it left
hem In shadow.
Thare was one, however, pale and sick,
shana the child gazed at in mute sym
patly, and he in return would smile at
her until once he called her, saying:
Come and bid me good morning, and
isll me your name"
Attracted by his gentle manner and
refined appearance, she approached and
aid: my name is Sallie, and what is
rom name2s
Charlie, z he answered; then he said,
my dear little girl, if you have any
hing in your bucket please give me
something to eat, for I ana sick and can
not eat prison fare"
u win give it all to you, but | don't
know how to get it way up there
ASK the guards to let you pass
With childish confidence she went to
he nearest guard, but was courteously
refused, and going back, told the
Yankee. He then babe her ask the
guards to pass the bucket to him.
Returning to the sentinel, she said so
earnestly, PLEASE carry this to that
poor man, who is so SICK" that the Con-
iederate soldier could not resist the
pleading eyes and manner, or the com
passionate feelings of his W heart,
md taking the lunch passed it as re-
auested. So it continued for a week,
until the child was seen coming with
Two buckets, one for herself. the other
for ssher Yankee
She was afraid to reveal her secret at
nome. fearing she might be denied the
privilege of feeding her Yankee, and
when her mother asked her why she
carried two buckets and why she chose
The daintiest and best of all on the Ia
Bile, she replied: aOh, mamma, it is for
4 poor person not able to buy nice
things to eat.n The evasion was par
aonabIe under the circumstances. Often
did she deprive herself Of delicacies to
put into the aothern bucket; and 50 it
went on for four months, the guards all
scwing her to pass freely, and her mother
encouraging her il her charitable deed,
but never dreaming who was the recipi-
emit.
AT last SalIie passed one evening and
the prison was empty. Her Yankee and
bis companions had been exchanged and
had gone to join their respective COM
mands. sallie quietly stopped taking
his lunches and her mother supposed she
had simply become tired Of il.
Four months passed ii comparative
peace, when the dread cry was heard,
The Yankees are coming!n Everybody
tried to be calm and collected, but very
few succeeded. Soon the town was
blue" and SaIlie's mother had her
front yard and porch full Of the blue
cOatsd strangers and among them two
Meutenants and one Captain. The lady
had shut III her little children into the
bedroom with the Injunction, BE per
fsctIy quiet
The Captain announced that he would
like TO haye dinner for himself and men.
Pale and solemn, not afraid, butfeeling
49, ~