Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-20
and picked the treasured garments apart
thread BY thread, and sent the lins 10 the
hospitals"

thread by thread. and sent the lins to the
hospitals."
JIMMIE Ross WEDDING oowx.
"Now, let . stranger tell You . story OF
woman's heroism. ladies" broke in q veteran
who was troubled with no feet for the crowd to
tread on. The ladies were u little surprised.
but one said: That little bronze button and
badge are sufficient introduction TO loyal
women. 80 60 on"
Il just wanted to tell you about the God
blessedest woman on top Of the earth. That's
right, amt it, mother7" and he poked his elbow
In the well-cushioned ribs of q Jolly woman at
his side
'Of course. father, you wouldn't dare say
anything else longs I'm round" and then they
beth laughed at the threadbare joke, and
everybody around laughed to witness their
enjoyment.
Your story minded me Of mother and me, :"
began the veteran. We were engaged. but
when l enlisted the old folks kicked on Jennie
and me getting married 90 We just cut the lot
OF them and run away. 1t wns awhile after
Bull Run, and when I was ordered TO Cairo
Jennie naturally went along. because the old
folks wouldn't felent had to go to the front,
finally, and, as had no money 10 giver her,
Jennie said she would stay in Cairo and work.
Oh, she was brave one, and the thought OF
her helped me over lots OF rough places. The
mails were irregular. and then as the fighting
got bad. her letters stopped altogether. Then
came Fair Oaks. where my feet were taken
on with a shell, and / went to the hospital.
No letter came and i made mp my mind to
die. because was sure Jennie was dead or
would hear from her.
"One day some sanitary stores came to the
hospital and the nurse brought mo a dressing
gown. l was so ugly and l wouldn't open my
eyes to look at 1t. She laid it down close to me-
The perfume from it struck me as familiar.
opened my eyes and the plaid silk of which il
was made looked familiar. i opened my Tes-
lament and from between the leaves took a
square OF plaid silk. They might have been
cut from the came piece! 1t came from In
dianapolis, said the nurse, seeing i was inter
es:ed. was ready to cry with vexRtion. IF
1t had come from Cairo, where my wife is,
would have sworn that was made Of her we'd
ding dress,' / said petulantlv. Her folks live
in Indianapolis alongside OF mine, but they
disowned u.s. and then / did cry. The nurse
went fumbling round me and suddenly dis
played pocket in the gown and found letter
in Il. Maybe ! didn't tear IL open In q hurry
when saw Jennie's handwrite on the back
Want to see that letter." and from many wrap
pings of oiled silk the veteran undid that yell
low letter and the ladies read il aloud
Dear Soldier: Whoever you are, this dress J..
Ing gown is for you. 1t is made out Of my we'd
ding dress,a into every seam have stitched
tears and tender thoughts Somewhere in the
army have a husband wounded maybe dead.
Tear. since GO not hear frJ m or hear of him.
II you ever meet him-Lis name is John Ross
won't you please tell him that Jennie and the
baby-just month oid-are waiting for him
at the Old homestead, where all is forgiven.
My heart aches for hin. and for you all. God
bless you and the flag. JENNIE Ross"
''Oh, no. l didn't get well. did l. mother?"
and mother got another poke in the ribs. And
that kid OF oursn amt the finest boy living, 10
he, motherf' and then everybody laughed
nyv nny1lH ehnxy h.l,> u. -
two-year-old kid?
WOVEN WHO WORRIED.
How these women worked and what they &C.
complshed will never be fully known. Their
labors extended to everv field and comprised
every difficulty. They organized sanitary COM
missions in every hamlet, town and city They
gave fairs and bazaars, begged supplies and
clothing and solicited subscriptions, all for the
purpose of raising funds to buy the commones,
necessities of life for the soldiers in the hos
pitfalls. They wrote letters by the bushels to
the boys in camp, and some Of them are the
dearest treasures of veterans today. They
were not love letters; they we're written by
loyal women to cheer the lonely lives Of the
boys in blue, and they accomplished their pur-
pose. These girls learned to knit socks aud
mittens. They wore their fingers to the quick
making underclothng and shirts for the sick
wounded They blistered their fingers and
faces making jellies and salad, soups. hard
biscuit, fruit and pound cake, cookies and
crullers for the hospital stores. They wore
the planest Of clothing and sold their few
trinkets 70 enlarge the sanitary commission
fund. They narrowed their lives to one small
groove--how to make life moro endurable for
the soidiers-everything else thrust aside
rs unworthy consideration. Four years of
such discipline and fidelity could have but one
result. 1t purified and made holier the hearts
OF these women who trod alone the wine press
of affection.
Here's to the wives and sweethearts Of the war
Of the rebellion. Their courage stands with.
out challenge; their endurance unequaled:
their devotion beyond compare; their loyalty
supreme!
May their experiences never be repeated