Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-08-10

Jne New 1Ofk 41UteTLtSeT. III W79
narrated by Mr.. Chittenden in t
club the other night SO entertainingi,
that the note book and pencil were for
gotten i'll the interest aroused by the
story.
When the sturdy troops from the
Green Mountain State were in the
Shenandoah Valley in the early days
of the great conflict, lieutenant by
the name of Bedell was among their
number. He was young and brave
and when the time for fighting came
went boldly to The front. A shell from
the enemy's works tore through his
thigh and riddled his hand. They car
ried him to the rear, and when the
night had come he was taken to a de-
serted cabin, where his leg was ampu-
tated and his hand dressed. The next
morning the order came for the army
to fall back. Lieutenant Bedell was
unconscious and too weak to be moved.
The surgeon said he could not live
more than twenty-four hours. His
comrades left canteen of water by
his side, and joining their regiment
marched away. Some little distance
from the cabin lived a young woman,
the wife of Confederate soldier
named Van Meter. The foragers of
the army had taken nearly everything
of value about the little farm. Her
niece, child of ten years, and little
black boy were her only companions.
When the soldiers had gone the boy
went down the country road as far as
the cabin. He heard the lieutenant
groaning and went in. The canteen
was out of his reach and his lips were
parched with fever. He could not
speak. The lad ran back to Mrs. Van
! Meter and told her about the suffer-
| ing soldier who wore the blue. Her
heart was touched and she fastened to
| the cabin. Fresh water was secured
and it revived the lieutenant. Then
his limbs were dressed and newly
bandaged. Mrs. Van Meter sent the
boy for a doctor who lived some miles
away. When he arrived he said there
was very little hope for the wounded
soldier unless he had stimulants and
none could be secured. 1t didn't mat
ter much, anyhow, he said, for he had
no interest in Union soldier. Mrs.
Van Meter insisted that it was her duty
to save his life if possible, and the next
day she harnessed mule to an old
cart and drove to Harper's Ferry to
get supply of whisky and quinine.
The commander there heard her story,
said it was highly improbable, but ac-
cepted it because of her frankness.
She did not hesitate to say she was the
wife of Confederate soldier. The
stimulant gave Bedell strength and it
was not long before he was able to sit
up. His clothing was badly torn and
blood stained and nothing suitable
for him to wear could be found in the
neighborhood. His regiment was at
Winchester, twelve miles away. Mrs.
Van Meter drove there and astonished
Lieutenant Bedells comrades by in
forming them that he was alive and on
the road to recovery. She secured his
portmanteau and returned
When Bedell had recovered suffi-
GENTLY to be about he entered into a
contract with farmer in the neigh
borhood to secure the return of team
of mules which had been confiscated
by his regiment in exchange for aid in
reaching the Union lines. Bedell was
hidden under jag of hay, and with
Mrs. Van Meter as the driver he
reached Harper's Ferry. The com
mander accepted the terms of Bedell's
contract with the farmer and delivered
the mules. Having heard nothing
whatever from her husband for several
months, and hearing he was either in
hospital or prisoner, Mrs. Van
Meter was at loss what to do. Lieu
tenant Bedell decided the matter for
hnv INV p%f 10 ia, Erl I,
husband, He entered into communi-
cation with President Lincoln, telling
what Mis-. Van Meter had done for
him. The President wrote an order
directing the officer in charge of any
hospital or prison to deliver to Mrs.
Van Meter any man she claimed as her
husband. Mrs. Van Meter and her
little niece joined Lieutenant Bedell in
Washington and they started on tour
of the several prisons and hospitals.
They went through the prisons of
Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania,
and finally found Van Meter in a hos
pital. He was emaciated and unable
to stand. At Lieutenant Bedell's ex-
pense he was transferred to a private
institution. where in few weeks he
recovered sufficiently to warrant his
discharge. Lieutenant Bedell took
Van Meter and his wife and the little
niece to his home in Vermont, and
they remained his guests for several
months. They then returned South
and are now living in Berryville,
Clark County, Va. Mr.. Bedell is
hobbling around on a crutch in his
home. II have written to Mrs. Van
Meter" said Mr.. Chittenden. "and her
letters show her to be simple Chris
tian woman. She writes that she did
for Lieutenant Bedell what her con-
science suggested was right, and she
is happy in the knowledge that she
saved his life. expect to visit her in
few weeks, for the story is one full
of interest to me-
A Scare In the Pension Once.
There was scare in the Pension
nE3oo ~a,hou kho II hrou chit f~,,,, A.,