Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-03-11


My eyes were misty as galloped
along going further aud further
away from one / should have liked to
have stayed near and helped. My
heart beat wildly that night-it had
thumped before many times to battle
tunes but that night il beat to a very
different tune-one that is old yet al
ways new. 1t aroused strange emo.
tions in my heart and body and made
me care just little more about life
than had since I'd been q soldier.
a didn't intend to turn coward.
Oh, no. fully intended to fight on
bravely and we'll but at the same
time to take a little more care Of
myself than ! had been doing. |
had been a little reckless trihe
headstrong and concluded to stop
4 it. Ii there was chance of my get
ting out whole aud sound wanted
to- that was much more preferable
than making my appearance minus
+ my limbs There was some one
hoped to see again some time, and
wanted to appear to the best possible
advantage
Three weeks after that night
while crossing the river going over to
Maryland a shot from somewhere.
never knew where found
resting place in my side.
got over all right but
once over had to be taken to the
nearest hospital and there | STAYED
for number OF weeks fighting with
very mean fever brought on by the
ugly wound in my side.
''As lay there suffering night and
day my thoughts travelled back to
Richmond many times aud | won
dered how Jared my little girl in
gray. | had tender warm feeling
for that girl and with the exception
of my mother l thought of no one
else.
She had a wonderfully sweet face,
and the vision OF her haunted me
night and day, and | determined to
once again some day visit Richmond
in quest OF her though | thought it
rather improbable that should find
her.
1t was two years after the war
before | could take the trip. and
when did get there it seemed I'd
come only to be disappointed. |
searched for two days without hear.
ing anything whatever OF her and
then J asked the postmaster il he
knew anything OF the Banks. He
gave me some information and direc-
tions which | gladly followed but
without finding her. But | wouldn't
give up. still searched for iuforma.
ton. inquiring OF anyone and every
one of her whereabouts.
Finally | met an old fellow who
informed me that she lived somewhere
out in the country. | thanked him
for his information. for while it
wasn't very clear, it was the best I
had been given. and l trudged on.
That evening passed quite a number
oE houses several stores. and then |
came to shop a small poor.looking
affair with this sign in front:
Miss Banks Milliner. Old Hats
Made New Here.
II had been pretty calm UP to that
moment bus after reading that sign,
and taking in at glance the poverty
stricken appearance OF her shop my
heart thumped with the deepest sym.
pathy and love for her
Il went in and found her busily re-
dyeing an old straw hat but she
dropped her work hurriedly and. rec
ognizing me came to meet me in
stantly She closed her shop for the
time being in order to be with me
and escorted me TO her best room.
which was her bed room parlor and
kitchen. there being but two rooms
to the building.
She talked long while OF her
sister and grandfather and told me
how and when they had died. and OF
her many hardships but added that
she was doing quite well with her
shop and had no fears for her future.
Il lodged next door but spent the
most of my time for two weeks with
her | helped her mix the dye and
reshape hats learned to make right |
nice ribbon bows and believe would !
In time have made pretty good mil |
liner. l wasn't very well of in the
worlds goods myself and not wish. |
ing her to know any more OF poverty
than she had already known. babe |
nGT duLGu a. leF my Two week visit i
was out with the understanding that
I'd return for her and bring her homo |
with me when I'd home TO bring her |
to.
Before reached home / met a |
southerner who had plantation in
Louisiana for sale visited the
place. liked it and we made a bar.
gain then and there. knew some
thing about cane and in about three |
months everything looked bright as a |
new dollar and l went once again to
Richmond and brought back with |
me the little milliner as my wife |
the maker OF my peace, the sunshine
Of my life. and such she has been. |
and ever will be.
The old soldier slipped his arm
around his wife's waist and both
went indoora AS they passed /
through the hall l thought OF all
ombinations of blue and gray that
was tho happiest had ever seen. =
phi1adp1fihia Timaa