New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-23
THE SISTER REVENGE
She Convinced General of the Use
.tuiness of Her Work.

curing the late war. and while General s.
IN command OF the Department at New-Orleans the
Sisters OF Charity made frequent applications to
him for assistance says John c. Linehan in Don
ahoe's Magazine" Especially were they DESTROYS 70
obtain supplies at what termed ''comnnissary
prices"-that is. at reduction communication of
one-third the amount which the same provisions
would cost at market rates. The principal demand
was for ice. -four beef and coffee but mainly ice
luxury which only the Union forces could enjoy al
anything like reasonable price. The hcsp+als
were full OF the sick and wounded OF both the Fed
eral and Confederate armies and the benevolent in
stitutions OF the city taxed to the utmost in
their endeavors 20 aid the poor and the suffering
IT was just a week previous to the Red River
campaign, when all hurry and activity
throughout the Department Of the Gulf that Cen
eral s., stern. irascitle old officer Of the regu-
lar army sat at his desk in his office In Jula-st
CURLY giving orders 10 subocdinates dispatching
messengers hither and thiher to every part of the
city where troops were stationed stifly receiv-
ing such Of his command as had important business
to transact. In the midst of this unusual hurry
and preparation the door noiselessy opened and
humble Sister of Charity entered the room
General s. looked ND from his writing angerad
by the intrusion of one whose "fanaticism" he de-
spised' and frown Of annoyance and dispIeasure
gathered darkly on his brow. Orderly The
soldier on duty without the door, who had admitted
the Sister, faced about, saluted. and stood mute,
awaiting the further command Of his chief
miJted?"
When say nc one. mem no one" Numbered
the general
The orderly bowed and returned to his post He
was 100 wise soldier TO enter into explanations
win so irritable a superior All this time the pa
uent Sister sat calm and still bidng the moment
when she might speak and meekly state the object
Of her mission. The general gave her the opportu-
nifty In the briefest manner possible, and sharply
enough, too. all conscience.
We'll. madame She raised a pair of sad dark
eyes his face
we have household of sick and wounded men.
whom we must for in some way and came
to ask of you the privilege. which I humbly be-
seech you will not deny US, Of obtaining ice and
beef at commissary prices"
The gentle, earnest pleading fell on deaf ears
Always something" snarled the general. Last
week IT flour and ice; to-day 1t is ice and beef:
tomorrow it viii be coffee and ice, 1 suppose and
all for lot of rasoally rebels who ought 10 be
shot instead of being nursed back to life and
treason"
General The Sister was majestic now-"Rebel
or Federal do not know; Protestant or Catholic
I do not ask. They are not soldiers when they
come to US. they are simply suffering fellow Great
Tres. Rich or poor, Of gentle lowly blood it is
not our province to inquire. Ununiformed I'M
armed. Sex and helpless. ask not on which side
they fought Our work begins after yours is done
Yours the carnage, the binding of wounds
Yours the battle, the duty of caring for the
mangled left the field. Ice I want for the sick
the wounded. the dying. I plead for all, beg for
wherever l may find them"
Yes, you beg. I'll admit. What do YOU do
with ali your beggings? It is always more. more!
Never enough"
With this the general resumed his writing. there
| by giving the Sister to understand that she was
| dismissed. For a moment her eyes fell her Inns
/ trembled-it a cruel taunt. Then the tremu-
lous hands slowly lifted, and folded tightly across
her breast as If to still sudden heartache the
unkind words called up. Very low, and sweet, and
/ earnest was her reply.
! What do we with beggings? All! that is a
hard question to ask of one whose way of life
| leads ever among the poor the sorroWing, the I'm
! fortunate the most wretched of mankind Not on
| me is it wasted I stand here in my earthly all
| What do We do with it? Ali day you may
know" She turned and left him, sad of face
heavy Of heart and her dark eyes misty with I'M
shed tears.
Stay" The generals request was like COM
mand. He could be t9rn, nay, almost rude but
he knew truth and worth when he saw IT. and
could be just. The Sister paused on the threshold
and for a minute nothing was heard but the rapid
scratching Of the generals pen.
There, madame IS your order on the commits
sary for ice and beef at army terms good for three
months. ! do it for the sake Of the Union soldiers
who are. nay be, in your care. Don't come
bothering again Good morning.
In less than three weeks from that day the
slaughter Of the Red River campaign had been
perfected, and there neared the city of New-Or-
leans a steamer flying the ominous yellow flag,
allowed to pass down the river unmolested. An
other and still another followed closely in her
wake. and all the decks were covered with the
wounded and dying, whose bloody bandages and.
in many instances, undressed wounds gave woful
evidence Of the lack OF surgeons, as well as the
completeness of the rout Among the desperately
wounded was General S. He borne from
the steamo- 10 the waiting ambulance, writhing in
anguish from the pain of his bleeding, eses .ora
limb and when they asked where he wished = be
taken he feebly moaned Anywhere. it matters
not. Where l die in peace"
So they took him to the Hotel Deu. a noble and
beautiful institution in charge of the Sisters of
Charity. The limb amputated and there he
was nursed for weeks through the agony of the
surgical operation, the fever, the wild delirium.
and for many weary days could tell whether
life death would be the victor. But who
the quiet, faithful nurse ever at his bedside.
mnistering his wants, ever watchful of his
smallest needs? Why, only ''one of the Sisters
AT last life triumphed, returned. and with
it much Of the old abrupt manner. The general
awoke to consciousness 10 see face not always
unknown bending him. and 10 feel pair of
small, deft hands skilfully arranging a bandage,
in ice cold water, around his throb6ing tefl-
pies, where the mad pain and aching had for so
thongh still weak; but his mind was clear and he
could think calmly and connectedly or all that mad
had so nearly him his life. and left him at
best but MANNED and mutilated remnant of his
Yet he was thankful IT worse-that he
had been killed outright In like degree he
and tirelessly. especially the gray robed woman
who had become almost angelic in his eyes, and
peculiar way. without preface circumlocution.
licking s enf Med al in ' his memoir he said Did
you get the ice and beef?" The Sister started The
question was so direct and unexpected; Surely
soft sad eyes that spoke eloquently her thanks.
And N-nflr m ms