The National tribune., 1904-06-16

And Kate. l soon found her side. She
had tainted from loss Of blood and grief.
l carried her into the sunlight where l
placed her upon my blanket, then found
the bullet had broken no bones, but had
torn the flesh and ligaments of the knee
50 badly that she would not be able to use
her limb again for weeks.
While l was bandaging the wound the
men were placing the dead in group Jim
Card said we must move and leave them.
We could come back and bury them later.
The enemy were sure to come back IN
stronger force in the morning, perhaps
sooner. Poles were cut, stretchers made
with blankets. and with Kate on one and
| the auburn-haired woman on the other we
| moved forward. The sun had gone down !;
the soldiers took turns carrying the wound
ed ones, and Coon Skin," as ever, Jagged
| behind; said he had been hit several times
and was too sore TO walk fast. Late at
night we camped again. all too exhausted
to go another rod. Tom Card had gone
| on early in the morning to hasten help,
| and just at daylight it came-my own regi-
ment. led by our beloved Col. Mac. Three
hundred rifles. haversacks full of coffee,
bread and sowbelly, a Surgeon, and an am
bulance.
| helped the old gray Surgeon dress
| Rates wound: l thought | owned that girl,
| and had right to oversee the job. The
rough splints on the woman's arm were re-
| placed with better ones, but the Surgeon
| said the arm would have to come off when
we got to the hospital in the camp, and
Kate would always have stiff knee, as
the cords were completely torn away.
Tom Card with 10 went back under a
| flag of truce The Confederates were al
ready there picking up their dead. and to-
gether they were buried in one long grave
side by side
| Kate's mother and father, clasped in each
| others embrace as they were found, with
pine boughs for coffin, are still sleeping
in the woods far from the home midst the
mountains.
That night we were again in camp, Kate
and the authenticated woman in hospi-
tai in the town. "Coon Skin" disappeared
We saw no more of him.
Every day when duty did not call me
| elsewhere l went there to see Kate. The
| good angel, woman nurse, the first one
l had ever met in an army hospital. had
fixed her up nicely. She looked like a
queen in her fine white robes and sheets
She had nearly recovered and would soon
leave the hospital. The army was to adj
vance, and ! told Kate might not see her
again. as my duties would keep me in the
front.
The nurse went out and left us and !
knew my chance had come, but her eyes
had read me well. We were sitting BY
the window, the air was rich with the fra.
| GRANGE of the flowers, the mocking- birds
were whistling in the trees, far out in the
fields the bands were playing for the dress
parade. | sensed it all. How sweet! How
peaceful! How grand!
Kate brought me back to earth again.
Il know, Captain. what you would say
| to me, but it cannot be. | am but noun
tain girl. plain and simple; you are a sol
der, Captain now: before the end comes
you may be General. All my life it has
been my mothers desire that should mar
| -
have promised my mother to do this;
have promised Coon Skim although I dc
not like the coward.
IF my mother was living might dc
otherwise now | cannot. would rather
you would kill me than ask that / breal
that promise. There is still place in the
valley where l have always lived, it's true
the house. with all its treasure is burned
that's why we had to leave. that's why il
came that We met in the woods | lovef
my mother better than all else in the world
l am but mountain girl; | must marry
Coon Skim ] will marry him, but vii
not live with him for a single day. Tht
Surgeon says l will always be lame but
look! here is a pass from Gen. Sheridan
| am going to Chattanooga, where ther.
are are hundred, hundreds of poor, sick and Wounds,
will work and try and forget Come closer
Captain; kiss me before We part; it ma,
/, be forever hope not"
kissed her lips, her eyes, her forehead
and then again her lips was but a sol
; dier and she a mountain girl.
The army advanced. Sheridan was m,
friend, and had many favors for me.
was one Of the first to arrive in Chatta
n0Oga, and in the Office of the newspaper
THE Little Rebel" We found the follow
ing letter on file:
Trenton. Ga, Sept. 1, 1863.
Editor. Dear Friend,
{ l write you few lines to inform you
, ! have wife in that country and she ii
gone astra and destroyed her living. She il
fine complicated long hair and cripple in lef
) leg. forbid any body feeding or taking
her in ther house or having anything OF
trading her. ! want you to publish. hel
in your offs advertise her face.
Yours respectfully,
u (which translated. meant "Coon Skin" y