The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-13


city for the greater convenience OF the
devoted women whose single thought was
to minister to the helpless and wounded
soldier-be he Confederate or Yankee. OF
course, there must have been tender
ness felt toward their countrys defend
ers, which was but natural under the
circumstances, but never could it be be-
lleved that these noble, Christian women
for one moment allowed even an enemy
to suffer from neglect. Valued slaves
were sent to the hospitals to assist i'll
any way; little girls forsook their play
and sat through the long, hot hours fan
ming the fever-stricken soldier, while
their young hearts were wrung by the
suffering they witnessed. Is it any Won
der that the little girls of that day have
grown into the gracious, resourceful,
helpful women of today? When that
dread school of suffering, ministration
and -abnegation is thought upon, its
results could scarcely have been differ
ent.
Into the wards of the whitewashed halls
Where the dead and the dying lay
Wounded by bayonets, shells and balls
Somebody's darling was borne one day.
Somebody's darling. SO young and brave
Wearing yet on his pale, sweet face,
Soon to be hid by the dust of the grave,
The lingering light of his boyhood
grace.
Pack from, that beautiful bIue-yeIned
brow,
Brush those wandering strands of gold
Somebody's darling is dying now.'
oh tho ,,n,ttorobIa sorroyv If tba+ finn
.. tosa ,,l,Io 1at,,1 ,,,,,1,,,,I tI,, ,1a
-, e,,,,,.,1,o t,e " -, Tt
~. III " 49, H4,.e 81,
" pass - ~
~ .n',i,e,.ai,a %r.i, a,,,ap -
5as.,,l,, -. elii g, piU", -.
uai iins mus. pe sootneu oe ne ID ON
'souisiaiia VI peg ohu the SelloW Wateis Vi
.ne @Foloinae. men, Wheil All that ihof-
lal elioft eould accomplish proved I'M
a a sohlepody earning was borne
lenaelly 10 the peautltuI' slope IN oid
OakWood cemetery and left with his COM
rades in the silent ranks to await the
last feNlelle, How many oil those pathetic
little funeral trains were composed OF the
vehicle bearing the dead, and few car
riages of the noble women who had
soothed his last moments. Here the
minister of God loved to join his services
TO those of the women, and the tears shed
for the dead, stranger though he was,
were as genuine as though wept for Il
relative The narrowing thought was al
ways with them-might not at that very
moment some sanity woman in a distant
state be performing those same sad rites
for some beloved of Montgomery? All,
surely this was bearing one another's
burdens.
When one learns the story, can one
wonder that those sufferers had names of
endearment for those women who minis
tered even as angels might? Aunt So
phie Bibb,' Applied to the head of one
of Montgomerys haughtiest, proudest,
most prominent families, what does it tell
us of the gentle, womanly Christian
qualities of its bearer? She wore the
title with modest pride to the day of her
going away" her fellow citizens loving
to honor her by its use.
One of Aunt Sophie's" friends and
neighbors was Mrs, VIM e, Bell. Her
ministrations outlasted the years of war
also
When the sons of Old Kentucky came
to choose sides in the terrible strife that
divided families one OF whom this is the
sad story gave his fortune, his sword,
his life and his all to the south. Col.
Morehead, son of Ex-Governor Morehead
of Kentucky, left his wife and little
daughter in Kentucky and, throwing his
ardent nature into his military duties.
soon became a man of mark. Kentuckv's
beautiful valleys. like those of Virginia.
were battle grounds. and the soldie, S
heart must have throbbed with appre-
hension for his loved ones. but duty con-
strained him. and he went not home. The
wife became a ''refugee." moving from
place to place, but ever northward;
finally she was forced by circumstances
across the Ohio river Here. cut off nv
unl,ind fate from her home. with no one
but her helpless little child. she sue
cumbed to sorrow and anxiety, leaving
her child TO the mercy of strangers. In
the meantime away down in South Ala
hanna military duties claimed Col. More
head His health had failed under the
arduons duties of the active field. and so
he had heen assigned to the post at Troy.
Ala As the disease TO which he was
eventually TO fall a victim. made inroads
nnon his strength he found n true home
and ministration in the family of Cant.
Edward MacIntyre. From this haven he
made strenuous efforts to get into COM
munieation with his family. but all In
vain This proved upon his slender hold
upon life until his friends grew alarmed
and used their influence to have him re-
Ueved from all military duties. This only
resulted In an onnortunity for more i'm
prudent waste of strength. He insisted
on making the iolIrnev-bv ambulance. as
a railroad was unknown I'm those parts In
those davs-to Montgomery. fftv miles
away livery nrovislon for his comfort
was lovingly made nv the Troy friends
thew felt sure thew would never see him
again. He arrived in Montgomery in a
state q, totnl collapse. With what anx-
ietv must those MONTGOMERY women have
regarded bia condition: how tenderly he
was nurseJ the remaining three weeks
of his life is stIll related with fearful
ewes. So noble and so gallant a life to
go out 90 early. 1t was so sorelv needed
nv his country With reverent motherlv
bande Nrs VIM Poll cIosed Tho weary