The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-26
THE GOLDEN LOCKET.
\ Kindhcartcd Soldier Boy, Rewarded
For Il Favor. Came Near Being Killed
on Account of It,


on Account of Ii.
Editor The National Tribune: Some
time before we went on the great VIII
son raid, we were on an expedition
towards Mobile, Ala It had rained
very hard, and the roads were knee
deep with yellow mud. 1t was almost
dusk when we passed a carriage in
which sat an old white-haired gentle
man and a beautiful girl of about II
or Is. My Captain was riding just in
front, and gave me permission to help
them out Someone ahead had taken
his horse and harness l rode out TO
them and hitched. / hitched up my
horse and pulled the carriage into the
road Then the boys took hold and
pushed and pulled. We had to go
three-quarters of q mile and then turn
off into lane that led to 4 fine man
sion. When l arrived in front of the
house the old doctor had tainted. He
was "a years old and had been COM
, PEELED to attend a sick woman. / car
ried him into the house and lay him
on couch. while the girl brought
water and bathed his face and he soon
revived.
that they feared they would have had
TO stay there all night and that It
might have killed the girls grandfather.
The girl went into another room and
brought a gold medallion iocket and
gold chain. On one side of the locket
was picture of lady in white en-
amel and it could be opened to contain
pictures. The girl said Take this for
your kindness and to remember us by"
told her | was afraid to take il. for
if l We're captured they would be apt
to Kill me. thinking that | had stolen
it, They both begged me 10 take it
and come to see them when the war
was over, and she put the chain over
my head and told me to hide il in my
breast until / could get home. She
said thar it cost $50 in gold. / told
my Captain and showed him the locket
so that he would know that l did not
steal it.
on the raid of Gen. Wilson we had
a fight at what was called Ebenezer
Church, near Selma, and captured some
100 prisoners. We put them in q
clearing that night and formed a guard
around them. ] was one of the guards.
We had plenty of coffee, at least / did,
and ] made coffee in my oyster can
bucket until IL or II o'clock at night.
and gave them some, as many others
did. ] sat at the fire with my horse
tied to a tree about 20 yards behind
me. There was heavy timber all
around l concluded to look at the
locket as / did not dare to look at IL in
day time, as someone would have
stolen it from me.
/ noticed boy prisoner walk in
front of me, and each time he looked
intently down AT me. / thought moth
ing of it, and asked him If he wanted
some coffee and he replied that he did
not. When / was relieved by the next
guard / went TO my horse and saddle
and lay down. The ground was wet
from a recent rain. | was soon dOZ-
ing. as l was very tired. / was awak
ened by a noise and raised on my ell
bow and found a little half-grown cat,
starved, weI and dragged, mewing at
me and rubbing against me. All that
j had in my haversack was two creek
| crs and about four ounces of dirty
! bacon. / cut some of il into little
/ blocks and the kitten ate it reven-
| ously.
lay down again and it snuggled up
| to me. | had just commenced to doze
again when / heard a stick snap near
/ me. ! instantly grabbed my carbine
and turned to see that boy standing
behind me. and in his hand, Sistening
| in the few rays of moonlight. was a
| long butcher knife. l told him to
halt and throw down that knife Then
| asked him what he was doing out
there He said II intended to kill you
| by running this knife in your back,
| take that locket from you. get on your
horse and escape. but your kindness TO
little starved kitten made me hest
tate / asked him what he wanted to
! kill me for? He said that the locket
| belonged to his sister, her grand
mother having given it to her. He said
he knew that we had been near his
home and that / could not have gotten
| il except by robbing her of 1t.
! I then told him how / got it, and
| told him to march in front of me to
the Captain. Then the boy cried and
asked me to forgive him. l gave him
the locket and told him to give it to
his sister and tell her how he got 1t.
marched him back and turned him
loose among the prisoners. Towards
morning he came to me and asked me
1 to give him something to remember me
by ] gave him little silk flag which
j my mother made and sent to me. He
\ kissed IL and said II will not fight that
! Flag again. They say we are about
1 whipped, so / will go home on parole
4 and then stay there" When we
l turned back from Macon, Ca, the war
1 was over.-A Hotfinger, Edna, Kans.
Y rit,o 0Aicers, Retirement RilI