The Washington times., 1913-08-22

ried away under the escort of waiting
| friends or others to whom they coulo
properly appeal: but poor Aridne was
| a rebel-an alien from the South. Not
until she spoke would anyone realize
this fact from her betraying speech, but
she felt 1t herself. She was stranger
| in a strange land, and knew not where
TO turn until she came upon Mrs. Gray,
the woman who had come to claim the
body of her dead father. She had hes
itated and turned back to the forlorn,
tired. dusty figure of her sister of the
South.
Il am in no hurry" she said mourn
fully; moments are nothing to me now.
NV errand can wait. Can I help you?
Where was your husband taken?'
Il do not know. Your President said
that he was brought here"
THE PRESIDENT exclaimed the wom-
en-.
Yes. I have his letter
Have you a letter from President
Lincoln? You. a Southern woman"
asked the other.
YES" answered Ariadne. taking II
from her bosom. where she guarded IL
jealousy as her most precious posses
sion. the open sesame out of all her
difficulties; here it is
Mrs. Gray scanned it hastily. She
was a woman of decision. Her father
had been colonel of a regiment tenn
porarily commanding a brigade when
he had been mortally wounded t An
ambulance stood near the station She
called the driver TO her with an i'm
perious gesture.
This lady, she said. lis looking for
her husband"
errand. ma'am, returned the man not
! unkindly.
! He was a reb-a Confederate SOL
4 der"
There's a mort of 'qm in town,
= know" said Mrs. Gray, "and I
want you to tell US howIto find him"
I'm sorry I can't help you. ma'am.'
cdnt dfta4ys@, you take us your wagon to
here for Colonel TotwnIey. He's got
command of the, troops hereabouts.
! Where is he?'
Come with me s. aid Mrs. Gray to
| Ariadne.
They met Colonel Townley just leav.
! ing the agents office.
Sir" said Mrs. Gray. ..'this lady is a
husband. Mr.. Grafton. who was brought
here wounded from Gettysburg"
What hospitaB is he in. madam
asked the colo1eE politely
haps you could tell U.S."
I'm very sotry can't. Everything
is in such confusion. We are so
! sWamped with wounded men who re-
time for reports II your friend will
find quarter$ somewhere and will give
| me her address. / will"
Sir" cried .Ariadne. my husband is
DING asd n,G or dead dead cant wait mus' a;N
room viii be crowded when the two
Your President"
Show him the letter" said Mrs.
Gray and again Adriadne brought it
7 wiz d5 what I can for you" said
form after he had read it. "Orderly,
take these ladies in my ambulance to
every hospital in the town. Present
charge and ask them if they have a
patient nam ed-what name did you say.
madam"
Sergeant Philip Grafton"
"A reb-a Confederate soldier named
Grafton. in their wards"
Thank yotl, sir. and may God bless
you cried Ariadne. turning away.
And what NAV do for you.
madam" asked the colonel, turning to
the other woman.
If you will let me have an ambu-
lance later en- to bring back the body
be all" returned Mrs. Gray, biting her
lip to keep back the tears.
Who was your father. may ! ask 90
Colonel Morris of the Seventy-hrst
New Jersey"
You shall have it," said Colonel
Towniey, re4ching his hand to her in
warm SYMPATHY. Il knew Colonel
Morris very we'll. He died for his
country like hero, and you have my
sincere sympathy"
And from the northern lips there was
given to tHe gallant officer the same
SIMPLE prayer that had fallen from
bless youy sir That was all.
But, Colonel" protested the orderly
respectfully, what are you going to
do. sirr How are you going to get up
to camp"
He pointed TO the tents on the hills
several miles away as he spoke
f'I will walk" said the Colonel
simply; you attend TO the ladies'"
The body OF Colonel Morris had been
renoved with other dead TO the build
fing set apart for the purpose, and as
adIIe parted from her new friend.
All that morning the girl drove with
the soldier from one hospital to an
other. She made inquiry every place
for' her husband. She was met every
where by the statement that nothing
whatever was known of him. Every
where she was invited into the wards
To look among the patients who had
been unable to give an account of
themselves, 10 see If one OF the un-
known might be he whom she sought.
such an ordeal for woman had not
come TO many of her sex.