Year: 1878

him before he dies; and pow, my dear


good friend she said bessechingly


won't you let me gos Please do
I told her I was so astonished [ die


not know what to say, but please tel


me all about Harry, and what you pro


pose doing -.
sho said she and Harry had beer
schoolmates and wero engaged to bt
married, and that her father had for.
hidden Harry seeing her at all, and in
his desperation he had gone into the
Confederate army, and that sho could
have no peace of mind until she could
see him, and she had resolved to 60
to him at the risk Of her own life, for
she said she had rather die than to
know that she would never see him
again, and that if would not let her
through the lines she would end her
life right there


Twill not worry the reader by giving
all that was said, or my feelings, further
than to say that l resolved, let the conse-
quences be as they might, even at the
risk Of being shot myself, to let her 60
through the lines to her Harry; and how
best to accomplish it was the ques-
ton. ."3 - '.. .
Sergeant Nortbfeet was young man
1s years old, and was one Of those
modest, plain, straightforward young
fellows who would at all times dare to do
ril hit and speak the truth. He was
sympathetic, warmhearted and generous.
I knew him we'll when we we're little
boys. We had gone to school together
at Goose Greek academy; at Bowling
Green, Pike County, Mo. The older
residents Of that place will remember
that school. Left an orphan, apd not
liking tho treatment Of an uncle with
whom he lived, he had run off and ex-
perisnced rough life. When the wur
broke out he joined the Pike County
Home Guards and participated in the
battle of Bush Creek, and several other
we'll known expeditions of that regi.
ment, and then entered the volunteer
service.


Northheet listened to The story Of Ida
Mitchell as che related it on that still,
calm night, under the shades of a
majestic eln tree. His soul spoke
plainly through his countenance that be
would gladly give up his own life to
assist that poor girl.


'Wo must pass her over, Cap,' said
the sergeant, "no one shall ever know
it but ourselves


But how about the guardp


Il will arrange that, said Northheet.
I will send him back to the post on
some pretext; or other, holding his Ais I
nlaoa xnp.>lc--1'"ul'o ue 70 6oN


work can be done and when he returns
I will tall him you have gone with the
prisoner to camp. You, of course, will
leave before he returns


The sentinel was sent back to the
pos. under orders Of Sergeant North-
fleet. The fair Ida. now overcome with
joy thanked and blessed US thousand
times; we each kissed her hand a good
bye. and soon she was safely beyond
the running river that divided the hos
tile armies. /


Did we do wrong in this case 2
Tested by the cold, rigid rules Of war,
We did; but where is the person whose
soul is not frozen, whose emotions have
no, become callous, whose heart is not
made of flint. that will not speak out
and say we did right in passing the girl
who had taken her life into her hands
and followed her heart to tho bedside
of the man she loved!


A wear after this Sergeant Northaeet
laid down his life at the gates OF At
lan,a. Often had be expressed to me
the hope of again meeting Ida Mitchell;
but the dark messenger came to him 10
the heat of the terrible conflict, and
laid that true, warm aud brave heart
cold in death.





But time fies. Fifteen years have
passed and gone since met Ida Mitch
ell on the banks of the Big Black in
Mississippi


| A short time ago, returning from
Sacramento City to San Francisco on
board of the Steamer Amador, sailing
down the Sacramento River, / noticed
in the cabin of the boat lady with
five children around her, neatly and
richly dressed. The face Of that lazy
seemed familiar to me. 1t must be l
had seen it before; but where She
kept looking at me, and after time she
| APPROACHED me and begging my pardon
said she thought she had seen me before
and would never be satisfied without
learning one thing.
/ All this time Twas trying to call hei
up to mind. A.,


She asked me if 7 were not in the
var and stationed on the Big blaoi
River in Mississippi, in 1853, and if
| did not remember young lady who
was captured in attempting to cross th'
poutoon bridge. H.. &,


ida MitchellpI almost yelled. l
Is needless to say that scene here fol
lowed, and there was a commotion Of
that boat. E.


II. ball nou Mra Harry Deer