Little Overweighted with Cold Lead. Those who visited the sick soldiers and did good in the hospitals, occasionally got a gleam of fun among all the sad scenes, for any wag who has been to the war seldom loses his humor, though he may have lost all else save that and honor. Witness an illustration from life:

C, good soul, after taking all the little comforts he could afford to the wounded soldiers, went into the hospitals for the fortieth time, again, with his mite, consist

boy enlisted, in the spring of 1864, in the negro regiment organized in that city. He took part in the action of July 30th, in front of Petersburg, and was one of those who fell wounded near the famous crater. "Badly wounded and in the hands of the rebels," was the word that came to his mother. That was in August. autumn months came and went in succession, but brought no further word of this only son of his mother and she a widow Her friends and his friends generally be

The

lieved him dead. It did not seem probable that he had survived his wounds, yet no one had the heart to say as much to his poor old mother.

She continually said, "I trust in de good Lord." She did not appear to even think it possible her boy would die. Much effort was made in the latter half of November and the first half of December to get word from him, but all to no avail. "Some one ought to tell his

ing of several papers of cut chewing to- | mother," was often remarked among those bacco-solace for the wounded,' as he who were interested in the case, yet no

66

called it. He came to one bed, where a one spoke discouragingly to her. Who poor fellow lay cheerfully humming a tune, could do it? She wondered why she did and studying out faces on the papered not hear from him, she never wearied in wall. "Got a fever?" asked C. "No," devising crude and simple plans for comanswered the soldier. "Got a cold?" municating with him. About the middle "Yes; cold-lead." "Where?" Well, of December, or a little later, she was to tell the truth, its pretty well scattered. heard to say, "De Lord he will pervide, First, there's a bullet in my right arm an' I shall hear from him bime-by." That -they hain't dug that out yet. One in my was on a Tuesday. The next Thursday right leg-hit the bone-that fellow hurts. afternoon he opened the door of his old One through my left hand-that fell out. mother's little house, and walked in and And, I tell you what, friend, with all this threw his arms around her neck! Wasn't lead in me, I feel, generally speaking, a that a royal Christmas gift for the trustlittle heavy all over." ful old soul? Half an hour later she burst into the house of friends who had aided her, with only "My boy's come! my boy's come!" He had not been wounded, but was taken prisoner and sent

Faith and its Reward.

Not far from the Capitol in Washington lived an old negro woman, whose only

66

to the Libby prison, where he acted as Certainly, my brave fellow; but you servant for about three months. One af- will live to a good old age with your wife. ternoon, when he was sent out for wood- Do not grow melancholy over a fancy or "Oh, golly," says he, "I jus den forgot a dream!" de way back!" He was near three weeks in making his way overland from Richmond to Washington, and brought through three negro women, five children, and two men !

Fulfillment of the Sergeant's Prophecy.

"You will see," was the response.

And so the treasured picture changed hands, and the sergeant stepped forward to the front of the column, and was soon beyond recognition.

At the camp-fire that evening the officers after a while made enquiry for the Presentments on the battle-field often sergeant. He was not present. He had prove prophetic. Here is an instance: been killed three hours before by a grapeWhile Colonel Osterhaus was gallantly shot from one of the enemy's batteries. attacking the centre of the enemy, on the second day of the battle at Pea Ridge, a sergeant of the Twelfth Missouri requested the Captain of his company to send his

Incident in the Battle of Fredericksburg. Sergeant Charles H. Stevenson, of Henrietta, N. Y., was one of the killed at the battle of Fredericksburg. A strange incident connected with his death is stated to have transpired, and is not unworthy of record as one of the incidents of the war. On the day of that battle his wife was out in the yard, when suddenly she was made aware of a presence behind her, and turning, felt a warm breath on her cheek, and saw her husband, who, how

Fulfillment of the Sergeant's Prophecy.

wife's portrait, which he had taken from his bosom, to her address in St. Louis, with his dying declaration that he thought of her in his last moments.

66

?"

"What is that for?" asked his Captain; you are not wounded, are you "No," answered the sergeant, "but I know I shall be killed to-day. I have been in battles before, but I never felt as I do now. A moment ago I became con- ever, almost immediately vanished. As vinced my time had come, but, how, I can- she turned she cried out, 'Oh! Charlie, is not tell. Will you gratify my request? that you?" and returned to the house, Remember I speak to you as a dying where she at once told some friends that she had seen her husband, and that she

man."

knew she would never see him alive again. As near as could be ascertained, the event occurred just at the time of day when her husband was killed.

Chance for a "Lady of Character." Among the documents left by the editors of the Memphis (Tenn.) "Appeal," when they left that city, was the following gentle epistle from a secessionist woman, who had sent it to that paper for publication:

A CHALLENGE.

A postmaster from Illinois having been where as the wicked policy of the pres- killed in the Union army at Vicksburg, ident—Making war upon the South for Mississippi, there was of course some comrefusing to submit to wrong too palpable petition for his office, but President Linfor Southerners to do. And where as it coln endorsed the application in behalf of has become necessary for the young Men the deceased soldier's widow, and afterof our country, My Brother in the num- wards wrote a note to the Postmaster ber To enlist to do the dirty work of General, in which he thus most nobly put Driving the Mercenarys from our sunny in a plea for the right person in the right south, whose soil is too holy for such place. Says the President: "Yesterday, wretches to tramp And whose atmosphere little endorsements of mine went to you is too pure for them to breathe in two cases of Postmasterships sought for widows whose husbands have fallen in the

For such an indignity offord to Civilization I Merely Challenge any abolition or Black Republican lady of character if there can be such a one found among the negro equality tribe. To Meet me at Masons and dixon line: With a pair of Colt's repeaters or any other weapon they May Choose. That I may receive satisfaction for the insult.

VICTORIA E. GOODWIN,
Springdale Miss April 27, 1861.

battles of this war. These cases occurring on the same day, brought me to reflect more attentively then I had before done, as to what is fairly due from us here, in the dispensing of patronage toward the men who, by fighting our battles, bear the chief burden of saving our country. My conclusion is that, other claims and qualifications being equal, they have the better right, and this is especially applicable to the disabled soldier and the deceased "Pro-Patria" Pictures at the Soldiers' Fair. soldier's family." Most worthy and disThe more celebrated pictures in the su- criminating consideration on the part of perb collection that adorned the great the President, in behalf of the brave men Soldiers' Fair in New York were left for who fell in defence of their country,—and exhibition, through the kindness of their for the dependent ones whom they left beowners; but many most admirable works hind them! were given to it to be sold for its benefit. These latter were accordingly distinguished from the others by being marked on the frame with the very appropriate words, "Pro-Patria."

Childhood's Prayer in the Last Hour.

It was the evening after a great battle. All day long the din of strife had echoed far, and thickly strewn lay the shattered "What does that mean, Ma?" said a forms of those so lately erect and exultant

in the flush and strength of manhood. and was quite well known as a clever Among the many who bowed to the con- actress. From Cleveland she went to queror Death that night, was a youth in Louisville, where she had an engagement the first freshness of mature life. The in Wood's Theatre. Here, by her intimastrong limbs lay listless, and the dark hair cy with certain rebel officers, she incurred was matted with gore, on the pale, broad the suspicion of being a secessionist, and forehead. His eyes were closed. As one was arrested by the Federal authorities. who ministered to the sufferer bent over She indignantly denied that she was dishim, he at first thought him dead; but the loyal, although born at the South, and white lips moved, and slowly in weak having a brother in a secession Mississippi tones he repeated-" Now I lay me down regiment. to sleep," &c., going through those five sweet and precious lines.

As he finished, he opened his eyes, and, meeting the pitying gaze of a brother soldier, he exclaimed, "My mother taught me that when I was a little boy, and I have said it every night since I can remember. Before the morning dawns, I believe that God will take my soul for 'Jesus' sake,' but before I die, I want to send a message to my mother."

In order to test her love for the old

Miss Pauline Cushman,

He was carried to a temporary hospital, and a letter was written to his mother, which he dictated, full of Christian faith and filial love. He was calm and peaceful. Just as the sun arose, his spirit went home. His last articulate words were, flag, she was asked if she would enter the "I pray the Lord my soul to take; And secret service of the government. She this I ask for Jesus' sake." The prayer readily consented, and was at once emof childhood was thus the prayer of his ployed to carry letters between Louisville manhood. He learned it at his mother's and Nashville. She was subsequently knee in his far distant Northern home, and employed by General Rosecrans, and was he whispered it in dying, when his young for many months with the army of the life ebbed away on a Southern battle-field. Cumberland. She visited the enemy's

lines time after time, and was thoroughly acquainted with all the country and roads in Tennessee, Northern Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi, in which sections she renpy, are dered the Federal armies invaluable ser

Miss Major Cushman among her Captors. Some of the experiences of that remarkable woman, Miss Major Pauline Cushman, the Federal scout and equal to anything found in the pages of vice. romance. They are of the most thrilling character. Indeed, among the women of America who made themselves famous during the opening of the rebellion, few have suffered more, or rendered more service to the Union cause, than she.

Twice was she suspected of being a spy, and taken prisoner, but managed to escape. At last, however, she was not so fortunate. After the Union forces had captured Nashville, Major Cushman made a scout towards Shelbyville, to obtain information At the commencement of hostilities, of the strength and position of the enemy, Miss Cushman resided in Cleveland, Ohio, and while returning to Nashville, was

captured eleven miles from that city. She was placed on a horse, and, in charge of two scouts, was being taken to Spring Hill, the head-quarters of Forrest. While thus on her way to that place, she feigned sickness and said she could not travel any showed her a room, and said he would further without falling from her horse. Her captors stopped at a house on the roadside, when it was ascertained that a Federal scouting party had passed the place an hour before. Knowing that her guards had important papers for General Bragg, the quick-witted spy seized the fact and schemed to use it to her advantage.