as though cut by design. Said he, "I wouldn't take five hundred dollars for this. What a history it must have. It lay on the field where the heat of battle occurred. I shall varnish and place it in my cabinet." A friend, a Connecticut man, very patheti cally placed in my hand two immense cavalry swords, accompanied by three enormous shells, each one said to have killed some distinguished person, and positively dangerous to any one who should belligerently look at them. No doubt, in my docile possession, he thought they would be safe, so he requested my tender care until he should get them to New England as trophies. Our Sambo was entrusted with the charge, and taking them, with a groan like an Indian about to be shot, after each particular hair on his woolly head had been straightened with fear, he stealthily took them to the river and sunk them in its bed. Sambo didn't appreciate trophies.

The plant of the forest was placed in an oyster can, the only flower jar to be had, and amid many plaudits conveyed to the sick in the hospital. On our way home we became acquainted with General Cook and lady, Governor Wood, Dr. Brinton, Dr. Turner and lady, and many others, who had performed God's service among the soldiers. Dr. Stearns, a Christian gentleman and soldier, exercised a positive influence for good wherever he went. As brigade-surgeon he was not long in any one place; but a man like him, of great travel, extensive learning, scholarly parts, and pious life, can always do good by moving about. Dr. Turner and lady, who for months had

charge of the hospital boat, City of Memphis, certainly deserve great credit for the able, efficient and faithful manner in which they attended to their duty. Having been personally cognizant of their labors, I am well convinced that no greater or better work was performed in the service than that accomplished by Mrs. Turner, and Miss Hadley, her assistant, in their daily and nightly devotion to the wounded and dying soldiers, as they were conveyed from the battle field to the hospital.

Our trip, though consuming days, seemed short, for the joy of meeting my husband was all-absorbing, and though constantly attending to the sick, yet the "pleasures of hope" robbed time of its ennui. As we stopped at Paducah, the town was so dark that it seemed one might cut the opaque substance with a knife, and only by the aid of lanterns, planks, and mother-wit did we succeed in a safe landing. Dr. Aigner, the accomplished agent of the United States Sanitary Commission, conducted me to my husband's station, Central Hospital, where I was welcomed as one from the dead. My flight to Fort Donelson had taken all completely by surprise, and the only regret I felt was the anxiety caused to my best of friends.

The Medical Director had assigned to my husband General Lew. Wallace's old headquarters, a large four-story building, opposite the hospital under his charge; for, said he, "You will have wounded enough around you to make a hospital of each." His words proved true. As I came from the rain and sleet of a rayless night into a well-lighted, square

room, where, from the broad Southern grate, a glowing fire reflected a genial atmosphere upon every object, from the cat that purred in very luxury of repose in the corner, to the broad grin and welcome smile of Sambo's sable face, my heart arose in grati tude that my husband and his assistants could be thus comfortable during the arduous labors they were then performing, and which would claim them for many months to come.

Partaking of an evening meal, savory with Sambo's ever ingenious devices, I retired to the first night's rest I had snatched for two weeks. Next morning, at early dawn, I made my first visit to the Central Hospital. My husband had been up most of the night to attend to the imperative duties before him; and with feelings of inquiry and compassion, my first entrance was made; then, too, I was charged with sacred missions from those on the field - many of whom had since died-to those in the hospital, comrades in the fight; and how could I wait?

It was the old Court House of Paducah, an immense brown marble building, surrounded by a spacious grass-covered yard, and beautifully sheltered by massive old elms and oaks, that clasped their strong arms above the roof, and waved their soft boughs through its windows. The ambulance wagons were unloading the boats that were constantly bringing fresh cases (and some were going the other way, to the dead house). But how little I appreciated or comprehended the labors of that hospital, as I entered the arched gateway and hopefully ascended the walk.

CHAPTER VII.

CENTRAL HOSPITAL.

Court House of Paducah — Its-Appearance — Wounded of Donelson Kissing the Little Blossom My First Day's Work - A Call from Twenty-second Regiment - Worst - A Load of Wounded Patients Re-fight their Battles - Executioners' Task-"This seems like Italy and my Home” Innumerable Duties - Citizen Nurses- Qualities of a good Nurse― Confessional of Central — “Lock and Letter - Α Slave's Accomplishments -- Hurry from the Master-"Sure You ken have Me?"-Negro-Hunting up Chimney - Mattie's Escape.

No WOMAN had yet made her appearance here, and in the very hot-bed of secession none were likely to. The clean steps, the scoured doors, and the well-limed floors that met my gaze, as the polite orderly bowed and let me pass, were a pleasant introduction to what was within.

A wide, remarkably-clean hall, was lined on either side with long, white, pine tables, sparkling with bright tin dishes; and the light biscuit, corn-bread, potatoes, choice steak, and other good plain food, were already being placed upon the table for breakfast. Detailed nurses and assistant surgeons were passing to and fro, intent upon their duty; but as for my husband, I could not catch a glimpse of him, and I was introduced, at the door of a very large room, as the lady fresh from the field of Donelson. But, alas! the words were drowned by the exclamations of pain that almost deafened me. At first I shrank with

timidity from the appalling sufferings around. On taking a survey, there lay fifteen in one ward, all minus an arm, and one entirely armless; seventeen in the next ward, each with an amputated limb; others wanting a tongue, a nose, an eye-or a jaw shot as neatly away as though cut by the surgeon's knife. Many were perforated with shot through the arms, the chest, the brow, the head, the limbs, the lungs; as if, tampering at the door before entering the citadel, the ball had struck every blow but the merciful one at the heart, which would have ended suffering by immediately bringing that death which was sure to come. Five immense wards of each floor in the five-story building, were said to contain between two and three thousand patients. I am sure that number of voices mingled in piteous tones of pain. These noble fellows, yesterday so strong, so daring, now so prostrate, so helpless! I felt that I could not serve them enough, but set earnestly to work, according to my best ability. I passed from one to another, bathing the fevered brow, cooling the parched lips with suitable drinks, changing the tiresome position of head and shoulders, and, where I truthfully could, giving encouraging hopes of life. There was a most efficient corps of male nurses and professional dressers, to dress and attend to the wounds, but the weariness consequent upon such confinement of strong, athletic, able men, to the bed of a long, tedious convalescence, was something pitiable. Each patient seemed a monument of affliction; and the sufferings grew no less, for