A Daughter of the Union Part 8
"Oh, Mr. Huntsworth," she cried, "I have something to tell you," and she rapidly related the incident of the young Lieutenant.
"Are you sure the fellow was telling the truth?" queried the old man smiling at her enthusiasm. "Sometimes rascals tell all sorts of stories in order to get money."
"This man was a gentleman and I know he was truthful. He didn't want to take the money at all. I had to plead with him to get him to do it.
Besides he did not speak to me until I had spoken to him first. He was not strong enough for duty and he showed it."
"Then, my dear, you have done a n.o.ble thing. If the young man told the truth his position is indeed a sad one. His rebel kinsmen would turn from him if he espoused the cause of the Union and his duty is doubly hard that he must fight against father, home, neighbors and friends. I am afraid that we do not appreciate all that a man gives up when, a Southerner by birth, he throws his lot in with ours. Many high-minded men have gone with the South because their state went that way, and it takes n.o.bleness indeed to rise above the call of one's own state when the government demands the sacrifice. I should like to have seen the young fellow. Did he give his name?"
"Why, I did not think to ask it," exclaimed Jeanne. "But father will know of course."
"So you really believe that he will go to your father's."
"Certainly I do."
"Oh, for the faith of childhood," exclaimed Mr. Huntsworth. "But whether he does or not you seemed to have infused new life into him and that is what a man needs most when he is discouraged. You are a true patriot, child. But now, my little Quixote, let's go to General Wallace. I have explained everything to him, but he desires to see you personally."
The headquarters of Gen. Lewis Wallace who was at this time in charge of the city of Memphis were soon reached, and Jeanne and her friend were ushered into his presence. A man of medium height, rather slender in build, stern of feature but whose eyes beamed with kindness, serious of mien and visage and habited in a plain suit of blue flannel with two stars upon his shoulders denoting a Major-General in the United States Army, rose to greet them. Full of chivalric dash, possessing a cool head with a capacity for large plans and the steady nerve to execute whatever he conceived, the young General was an interesting figure and Jeanne gazed at him with some curiosity.
"So, my little maid," said the General. "You wish to go to New Orleans?"
"Yes, sir," answered Jeanne returning his scrutiny modestly.
"Do you not know that it will be a difficult matter to do so? Farragut is still storming the batteries of Vicksburg and while a transport goes this morning to take supplies to Captain Davis, and you could go down that far on it, still it is scarcely the time for a girl to make a visit."
"I must go, General," said Jeanne firmly.
"Will you tell me why, my child?"
"I cannot, sir."
"But I cannot let you subject yourself to danger unless there is some necessity for it. It seems to me that a mere visit could be postponed until a safer season. Now unless there are urgent reasons for it I feel compelled to forbid your going."
"Sir," said Jeanne blushing at her temerity yet speaking boldly notwithstanding, "there are urgent reasons for my going. I do not wish to tell them because they concern the government. But my father would not have let me come had there not been necessity."
"You surely do not mean that you are an emissary of the government?"
exclaimed the General in surprise. "Why, you are but a little girl."
"But exceedingly patriotic, General," interrupted Mr. Huntsworth. "She has given a fair to raise money for the soldiers, made I don't know how many shirts, socks and handkerchiefs and just now emptied her purse to send a soldier home to her parents to be taken care of. Best of all she can relish a pun when she hears one which you will agree is a rare accomplishment for a girl or even a woman. Oh, she is capable of anything."
"I believe it," laughed the General. "I fear that I shall have to give up before such a formidable array of accomplishments. Have you really done all those things?"
"All but the shirts," answered Jeanne shyly, "mother makes those. You see father works for the government, mother is in the Women's Relief a.s.sociation and d.i.c.k is in the army, so I just had to do something to help too."
"I see," said the General. "What is your father's name?"
"Richard Vance, sir."
"Richard Vance!" exclaimed the General. "Oh! I understand everything now.
You shall go to New Orleans, child, if our boats can get you there. The transport will start in an hour. Can you be ready to go by that time?"
"I am ready now, sir."
"That is the bearing of a true soldier," approved the General. "I will give you a letter to Farragut----"
"I have one to Commodore Porter, sir," interrupted Jeanne, producing the missive. "He is my father's friend."
"That is all right," General Wallace hastily scanned the letter. "But I will add a few lines to Farragut. Success to you, my child."
"Thank you, sir," answered Jeanne gratefully.
"Now we will amuse ourselves by walking about a little until the transport starts," said Mr. Huntsworth as they left the room. "My train goes this afternoon."
"Then I shall have to tell you good-bye soon," said the girl regretfully.
"I am sorry, Mr. Huntsworth. You have been very kind to me. My journey would not have been so easy had it not been for you."
"Tut, tut, I have done nothing," said the old gentleman. "I have pleased myself in helping you. I was glad to have such a bright little companion.
And we shall meet again, my dear. I promise you that. I am not going to lose sight of my little comrade easily. I want to bring my daughter, Anne, to see you when you get home."
"I wish you would," replied Jeanne. "I should like to know her. Mr.
Huntsworth, don't you think I might send a telegram to my father from here to let him know that I am all right and about to start for New Orleans?"
"Why, bless my soul, child! That is the very thing to do! What a head you have! There is the office on the other side of the street."
"Yes; that was what made me think of it."
The telegram dispatched, the two wended their way to Jackson Park.
The statue of the old hero of New Orleans stood in the centre of the green. It was inclosed by a circular iron fence and ornamented by carefully trained shrubbery. The bust of the hero was placed on the top of a plain shaft of marble about eight feet high. On the north side of the shaft was an inscription.
"Look!" exclaimed Mr. Huntsworth. "Some rampant rebel has marred that inscription."
Jeanne looked and saw the writing which read "The Federal Union: It Must be Preserved"--the words Federal and Union had been chipped out, presenting an appearance as if a small hammer had been struck across them.
"The villain!" continued the old gentleman irascibly. "He ought to be hung who ever he is!"
"It is a pity," said Jeanne. "Isn't this a cruel war, Mr. Huntsworth, that the things both the North and South have been so proud of now become hateful to one part of the country? I never thought so much about it until since I met that young man this morning."
"It is a terrible thing for brothers to be arrayed against each other as we are," a.s.sented Mr. Huntsworth. "But don't think about it too much. It is a pity that your young life should be clouded by the knowledge. You think too much for your age."
"I am better for it," said Jeanne. "Wouldn't it be dreadful for me to laugh and play and be glad all day when the country is in peril? Every one ought to think."
"Perhaps you are right. But sometimes I have heard you say things that made me think you a bit uncanny, as the Scotch say. I am going to advise your father to turn you out to gra.s.s when the war is over. I suppose it would be useless to urge such a thing so long as the war continues."
"'To turn me out to gra.s.s,'" laughed Jeanne. "What a funny expression.
Do you mean for me to live in the fields like the cows and the horses?"
"Well, something on that order," smiled Mr. Huntsworth. "Your father will understand what I mean. See, there is your steamer, child. I will see you aboard and then I must say good-bye."