Judging from his thrift, he is, no doubt, if alive, one of the wealthy colored men of Richmond now.
COULD YOU GET ME A RAW ONION AND SOME SALT?
A LITTLE company of my best workers were sent to Wilmington, N.C., in charge of my secretary, Mary Shelton, in the spring of 1865, to care for the sick being gathered there, and the half-starved prisoners being sent in for exchange.
The dangers and hardships of the journey were very great; but after many delays they finally reached there and were able to render valuable service.
Among these chosen workers was Amanda Shelton, now Mrs. Stewart of Mount Pleasant, Ia., who, strong of body and courageous of soul, was untiring in her ministrations. One day, as she walked among the hundreds of the sick and half-starved men, ministering to them as best she could, the surgeon of the ward called her attention to a soldier who lay as one dead.
“That man,” he said, “is starving to death. We can’t get him to eat anything. If you can tempt him to eat he may possibly recover.”
Miss Shelton went to the soldier, and tried to get his attention; but he lay with closed eyes, in seeming indifference. She tried to tempt him by mentioning every delicacy she could think of; but he shook his head and moaned impatiently.
As she remained standing beside his cot, trying to think of something else, he opened his eyes, and, looking her earnestly in the face, asked in pitiful, appealing tones,—
“Say, miss, don’t you think you could get me a raw onion and some salt?”