Page 41 - Arkansas Confederate Women

MRS. RICHARD LEDBETTER.

By Mrs. K. D. Goodbar, of Charleston.
Mrs. Kichard Ledbetter is now past seventy years of age.

She is a ruddy-cheeked, sunny-natured old lady, whose perfect
health is a fair sample of the blessings vouchsafed to those who
take a cheery view of life under any and all circumstances. She
is always to be met with at the re-union of Confederate soldiers
which occurs annually on or -about August 2, near Charleston,
Arkansas, which is a notable gathering, sometimes bringing as

many as ten thousand people together. Her liveliest memories

cluster about the circumstances of a long and wearying journey,

which she and a Mrs. Graham made together, during the trou-
blous war times. They rode horseback, entirely without other
escort, from a point in Sevier county to Montgomery county,
Arkansas, and back again, a total distance of about three hun-
dred miles. Mrs. Graham went for the purpose of nursing a
wounded husband, but Private Graham had stepped his last to
the drumbeat, and his widow was left only the mournful conso-

lation of a visit to his grave.

Young Mrs. Ledbetter left Mrs. Graham at this point and

went on alone, ten miles further, to visit her parents, after
which they retraced together the long and dangerous journey.

Both going and coming there seemed an ample opportunity
for undesirable adventures, but fortunately they met none of the
enemy, and the well-known, undeviating hospitality of the
South, afforded them all the shelter and assistance needed. Once
only did native intuition, or a special providence, seem to inter-
vene in their behalf when they were led to make -a wide detour
from the main road, and upon rejoining the highway, were told
of a large body of Federals, about 500 in number, having passed
in the interim. They thus missed an encounter which would
have been unpleasant and detaining, to gay the least.