a habit of appeal to His mercy and
loving-kindness, and a marked attention to religious duties. On
Sundays the churches were crowded with devout worshippers. Every
service was attended by more or less Confederate soldiers, generally
in squads, but sometimes even in companies, marshalled by some of
their officers.

The first Sunday after my arrival in Richmond, kneeling in St. James's
Church, I heard for the first time the _changed_ prayer for the
"President of the _Confederate_ States and all others in authority." A
death-like silence prevailed during the most solemn and impressive
reading of the prayer. Then from every mouth welled forth a fervent,
heartfelt "Amen!" The earnest, manly voices of the soldiers added
depth and volume to the sound which thrilled every pulse of one's
being. It did not seem to us that we were merely going through a form
of prayer for one of "those in high places," but that our President
was one of ourselves, and all hearts went out toward him, earnestly
desiring for him heaven's choicest blessings,--the all-wise guidance
he was so sure to need.

Scattered all over the city in many a shady nook were cosey, pleasant
retreats, where wounded or sick soldiers were gladly welcomed,--private
hospitals presided over by ladies, sustained by their constant
attention and unbounded liberality. One lady generally had direction of
the affairs of one particular hospital, assisted by others whose duties
lay just there, and who devoted each in turn on successive days their
entire care and attention to this labor of love. For instance, on
Monday certain ladies sent in all the cooked food needed by the
patients. Others personally nursed the sick. Still others attended to
the distribution of the food or superintended the servants, and so with
all duties required. On Tuesday another set of ladies were on duty, and
so on.

My whole heart and soul went out toward the sick soldiers. My days
were mostly spent in visiting the hospitals.

At first the larger ones attracted me, because there seemed to be so
many sufferers and more need of nurses. My timid advances (never
amounting to a direct application, but only a suggestion as to my
qualifications as a nurse) were condescendingly smiled down by the
surgeons in charge. My youthful appearance was against me. Besides,
there really was no need for other nursing in many of the State
hospitals, notably that of Louisiana, than the angelic ministrations
of the Sisters