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Unit Two
　

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Aunt Bettie is faced with a difficult decision. A
Wounded Union soldier is found hiding in a farmhouse
near her home. She has to decide whether to help him
or let him be captured. What will she choose to do?
　
　
THE WOMAN WHO WOULD NOT TELL

Janice Keyser Lester
　
"I never did hate the Yankees. All that I hated was the war... "
That's how my great-aunt Bettie began her story. I heard it many
times as a child, whenever my family visited Aunt Bettie in the old house in
Berryville, Virginia. Aunt Bettie was almost 80 years old then. But I could
picture her as she was in the story she told me- barely 20, pretty, with
bright blue eyes.

Bettie Van Metre had good reason to hate the Civil War. One of her
brothers was killed at Gettysburg, another taken prisoner. Then her young
husband, James, a Confederate officer, was captured and sent to an un-
known prison camp somewhere.

One hot day in late September Dick Runner, a former slave, came
to Bettie with a strange report. He had been checking a farmhouse half
a mile away from the Van Metre home, a farmhouse he thought was
empty. But inside, he heard low groans. Following them to the attic,
he found a wounded Union soldier, with a rifle at his side.

When Aunt Bettie told me about her first sight of the bearded man in
the stained blue uniform, she always used the same words. "It was like
walking into a nightmare : those awful bandages, that dreadful smell.
That's what war is really like, child: no bugles and banners. Just pain and
filth, futility and death. "

To Bettie Van Metre this man was not an enemy but rather a suffering
human being. She gave him water and tried to clean his terrible wounds.
Then she went out into the cool air and leaned against the house, trying
not to be sick as she thought of what she had seen-that smashed right
hand, that missing left leg.

The man's papers Bettie found in the attic established his identity: Lt.
Henry Bedell, Company D, North Vermont Volunteers, 30 years old. She
knew that she should report the, presence of this Union officer to the Con-
federate army. But she also knew that she would not do it. This is how she
explained it to me: "I kept wondering if he had a wife somewhere, wait-
ing, and hoping, and not knowing- just as I was. It seemed to me that
the only thing that mattered was to get her husband back to her. "

Slowly, patiently, skillfully, James Van Metre's wife fanned the spark
of life that flickered in Henry Bedell. Of drugs or medicines she had almost
none. And she was not willing to take any from the few supplies at the
Confederate hospital. But she did the best she could with what she had.
As his strength returned, Bedell told Bettie about his wife and children
in Westfield, Vermont. And Bedell listened as she told him about her
brothers and about James. "I knew his wife must be praying for him "
Aunt Bettie would say to me, "just as I was praying for James. It was
strange how close I felt to her. "

The October nights in the valley grew cold. The infection in Bedell's
wounds flared up. With Dick and his wife, Jenrue, helping, she moved the
Union officer at night, to a bed in a hidden loft above the warm kitchen
of her own home.

But the next day, Bedell had a high fever. Knowing that she must get
help or he would die, she went to her long-time friend and family doctor,
Graham Osborne.

Dr Osborne examined Bedell, then shook his head. There was little
hope, he said, unless proper medicine could be found.

"All right, then," Bettie said. "I'll get it from the Yankees at Harpers
Ferry. "

The doctor told her she was mad. The Union headquarters were
almost 20 Miles away. Even if she reached them, the Yankees would never
believe her story.

"I'll take proof," Bettie said. She went to the loft and came back with
a blood-stained paper bearing the official War Department seal. "This is a
record of his last promotion," she said. "When I show it, they'll have to
believe me. "

She made the doctor write out a list of the medical items he needed.
Early the next morning she set off.

For five hours she drove, stopping only to rest her horse. The sun was
almost down when she finally stood before the commanding officer at
Harpers Ferry.

Gen. John D. Stevenson listened, but did not believe her. " Madam, "
he said, "Bedell's death was. reported to us. "

"He's alive, " Bettie insisted. "But he won't be much longer unless he
has the medicines on that list.

"Well," the general said finally, "I'm not going to risk the lives of a
patrol just to find out. "He turned to a junior officer. "See that Mrs. Van
Metre gets the supplies. " He brushed aside Bettie's thanks. " You're a
brave woman, " he said, "whether you're telling the truth or not. "

With the medicines that Bettie carried to Berryville, Dr. Osborne
brought Bedell through the crisis. Ten days later Bedell was hobbling on a
pair of crutches that Dick had made for him. "I can't go on putting you in
danger, "Bedell told Bettie. "I'm strong enough to travel now. I'd like to
go back as soon as possible. "

So it was arranged that Mr. Sam, one of Bettie's neighbors and
friends, should go and help Bettie deliver Bedell to Union headquarters at
Harpers Ferry in his wagon.

They hitched Bettie's mare alongside Mr. Sam's mule. Bedell lay
down in an old box filled with hay, his rifle and crutches beside him.
It was a long, slow journey that almost ended in disaster. Only an
hour from the Union lines, two horsemen suddenly appeared. One pointed
a pistol, demanding money while the other pulled Mr. Sam from the wag-
on. Shocked, Bettie sat still. Then a rifle shot cracked out, and the man
with the pistol fell to the ground dead. A second shot, and the other man
went sprawling. It was Bedell shooting! Bettie watched him lower the rifle
and brush the hay out of his hair. "Come on, Mr. Sam, " he said. "Let's
keep moving. "

At Harpers Ferry, the soldiers stared in surprise at the old farmer and
the girl. They were even more amazed when the Union officer with the
missing leg rose from his hay-filled box.

Bedell was sent to Washington. There he told his story to Secretary of
War Edwin M. Stanton. Stanton wrote a letter of thanks to Bettie and
signed an order to free James Van Metre from prison. But first James had
to be found. It was arranged for Bedell to go with Bettie as she searched
for her husband.

Records showed that a James Van Metre had been sent to a prison
camp in Ohio. But when the ragged prisoners were paraded before Bettie,
James was not there. A second prison was checked, with the same result.
Bettie Van Metre fought back a chilling fear that her husband was dead.
Then at Fort Delaware, near the end of the line of prisoners a tall man
stepped out and stumbled into Bettie's arms. Bettie held him, tears stream-
ing down her face. And Henry Bedell, standing by on his crutches, wept,
too.
　


Click the button to listen to the pronunciations of new words

　

　

　

New Words

　

tell vi.
act as an informer 告发

Yankee n.
(in the Civil War) a native of any of the northern states; a citizen of the U. S. 北方佬;美国佬

great-aunt n.
an aunt of one's father or mother; sister of one's grandfather or grandmother

civil a.
国内的;民间的

confederate a.
of or belonging to the Confederacy 南部联邦的

capture vt.
make a prisoner of; seize 俘虏;夺得

unknown a.
whose name, nature, or origin is not known

　
　

former a.
of an earlier period 以前的

farmhouse n.
the main house on a farm, where a farmer lives

　
　

groan n.
a sound made in a deep voice that expresses suffering, grief or disapproval 呻吟(声)

　
　

attic n.
the spa~ just under the roof of a house, esp. that made into a low small room 阁楼

Union, the n.
those states that supported the Federal government of the U.S. during the Civil War; the U.S.A. (美国南北战争期间的)联邦政府; 美国

a.
of or having to do with the Union

　
　

rifle n.
步枪

awful a.
terrible; very bad

　
　

bandage n.
a narrow long piece of material, esp. cloth, for binding a wound or injury 绷带

dreadful a.
very unpleasant or shocking; terrible

　
　

bugle n.
a musical wind instrument usually made of brass, used chiefly for military signals 军号,喇叭

filth n.
disgusting dirt 污秽

futility n.
uselessness

futile a.
　

lean vi.
support or rest oneself in a bent position 靠,倚

establish vt.
find out or make certain of (a fact, answer, etc.), prove 确立,证实

identity n.
who or what a particular person or thing is 身份

identical a.
同一的;完全相同的

Lt. abbr.
lieutenant 陆军中尉

company n.
连

volunteer n.
person who joins the army, navy, or air force of his own free will 志愿兵

presence n.
being present in a place

skillfully ad.
in a skillful manner 灵巧地,娴熟地

skillful a.
having or showing skill

fan vt.
扇,扇动;激起

spark n.
火花

flicker vi.
burn unsteadily; shine with an unsteady light

　
　

drug n.
a medicine or substance used for medical purposes

　
　

supply n.
(pl.) the food, equipment, etc. necessary for an army, expedition or the like 补过品

pray vi.
祈祷

valley n.
a stretch of land between hills or mountains; the land through which a stated river or great river system flows 山谷; 流域

infection n.
感染;传染

infect vt.
　

flare vi.
burn with a bright, unsteady flame (火焰)闪耀

loft n.
a room under the roof of a building, attic 阁楼

ferry n.
渡口;渡船

headquarters n.
(used with a sing. or pl. v.) the place from which the chief of a police force or the commanding officer of an army sends out orders 司令部

proof n.
evidence showing that sth. is true 证据

bear vt.
show; have

seal n.
印,图章

item n.
a single thing among a set, esp. included in a list 条;项

commanding a.
having command; in charge

commanding officer
指挥官

command vt.
指挥

Gen. abbr.
general 将军

madam n.
respectful form of address to a woman (whether married or unmarried) 夫人,太太, 女士,小姐

risk vt.
endanger; take the chance of

patrol n.
a small group of soldiers, vehicles, etc. sent out to search for the enemy, or to protect a place from the enemy 巡逻队

junior a.
younger or lower in rank than another

　
　

hobble vi.
walk awkwardly; limp 跛行;蹒跚

crutch n.
support used under the arm to help a lame person to walk 拐杖

wagon n.
four-wheeled vehicle for carrying goods, pulled by horses or oxen 四轮运货马(牛)车

hitch vt.
fasten with a hook, ring, rope, etc. 钩住, 拴住,套住

mare n.
female horse or donkey

alongside prep.
close to; along the side of

mule n.
an animal that has a donkey and a horse as parents 骡

disaster n.
a great or sudden misfortune; terrible accident

　
　

line n.
a row of defense works, esp. that nearest the enemy 战线,防线

horseman n.
a person who rides a horse, esp. one who is skilled

　
　

pistol n.
handgun 手枪

crack v.
(cause to) make a sudden explosive sound (使)发出爆裂声

sprawl vi.
lie or sit with hands and feet spread out, esp. ungracefully

　
　

lower vt.
move or let down in height 放下;放低

secretary n.
an official who takes charge of a governmental department; an employee in an office, who is in charge of correspondence, records, making appointments, etc. 部长, 大臣;秘书

ragged a.
(of a person) dressed in old torn clothes; (of clothes) old and torn 衣衫褴褛的; 破旧的

parade vt.
cause to walk in an informal procession for the purpose of being looked at; cause to march in procession 使列队行进

n.
游行;检阅

chill v.
(cause to) have a feeling of cold as from fear; (cause to) become cold, esp. without freezing (使)感到冷;(使)冷

fort n.
要塞,堡垒

stumble vi.
walk or move in an unsteady way; strike the foot against sth. and almost fall

　
　

stream vi.
flow fast and strongly; pour out


　

　

Phrases & Expressions

　


take prisoner
capture and hold as a prisoner, esp. as a prisoner of war 俘虏

flare up
break out or intensify suddenly or violently; burst into bright flame or rage 突发;加剧;突然发光;突然发怒

write out
write in full; write (sth. formal)

brush aside
disregard, ignore 不理;漠视

bring through
save (sb.) from (an illness, etc.)


　

　

Proper Names

　

Berryville
贝里维尔(美国地名)

Virginia
弗吉尼亚(美国州名)

Bettie Van Metre
贝蒂.范.米特

the Civil War
(美国)南北战争

Gettysburg
葛底斯堡(美国城市)

Dick Runner
迪克.朗纳

Henry Bedell
亨利.贝德尔

Vermont
佛蒙特(美国州名)

Westfield
韦斯菲尔德(美国地名)

Jennie
詹妮(女子名)

Graham Osborne
格雷厄姆.奥斯本

Harpers Ferry
哈珀斯渡口(美国地名)

Stevenson
史蒂文森(姓氏)

Secretary of War (old use)
(美国)陆军部长

Edwin M. Stanton
埃德温.M.斯坦顿

Ohio
俄亥俄(美国州名)

Fort Delaware
特拉华堡(美国地名)


　

　

　

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