A ROMANTIC LIFE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5394, 1 March 1879, Page 7

A ROMANTIC LIFE.

A romantic life has just come to an end in New? Orleans. Sister Celeste, who had with untiring courage and kindneßs nursed the Bick through the dreadful epidemio of yellow fever that recently devastated this district of the United Sta e*» was, as it appears, the assumed name of Annie M'Keene, the wife of a quasi soldier. The band of which M'Keene waa a member rode up on a certain occasion in the year 1862 to the farm of a man named Harris, and proceeded to make : themselves at homo there. Harris had no objection, and his daughter Annie regarded the proceedings of the band with admiration and sympathy. But the penalty which Harris paid for harbouring sach men was severe. He was shot and his farm burnt; whereupon M'Ketne returned to the spot, and heard the story of bis death from anaie Harris. "The two pledged their vows of eternal vengeance. There was more than that. She eaid she would go with him and deal the blows of death as he did. On horseback they went to a humble preacher's house, and, without alighting, had him make them man and wife, she threw away her woman's dress, and donned a male atire. She put on a belt besides and two revolvers and hpr loog hair she tucked up under herhat. She looked as much a soldier aa many a younjs boy that went out with Quaotrell," the leader of the troop. But their union did not last long. On a Juae morning, in 1863, ns they and half-a-dozen others were riding along over the prairie near where now stands the little town of Lee's Summit, they were m%t by a detachment of the Seventh Missouri States militia. There was a desperate encounter, in which John M'fveene was shot dead and Annie M'Keene was shot through the shoulder, and would have perished with her husband had she not proslaimed her sex. She wa9 taken to Memphis, joined the chureh, and resolved to devote tier life to the care of the sick and distressed, pursuing which noble design she lately came to death.