Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-06-13
An Unreported Incident of the Seces,
sion Programme.

A well.kGown merchant of this city. who was
in New Orleans on the day Louisiana passed
the secession ordinance, and who witnessed the
illumination in honor of that reasonable act,
has related to us,with request that we would
suppress names, the following racy incident,
which alike illustrates the traditionary when
a woman won't. she won't" characteristic Of
the sex, and the fact that the Union people of
the South have, at this time, no voice in the
newspap. r reports of the disunion section 1t
so happened that on the day Of the illumina.
ton the captain Of a Mississippi steamboat
and his lady were stopping at the St. Charles,
and occupied o front room on the third floor
the first floor of enthusiastically in the
centre Of the hotel The Captain was Union
man, and-as the sequel will show-so was his
wife. All the city was agtated during the
afternoon in prospect of the grand gala night
The St Charles was to be Illuminated, of curse.
Accordingly, some time during the afternoon
Il servant knocked at the door of the captains
room. carrying all the necessary irappiugS for
lighting up the chamber windows. Mis-
opened the door, when the following dialogue
eusued:
Lady-What have yoa got there
Candles, missus, to light your
window for de Illumination.
L-Well you can return them to where you
brought them from, as shall not allow them
in this ROOM
S.-(No to be foiled SO easily, resumed
Oh but massa told me to put de lights, and so
Is got to put 'em up.
L-Can't help THAT this is my room, and
shant allow the windows to be Illuminated for
what am opposed to so that ends it.
This closed the first act The servant re-
ported to the prOprietors, who immediately
preceded to the lady'S room with view of
convincing her of the Importance Of permitting
the servant to make ready for the grand even
ing lght.up. Said they, This room is the
most central in the entire front, and not to illu
inmate it will be to mar seriously the effect of
the whole )" to which the lady replied
:" | am sorry, gentlemen to cause you any
Inconvenience, but | believe this room, for the
time being. is ours by right, and | must posi-
lively decline, in any way, to add eclat to an
outrage, as | conceive the whole diSunon move
ment to be- My husband (who was out at the
time) is Union man, aud | am Union wO.
man, and this room cannot be Illuminated -
A few more words were exchanged, which end
ed by the lady politely requesting the proprie-
tors to leave her room. Determined not to be
outdone 10 matter of such grave Importance.
the Captain was next found and Appealed to
He heard their case said bis wife had report
cd him correctly on the Union question never
theleSs, he would go with them to the room
and see if the matter coald not be amcably
arranged. Scene third enSaed. The Captains
disposition to yield was not to be seconded by
his betterhaf. They next proposed to vacate
the best chamber in her favor in some other
part. of the house. if that would be satsfac-
tory, but the lady'S No !" was still as pre-.
emptory as ever. Her point was gained, and
the St. Charles was doomed to have o dark
front chamber.
Pleased with this triumph, Mrs de-
vised the following moneuvre to make the
most of her victory :-Summonng servant,
she sent him out to procure for her an Amer
ican flag, which, at dusk, she suspended from
her window. This made the fourth act in the
play, and the fifth is always indispensable, it
had lis place here. When evening came, the
streets, animated by q merry throng, were
Illuminated, but, alas! the ST. Charles was
disfgured by its sombre chamber when sud.
denly a succession of emps suspended on both
sides Of the flag, revealing the Stars and
Stripes, were lit up, and the ensign of the
Union waved from the centre of hotel illu-
minated in honor of its overthrow The effect
was to give the impression thatsthe whole house
was thus paying homage to the American flag
and what is most magnificent, is the fact that
the latter was greeted by the passing crowd
with vociferous applause. So much for the
frmness OF a TIME Union roman.-Pk1 Pres,