The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-09-16
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found Johnson's Dictionary, one copy; three
copies of the old English Readcr;' one copy
of the Art of Rcading;" six copies load
ly smoked) of Marshalls Spelling Boo )"
three copies of " Peter Parey Geography;
two copies of" Murray's Grammar" and one
shocking bad copy Of Adams Old Arith-
metc." In the Schooma ANS" drawer
found copy Of "Mllton's Paradise Lost
and recipe for coloring the hair, and i'm.
proving the complexion. This led me to
think the " Schoolma'am'' must have been
from New England. 1t seemed too modern
for Virginia.
Perhaps you will think my examination
more minute than my military operations re-
quired, but in this land of rebellion most
everything is excusable. Of course we Yan.
KEGS estimated the expense of this school
house, and concluded saying nothing about
the stone for the chmney-that, including
furniture, it must have cost twelve dollars and
thirty seven and half cents. Now this
school-house stands not over three miles from
the city Of Alexandria, and is the place of
learning for the urchins OF the T. L. VS..
We should have thought it was designed for
the " colorcd brudderin " if we had found
Bible and a Psalm Book but these arti-
cles did not appear
Within short distance is the Church.
This Church has also been the scene oil some
military operations, and has suffered some
being pretty we'll riddled with bullet holes.
1t has bell about the size of locomotive
bell, and some of the boys in their wanton.
ness have shot ball through it. have tried
to think of some building in our town that
could likeu this Church to, but can't. 1t
is new building, and is, like other of their
public edlices, OF a very rude construction
speak Of these two buildings not on account
or any Importance they possess in themselves,
but because they are q sample of the whole.
We see here, outside OF the cities, none of
the modern improvements in farming utensils
and vehicles OF various kinds, nor do we see
any of the elegant horses and fine cattle with
which our Northern States abound. Every
thing here is one hundred years behind US.
The farmers use large clumsy kind OF Dutch
wagon, and l honestly assert that have seen
them at work with their teams consisting of
four animals (they always drive team of
tour made up as follows one horse, one
stag, one mule, and a COW are harnessed with
wooden harness, and straps and chains innu.
merable, all htched to the old Dutch wagon,
with darkey on the near wheel horse (stag)
with one rein on the near leader; and thus
they bring in their marketable articles to sell
to the Soldier Boys. You can OF course i'm
agine the nerriment and dry jokes that the
boys perpetrate at the expense of such an es-
tabishment, while darkey on the horse shows
his ivory and shakes his sides, and Dutchy
sells his commodities and pockets his cash.
He is generally not troubled to sell his whole
load, however, as many watermelon and
dozen Of eggs " step out " unperceived by
him, his attention being taken the while by
some Yankee yarn.
1t is difficult for persons at distance to
realize the inconvenience, and in many in
stances suffering Of the people who are so
unfortunate as to live along on the line of
country between and near our army and that
of the Rebels. They are compelled to leave
their homes and seek safety wherever they
can find it, and their houses and property are
left to whatever fate may betall them
l notice that most fugitives who are between
fires come to our lines Every day brings
men with their goods and families piled upon
such conveyances as they have at hand, fleeing
to avoid the horrors Of standing or remaining
exposed as they are. And many flee from the
Southern side to avoid being pressed into the
Southern army Men are obliged, in these in
stances, to make good their escape, leaving
their families to be got over if possible. l
know several, personally who left about the
time Of the Bull run battle, and who have
been unable to hear from their families, many
of which were left in a state of destitution
and they are not likely to receive any very ten.
der mercies from those who would hang their
husbands and fathers for fleeing. | know of
several instances where brothers are part on
one side and part on the other in their re-
spectivo armies, fighting against each other.
There is singular instance of this in this
neighborhood. There is an old man by the
name of Menes, who keeps hotel not over
fifty rods from where | now board. He had
a son who lived ON the Virginia side and two
who lived on the Maryland side. At the
breaking out of hostlities, the one who lived
on the Virginia side came over and Joined
himself with the Union forces, and the two
this side went over and joined the Rebels
They are all quite smart young men, and
believe all hold official positions in the re-
spective armies. +. V. r.