Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-02-06
A HEROINE OF sEvENTY-s1x.
BY MRS. NJ. A. DENNIsoN.

mers. The dull song on laboring picks |
breaks upon the ear with monotonous regu-
larity. They are making tracks for a rail- |
road in this old town. | am not pleased with |
the improvements as some call it for a |
pleasant farm house and its surrounding |
fields that sloped from high and undulated |
hills had vanished forever before its nod
The great genius of enterprise, with his ug-
ly shears of commerce, is clapping at the |
poor wings of poverty and romance, till, I
fear, by and by, they viii have only power
to flap along the ground, their ethereal fac
ulties chained down to stock-taking and ia
voices.
am sorry the house has gone, for there
are some recollections connected with its his
tory, for the sake of which it would be pleas
ant could it have been spared An old farm
house, surrounded by the fields of waving
grain and corn, in the autumn time and over
hung by the branches of various trees. COL
den with the fullness of time, is sight of
picturesque beauty in rich valley, especial
ly IT fine old mountain loom up in the
background, or deep shade of the forest
trees stretches away into the clear mellow
atmosphere beyond
In that one before US, Ct am now speaking
as if it stood in the old spot,) the widow of
| the noble Captain Piermont lived some twcn
ty years ago. The LADY was fine specimen
of old-time women dignifed, even CON-
manding in manner, with fresh bloom
| upon her cheek, artistically mounted fore
| head, and deep, earnest expression in her
bright eyes. She was a woman of refined
and cultivated intellectual powers a woman,
who in youth had known no stint of wealth,
whose mind was stored with classic lore, who
had never till she emigrated to the wilderness
of the New World, soiled her fingers with
even household work.
Father and husband were both dead The
bones of the former reposed in another
country, beneath a marble monument; the
latter had now slept two years in the little
burying ground beside the wooden church
| in sight of the red farm house, and a small
mingled with the dust.
One day, during the hardest campaign of
our soldiers, Madame Perpont was alone at
the farm. Pomp, negro servant, had gone
or some errand which would detain him
until night-fall, and Alex, the hired man, had
wounded his hand in the morning with an
axe, so that he was disabled and obliged to
return to his home, about mile distant,
which, by the way, was the nearest home
| stead to the old farm house! The widows
four brave sons, ages varying from eighteen
to twenty six, had started but two DAYS pre-
vious for the fields of their country's bat.
ties.
Whila -+he---isesu- realized that in all pro
= liability some. perhaps all, of her treasures
would be smitten with the ruthless hand
of war, her cheek was still unblanched. anC
holy hope sat in the ropose of her beautiful
features. Only now and then she turned tC
open the Bible before her and read few con
limo noe aro1 oku I'll
work with trusting smile Ah patriotism
found an enduring home in many such gen
tie breasts.
Suddenly from the distance came SOUND
like the trampling of horses feet, and {
great cloud of dust betokened the approach
of travellers hurrying to their destination
The widow moved to the door, and, shading
her eyes from the intense sunshine, watched
their progress. They drew nearer, am. il
another moment three horsemen drove ur
before the door. They wore military cos
tune, and were all fine looking men, Tn
foremost gentleman by far exceeded the 9th
ers by his imposing figure and the greatnes
of his countenance. 1t needed no introduc
tion to assure the widow that this was Geo
Washington With that character which al
ways characterized MIN, he bowed GRACEFUL
to Madame Perpont, as he blandly asked
he could find rest and refreshmAnt
Our horses are wearied we have riddle
since this morning and would fain recruit
he added
Certainly, gentlemen, and welcome sh
replied, smilingy, throwing open the inne
door as they dismounted
Our poor beasts, said one of the officer!
patting his smoking horse Il would the
could be attended to Immediately. Is theI
groom or servant about your house, MAJ
am e who could rub down and feed them ??
will reward him literally
we would ask no reward in this hous
, hold, sir replied the widow; if you wi
lead them round they will be cared for
Make yourself perfectly comfortable, ge
tlemen,' said the widow, and excuse q
while | prepare your refreshments. Ye
, must be hungry as well as fatigued.'
In another minute the widow was in tt
stable unsaddling the poor horses-work
, which she was not accustomed, but whit
she nevertheless could do in time of nee
being woman of strong muscular frame al
great energy. She knew it must be done
herself or not at all. AS for men and horse
D they were completely jaded out. She wi
o straw rubbed the animals down with
i own hands, led them into stalls, prepared a
! gave them food. After changing her DIRE
d the widow returned again to the parl
!; where the officers, having unbuckled tn
swords and dofed their caps, sat con7ersi
! together, evidently enjoying delightful re
! As thewidow stepped over the threshold
: the room one of the officers was remark ki
r to his companions
:, He was one of the best men, and as f
: looking young fellow as ever volunteers
, Do you speak of young PierpontY a
!, ed another.
= Yes, he fell yesterday, pierced by tn
! balls, poor fellow it was hard fate
= = such boy
- For one moment the cheek of the vic
= was blanched, the heart of the mother she
p ed but she spoke almost as calmly as
81 asked:
~ ~ Which one was it, sir p
- Henry Pierpont, if am not mistaken
Was he known to you?
OF Was he known to her? Oh, the torn
NJ that followed that question: Henry
sW noble first born He who had taken
ne place of the dead at their board, and, v
as gravity beyond bis years, carried out
plans his father left unfinished And i
of his blue eyes were closed foreverI his bri
at locks rolled in the dustl Oh, the thou
rs was anguishl A deathly paleness came {
Iu- her, but she rallied with great effort,
i've said as before, she turned her white
/ cheeks away:
He was my son, SIR
law They did not see her face as she wa
on quickly and firmly out of the room.
the Now, God forgive mel feel as if
the done cowardly thing" muttered the
GER while his lips grew pale with emo,