The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1863-02-20
Liffin N'reklp Tribune
Written for the Tribune.
A LEGEND OF THE WAR.
BY JESSIE woopBlSE

! % SG~SAA NNNhhiNh
Blanche DcLour was a gay, brilliant
girl-her home was on the banks OF the
beautiful and picturesque Rappahannock,
wealthy old plantation that had descend.
I'd from sire to son for many years--aud
Blanche lived in the old hons stead and
grew up wild aud lovely as the iaircst
llowers. An old grandfather was the
only other inmate Of the house, save the
housckeeper and servants belonging to
the household, and so Blanche grew up
amid the grim aud dusty portraits OF her
ancestors, child Of light and song, with
deep tuge of romance in her young
heart. = The residence (
Mr. st. Clair was one Of the finest in the
village of P. He has hut few
years since retired from the legislative
halls of Virginia, and, in fact, from all
public business and settled down TO spen,i
the remainder of his days in quiet and in
rest. Mrs. 81. Clair was one OF those
calm, lovely ladies' who please aud de
light b tn old and young, bringing both
comfort and cheerlulncss to all. Bcrd
st. Clair was the oldest of six children
her complexion was Of extreme dclicacy
brown hair, blue Cycs--both small and
peurl lik,-mcdium height, with tho
smallest and most perfect hands aud feet
that ever graced fair young girl. have
s oxen of Berd's personal appearance
the casket was beautiful, but, oh fdr
loyclicr the gem wthn--the bright, hap.
py spirit Of this young girl. No one far
or near but knew of her gentle, kindly
spirit. Many had been comlorted by her
charities, and all blcst her. At home
she was the ported, the caressed.
D smal Castle, us Blanche used to cali
her h NE, was all hustle and confusion
preparing for a grand dinner to be given
II xt day to our Union soldiers. Old Mr.
DeLour being much Interested in tn,
cause Of our cOuntry--oltcn visited ant
invited tho -aoldirr to dine with him, a
there were several Regiments encampe,
but few miles from his own home.
The following day the highly accomp
lishcd Blanche appeared in the dinin.
room to assist in doing homage to hel
! ,rra n al Iinfharia 'nknr, ,r.,,,I
table loaded with luxurics unknown to
the soldier, sat twenty brave fellows from
the Ohio and Indiana regiments. There
re the youth, middle-ugcd, and even
one gray-hairad old man, who had all lcfl
their ull-given the best they had-their
lives to tn ir countr,. Blanche gaz ed
at each one attentivey and thought that
however low aud degraded yet they all
h We either mother, sister, wife or some
kind friend who anxously watches the
mail day by day to find whether veal or
woe tides the low d one. Every kindly
feeling Of Blanche's heart was arous d.
that these poor fellows should spend one
day 1T least as happily as if they were at
home. At her grandiuthcr's request she
sang and played her most blilIiant pieces
then seated herself beside the house,
keeper to listen to her grand(uther's tales
Of lSl2-then tn the members of differ
ent regiments, each of which seemed to
think their lot was little the hardest.
While one o the 1884 Ohio was relating
incidents { mud, rain, long marches, &c.
he was interrupted by one Of the bloody
Sth Ohio, who happened there on delach-
ed service, "Ah, my boy, you have not got
into the merits OF the case yet wait till
you huve marched 3,l33 miles and been
under fire seventeen times, then you
won't think of such tri1 s." "Not like
the war of 1919 after ALL said Old Mr..
d, Lour, "a1d did the trees Of the forest
but possess the gift Of language they wo'd
refer you to Revolutionary times when
railroads, telegraphs, &C., were unknown.
/ don't suppose we can form any idea
OF the suffering in those days while sur
rounded by all the comforts an army can
possibly have" and thus he tried to rec
oncie each oae to his fate, and cheer
them to fight valiantly for God and their
country.
Mrs. Bloom, the old housekeeper, on
hearing the name Of Fred. Morton, in
quired ir he was from Ohio. He told her
he was, and tn y were soon engaged in
earnest conversation which resulted in
the disclosure of the fact that Mrs. Bloom
had formerly lived but a short distance
from Fred's home, was well acquainted
with his parents and elder sisters und
now could see ia the manly couutenance
OF r led some traces of his boyhood which
were familiar. My pen fails me, and /
cannot describe bin. yet he was not
but, oh such noble, true
hearted youth, you would think he never
had mean thought, but lived only to do |
good and aspire to the highest deeds Of
true greatness. The motherly interest
OF Mrs. Bloom, the friendliness OF Mr..
DeLour. together with the fascinations Of
our queenB Blanche, made Fred fre-
quent visitor at Dismal Castle.
Need l say that Fred and Blanche
loved' He, naughty and stern at times.
she full of deep and tender love that fill