Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-12-01
@ huite M,istellanp.
Who Did the Wrong

b From the moment in which i entered
Saratoga, it seemed to me that l had bGen
transported to different planet. At home,
tbs absorbing topics of conversation had
bees the war aud the high prices. Every.
body looked depressed. Everybody was try
ing in epaslnodic, intermittent ways, to
practice economy, and finding their efforts
defeated by the fearful expansion Of prices
in whatsoever enc must eat drink aud wear.
Butchers, bakers. and grocers bills were
received with shudder; and fair fingers,
which had been unused to such toll, did
whst their grandmothers had done before
them = made darning cicatrize
wounds in stocking heels aud toes and rip
ssa and turned cottons, and cam brics which
new cost as much ss handsome dresses did
three years before.
But at Saratoga all this was changed. In
this new world which L had entered, the
people seemed to have nothing te do but to
dress and enjoy themselves in every Indecent,
grsceiul, luxurious fashion imaginable u;
The hours went by, swift-winged to 'mu.
sic, and dance, and banquet Who would
have imagined for one moment that the
country was in the awful stress aud anguish
OF a struggle for life and death Talk Of
economy, whea diamonds blpzed, and silks
shinmered, and geld giittered on everyside:
Talk of economy, when women sauntered
dswn to the springs every mornlng before
their ,late breakfast, sweeping the walks
with flowing rebes of all fine and costly tex
lures, dainty as woven moonlight or sunset
mists, with plumes flutteriug over fair fore
heads. and gems that mocked the sunlight
claspsd on neck, and arm, and waist.
Tslk of economy, when the balls were one
blazs of dazzling splendor-when music
rose, and throbSed, and swclled in yoluptp-
GUS enchantment through the great halls,
where women swept to and frorohsd IN laces
that a queen might have worn at her eoro-
nation where pearls sanded dark hair, as
morning dews sand spring grasses; where
the richest embroideriss trailed like a white
surf over daiutiest csmbrics; and where il
seemed as though every inspiration and art
| Of fashion had exhausted hemselyesi 10 grace
and sdornment of the crowds of women that
made light and beauty at the Springs.
And yet with stubborn psrtinacity my
thoughts always took straight road frsm
these sights and sounds, which filled tn,
night and the day with mirth and revelry
to the awful battle. fields, to the foul prisons
crying by night and by day unto God, enc
to the hospitals where brave heartslsng uish
ed and endured, for the love Of. their ceun
try, through those fierce heats OF. August
| Gould these be tho grsnddaughters of th'
women who melted their lead into bullets
and spun their gowns of linsey- woossel
through those long seven years OF struggle
and Of suffering ? III. asfH ra,Iler Il.
Could these butterfly womenJwhose gold
en- wings futtcred through the suBme
hours, ever rise to any heights Of endurance
ssv fervors of self saeri6ce2 Somewha
after this fashion rose and fell my thought
that morning, as sat on one OF the irol
seats which lie asleep and enchantedhn tn
cav, neisy heart Of Saratoga The tall oak
and pinos folded the walks in heavy shad
oVs The stiffness and beauty must,
seemed, beguile any heart inte calm an
Rladnoss. ---g-.- O. .r,----
The grass, moved by the soft winds
strotched like lake of dark waters belo,
us. The walks skirted, and strstehed, an
curved on every side. The strong, brscin
scent Of the pines inspired the air. Owe
all this the birds sang in the August morr
ings! And as i sat there q young girl, in
pretty barred muslin and straw hat, leadin
}. little child with face like some pictur
\ marvellous for beauty, came slowly slsng an
took seat short distance from my owl
The ysung girl, Of hardly medium heigh
a had fass remarkably pleasing. II kno
the n sro looked at il tho more it attraets
: me. Itbad ne wonderful gift Of bsaut
"A but il had tho charm Of YOUTH and swe'
lfrsshnenso The clearsdark syssr the bnsh