Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-05-01

hearts, invoke retribution from the "God of
Armies that the women of the North may
suffer the horrors borne by them, and drink OF
the chalice of woe which so many of them have
drained to the dregs. In their name, answer
no not in our darkest hour, in the agony of
bereavement when the thunders of lombard
ment shook our homes, or armed foes marched
through them in triumph. robbing us even OF
the last memento of buried love; while the
smoke of burning buildings rose to heaven and
the torch was wantonly applied to homes wide
~ known as the abodes OF refinement, hospital
lty and charity, when venerable age, sickness
and infancy were thrust out without shelter and
Knocked by the gibes and jeers of those who
called themselves n,en-not even then did chris
tam women invoke Nemesis, but before the
altar OF their crucifed Lord they sought for res
lgnation and strength to forgive as He had done.
u he sword of the South is sheathed, her banner
furleG, and with the tens of thousands who un-
to death welded and upheld them, let them
rest in peace, but also in honor.
This sacred feeling is imperishable and sure
ly demands respect; this sentiment could make
a widowed mother smile in exultation when,
amid the wreck of all other possessions, little
children whispered, Father sword is safe
For many years there may still be a conflict
in this nation, but it will be fought with the
weapons OF intellect only For this will the
youth of the South be trained; in an arena
where the force OF numbers will not avail, will
they again measure lances; voices from the
dead past will cheer them on; they will hear
the old cry of Flutes rotre deroir, and we will
not tremble for the result. We know there is
noble minority at the North, which the Me-
tropolitan SO ably represents, who will battle
side by side with them, and we believe will
finally triumph over the Puritanism, radicalism,
etc., which were ''the source Of all our woes. -
In almost every nation some natural produc-
ton OF the soil has been regarded as emble-
matte Of its people or It's destiny The Scottish
thistle is a true type Of a gallant race who can
not be trampled upon with impunity. What
emblem more appropriate than the triune sham
rock for people whose pre- eminent character
istic is attachment to their faith, and who may
Irish soil as uncongenial as do the reptiles of
animated nature.
The Sunny South" has been frequently
typiied by the queenly magnolia, the fragrant
jessamlne and the ever-blooming rose; and
while travellers have eloquently described them,
they have alluded to the apparent anomaly, the
sad discrepancy Of the mournful grey moss,
fattering its funereal seeming drapery, where
all else told only of joy and hope It is mean
ingless no longer-ft emblems mourning
land, 1t droopS over many roofess homestead
1t WreatheS Itself around our cemeteries and
waves It's banners over many nameless hero
grave. And less hopeless would be the task to
tear it from our forests that it nigh never more
meet the eye, than to eradicate the love Of the
grey which is the just tribute to valor, patriot
M, and ali that ennobles manhood. Nature
often seems to console or sympathise with us
in future years, as they who keep weary vigils
| outwatching the stars, view the grey tints o1
early dawn melt and kinde into the roseate
flush Of morn, they will recall the glories of Ma
nassas, Charlottesville and fredericksburg
And as long as at eve the twilight grey,
deepens into the shades of night, we will moi
! forget Atlanta, Columbia or Petersburg
On the bank of the Mississippi lately passed
the ruins of a stately mansion, probably once 9
happy home. The chimpeys and massive col
unns alone stood shot, shell and fire had eff
iectually done their mission. the orange grove
was destroyed. few struggling shoots of 'sthe
cloth Of gold,' and ''blood-red nose," the
| ''giant of battles,' showed the spot where once
had been garden. There was no sign Of life
or cultivation; but amid all this devastation
there lowered, unscathed, in immortal yerdurt
live oak heavily draped with the mournfu
moss And this [ thought should be the flu
ture emblem of the South the oak, the more
firmly rooted, the less liable to decay, from thu
tempests it had withstood, and the removal O
the adernnents that had been torn from arounc
1.-THE moss-"t that's for remembrance.
ROSEMARY.