The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-03-20
A Picture of a Thousand.

bia there lay upon q bed of sickness; IN
a hospital, the widowed mother OF two
little GIRLS, who, innocently, and in blissful
Ignorance of their sad situation, amused
themselves with children's sports in the
place of privation, sorrow and pain to
which their poor mother had retreated as
the only refuge in her helplessness. She
had come from Georgia to attend her hus-
band, soldier, who was sick in the hos
pital, and who was soon relieved from
misery and the dread scenes to come by
death: His poor wife soon took his place
in the sick list, and her only children, tie
two little girls, remained as guests OF this
place, where infancy was 80 strangely as
sociated with disease with all its horrors,
and became familiar with Death, who, at
tended by famine, maintained his hideous
vigils over the sick, wounded and dying
inmates.
The thunders of the approaching arfnS,
the roar of flames, the ringing OF bells, the
falling of houses, the bursting Of shells,
and grief; so shocked the feeble sick wo-
man i'll the hospital that she died from
grief and fright, bestowing a last glance,
in utter despair, upon her two little chill
dren, whose fate it was to be left at such
a time amongst strangers, far from home
and perfectly helpless. Who can tell the
anguish OF that poor mother at passing
away from the world and leaving her ten
der offspring to the mercies and chances
of that pcrilous day! 1t was indeed a
mercy that the pang and the agony were
brief.
The mother died, and was buried by
order of General Sherman, who also order
ed that the two infants should be sent TO
the asylum A general famine followed in
the march of that general officer, and there
beng nothing whcrewith to feed the in
mater Of the asylum, there was no recourse
but to send them away. Here was another
phase of that extreme human misery which
chills the blood even to read of: The fee
ble, the sick, the lame, and the halt, and
the helpless who found refuge in that asy-
lum, were to go forth, as there was moth
ing there to feed them. Where were they
to 60? and what to do? What became
of them all, none can tell: Death ended
the SORROWS of many.
In the midst of this sad community were
the two mothcrlcss girls, mere infants, un-
conscious of their lot. People came from
all quarters to see what could be done for
the dispensing household. Among those
who came on this errand was lady of
great worth and refinement, who was once
the mistress Of mansion where all that
wealth, and elegance, and taste could con-
tribute to comfort and enjoyment was
gathered together. She had fled from the
fine estates of her husband IN Beaufort,
and the fair and rich domains she once
looked on as hers was now parcelled out
amongst her late slaves. Living in what
may be called poverty in Columbia, she
vet needed some assistance in her house
keeping for herself and family, and re-
paired to the asylum to obtain, if possible,
Il servant girl. There her eyes were at
tractcd by the two little girls, thinly clad,
sitting in a corner on the sunny side Of the
house ON chilly April day, hugging each
other to keep warm. They were remark
able for their beauty, and very symmetri-
cal and delicate figures.
The lady made inquiry, and learned
their history. Her heart yearned towards
them; but what could she do in her pow
crty? Contemplating them in their for
lorn condition, yet so bright and so uncon-
scious of their fate, chccrfully endeavoring
to borrow from the sim that warmth which
mans inhumanity had deprived them Of,
she was oppressed with the force of the
tender sympathy which she felt she was
too poor to crafty. She turned away
abruptly and hurried toward her home
But those two tender and bright faces
those two babes with neither home nor re-
lative were before her. She could not
shut them out Her pity and sympathy
grows as she widened the distance between
her and them, and at last, completely
overcome by her solci:ude, she turned
back, and in the multitude of lniserables
soug hit the children, and taking one in
each hand, walked up with them in de-
light.
Since then, until few days ago, that
noble lady has maintained these children
under all the privations cf her own stu
alton. She had sought in vain.for place
of refuge for them. Some two weeks ago
she wrote to Miss Emily Mason now in
Baltimore-that indefatigable lady who
had done so much to relieve the unfortun-
ate and afflicted of these times-inquiring
if some provision could not he made for
these children. Miss Mason had filled all
the places she succeeded in finding, and
had written letter saying that nothing
could then be done for thcm-when, as it
were by Providential design, letter came
from ST. LouiS offering places for twelve
Southern children, the means for the sup
port and education of whom had been pro-
vided by the liberal citizens of that city.
Miss Mason, with delight all who know
her can we'll imagine, rcopcned the letter
to her Columbia friend and wrote post
script, in which she was requested to send
on "Bculah" and 'Lulu''-ror these were
.l,a ,a.,,as a4 Tho mntlnrless little Eawns-