Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1868-10-09
A SOUTHERN HEROINE.
An Incident of the Late War.
lFrom PolIard's southern opin,on.l

MT. d. uNeu III -. Laura, MS
eldest daughter, wasjust sixteen when
the war opened. She ha been reared
in all the luxury Of Southern plan
ter's life. Just as soon as the Federal
army was within reach every able
young hand, save a boy of fourteen,
left and went to the enemy, leaving
the old and infirm to add to the care
of providing the necessaries of life.
Wife, suppose we may as well
turn the cows and calves out together;
old Charity is too rheumatic to attend
to them, and have tried i'm vain fol
two hurs to milk thcm.'
NO, indeed, papa; we cannot dc
without butter and milk. can milk
the cows
You milk! Whereupon earth did
you learn?'
Il learned when L was quite a
little girl. Do You not remember
how you and mother used to call me in
from thepen and seat me i'm the house
lest should get rude and hoyden-
nish? Well, IstOle out often enough
to learn TO milk quite well; but, papa,
you look as red as if all your blood
were In your face, and you are pant
ing as though you had: been running
foot race. 1t cannot be the effort OF
milkingso, much, since you did not
get drop; pray tell us what it is all
about?"'' A mischievous twinkle stole
out of the brown eyes, and rippled
over the dimgled CHECKS and around
the .cherry HSer HiaSer father. e" o''s''
"Well, Miss Saucy-box, I have had
n chase after nearly every cow III the
pen, and after closing in the corner
first one and then the other, have not
been able to draw one drop of milk
Nor do believe that those little white
hands, which have only toyed with
flowers all your life, Will ever get a
pint; but ifyou wish you can try"
"Try! yes, indeed, and milk them
too. After all, do not believe you
lords of creation are half az useful M
we bits of womanhood."
And the blithe creature shook he,
curls saucily, and rang out a merry
laugh.
"Why are you taking that immense
bucket Laura, If you succeed In milk
ing, three or four will yield milk ant
and butter sufficient for u.s."
az know that, mother, but am MOI
going to lose so much for our SICK
soldiers; you have been sending then
twenty pounds of butter every week
and intend to continue doing so."
rrhings are very different now from
what they have been; neither you
father or Henry can spare time t.
take it. How will you get 1t thcr'
after il Is made?p
"Ncver do you mind, mother
where there is n will there is a way;
1 have IL all planned very nicely"
Blithely she tripped away, will
her bucket on her arm, looking bacl
and laughing Mt her parents.
Twice was Mr.. j. called to bear th'
immense bucket in, full of the delight
ful beverage, and each time lIaur;
bantered him with every step, but a
he quaflCd the refreshing milk afte
q day of toll, he gave her full permits
sion to laugh at him SO long rs SIN
succeeded.
Bright as bird, the young girl fit
ted through the house and over tn
place, and though you would scarce
Ify believe her working, all was don
in orderand i'm time, and her halfinva
lid mother was spared every extra In
Dor. Mr.. j. had learned how mucl
and better work can be done by one
own hands than by servants, an,
they were all just becoming contente
: with the change in theirmode of liv
ing when the Federal army reaches
their neighborhood; and then begal
the work of devastation and ruin il
real earnest. Their house soon fel
into the hands of the foe, and the,
looked helplessly on while the fam
ing torch was applied TO the magniii
cent edifice which, In q few hour;
was heap of burning Goals. The,
: supposed that Mr.. j. had gold abou
r him, and resorted to various torture
, TO extract ii from him. These terror
and exposure soon snapped the atten
uated threads Which held together tn
frail life of Mrs. j. and three day
|. after she was burned out of house an
, home they laid her to rest in quie
, spot In the garden.
"IIaura, feel completely crushed
there Is no life nor strength left fo
labor and struggle, | feel that
too must die; nor can wish 10 liv
{ after she Is gone. What will you dt
t child?n
| "Fathei, do not talk thus. Do nc
, feel thus; there are three younge
than i, for these we must arous
from our grief; for these we must wor
on, we owe Ii 10 the helpless Ones; W
I owe II to the dead; we owe II TO you
sons in the field; TO our strugglin
country To show that as long us "
! live we can be self-sustaining."
/ "But what do you propose now
, Laura? all is gone, even the roof ovt
|. our heads"
1 '"f'he land yet remains, the garden
) er's house IL untouched. This col
: tains two rooms and Is shroudled
trees, and lays In such deep vale
: that IL will not be likely 10 attrlt
. ,ho ououVfs u,tf.o IntaaI I sut