Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-12-30

KY ~ a. i1o6S.
rive MsunnD B1sn AAnsso.s
A MAINE woMAx's 18ANIsCEhCE OF
THE WAR. n, :
One morning early In January, 1854, ]
took up the Washiugtun Chronicle, and
read: "Ths ssntsnes u death recently
passed by court 0agtial upoa Tie 1uue Dc.
sertsrs = he's bssh sppsovsd - tbs
President, and Efiday,e the Goth instast
has been fixed upon Tor thar executioa."
1 would gladly haze avoided that para
graph, but my ere caught its dread inn
port too quickly. I cannot forget Il,
thought, and II will haunt me as the
time approaches 1t was then the custom
I believe, to mske military executions,
which had not yet become common In the
army, as impressive, that IL to ssy, -
ghsstly as possible; And who could
imagine the awful scene, even for q mo-
ment, and not loose all the warmth and
cheer of that glad holiday sunshine?
The days went by however, and my
memory, kinder than had ventured TO
hope, had suffered the dreaded event 10
slip away among the things unthought Of
if not forgotten. 1t was now Wednesday
and the next Friday was the fatal day.
About ten o'clock q gentleman Of my ac-
quaintance come TO my room, saying there
was q woman below whose husband was
sentenced to BE- shot, and couldn't do
something to help her? The woman was
indeed there, and in great distress, for her
husband was one Of the doomed four. He
had deserted, nor will l suppress the
further fact that this was the second time
he had attempted to rejoin his family.
nor the further circumstances doubtful
palliatiou that he had done 30 while ex-
cited with drink. Even IL the soldiers
misconduct had made me indifferent to
his fate-snd it certainly had not-his
poor wife's distress would have reused my
warmest sympathies.
But what could doY Oh for station,
influence, power But / had none of
them. What could i do? / could at
least do what every sensible and practical
woman does when involved In any grave
emergency, such for instance as tho leav-
ing of an old home, the selling Of o pet
ted horse, or-but / will not speak of
harder separations. | could at least cry.
and even 80 / did, heartily, soothingly,
almost refreshinvly.
This needful preliminary over. I ad-
dressed myself 10 business. | had some
slight acquaintance with one or two Sem
ators, and even with the Vice President,
but could they, or would they, help in this
matter Had not the poor woman come
TO Washington fortnight before, and
with a Senator TO help her, tried in vain
to get an audience with the President, till
heart and hope had failed her Put not
your trust IN princes. | knew tho I'M
bounded kindiines-. the deep and tender
manhood Of the good President, and
judged that by appealing to him As
women, on tn. ground Of humanity and
mercy, we might succeed, unless all hope
were past.
How slowly the horse rumbled aud
jolted along coward the White House that
sad, anxious Ia orning! Women and girls
with bright and CHEEKY faces came in and
went out. OF tripped j,untily along the
side walks in holiday attire. Why not
Their husbands or brothers were not TO
be shot in eight and forty hours. Yonder
goes a general with the stars upon his
shoulders. Perhaps he might help US if
he would, but what Is the death of four
privates to him And besides they are
deserters.
At length the car reaches the gate way
of the pre.id ential mansion, the bell
strikes sharply, and we alight. With
what futterinx hearts did we hurry along
the broad sweeping walk, aud pause be-
meath the portico! An usher answers the
bell.
Can we see the President 2"
No, you mt"
Cant We see him il we watt"
No, there Are forty Senators and Mem.
bers up there pow, waiting to see him"
But we must see him"
whats the use of your saying you
must see him I you can't"
"Can we wait in the East Room 2"
Assent is srudgingly given. and we
wander into the East Room, and sit down,
troubled yet % OF in despair. The place is
somewhat fam liar to me, yet everything
has strange look this morning. Her.
the President holds his receptions, and
every body approaches him freely Oh,
for sight of his face this mornino And
as often rs the hopelessness al our case
comes over me. say to myself, what if it
were my husband.
At length servant enters, and proceeds
to dust the futnituIe. He has ut least a
kind face.
"How 1T III the evening" we ask,
docs ~ President see callers z"
"S1metimes as late "a ten o'clock
DO you -u ppose we can obtain An in
terview with the President"
Perhaps no, if You wait till another
usher comes on duty at three o'clock He
viii be more 3blgine than the one now at
the door"
VIII you show Us up stairs to the
waiting room
1t Is not the servants place to do so,
but he directs us. Thanking him for his
kind though humble assistance. we ascend
the Stair, and find ourselves in the ante
room. Many persons are here, Senators,
Representative s, generals, ladies, and DIR.
Mary Walker Some of the magnates
recognize, but more are unknown We
approach the usher. As usher may be-
come AN important parsonage, when the |
III after Is one of lie or death
Can We SEP the President =
You can be seated and wait"
An hour passes-how slowly The |
usher takes in the card of one dignitary
and another, who enters in turn, and after |
interviews of greater or less length, came
out and gave place to others. Will our
turn ever come?
Dickens once drew an amusing sketch
Of the expecta mt watchers and walters in
this same room, but We are not to be
this morning. / see aud do not
everything while absorbed
in two great thoughts, life and death
The world holds only three people for me
this morning the soldier ut the front,
the woman at my side, and the President.
A kind lady, seeing the distress of my
offers to yield her chance, If
he should first be summoned Our
,rrand gets whispered about, and many
how a kind sympathy. Twice 1 address
to persons connected with the ,
stablishment-one of them to "good old
Daniel the traditional saint of the White
/ get some encouragement.