Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-06-13

Mrs. Elliott now reentered with some large

Mrs. Elliott now reentered with some large
bundles. .
'Mr. Wright, here are some things for you
to carry to your family. The tea 1 shall
keep, and next time I have headache shall
expect it to have balm no other could pos
sess but the sugar, salt, and other things l
cannot take. I shall neverforget, though, how
kind it was in you to bring them. What is
there you need most? Don't hesitate to let
me know, for I wish to send whatever it il"
"Well, Mrs. Elliott, ifyou could spare few
plates and cups, we shall be very glad. We
had to eat our rice right out of the oven this
morning and noon. Our forks, spoons and
one set of knives I took with me, and they are
saved but our crockery and glass is all gone. y
"You were badly treated by the army
Grace, will you help Lance pack ups basket
of that white set in the righthand closet in
the dining-room Mr.. Wright, am fortu'
nate in having full assortment of crockery
which we never use, so it will not be necessary
for you to borrow it. You can keep it, for We
do not want it and if there's any thing elsf
you need, I wish you to call for it freely"
"Thank you. We are greatly obliged t
you; but don't wish to tax your kindness toe
far. Good evening, Mrs. Elliott, 1 must load
the cart and be off, won't ask you to come
while we are so upset"
"But I'm coming soon, any way. Good
evening"
Mrs. Elliott went over in couple Of days
and found they had indeed been upset.
The yard was Uttered from one end to the
other with broken articles. The sitting-room
lower bedrooms and piazzas, had been cleaned
and the remnants Of furniture put in order
but the dining-room, which they were begin
ming on that morning, was a perfect sight
Every thing had been injured or demolished
Cups of coffee, the milk-pitcher, molasses-cup
and dish of hominy had been dashed against
the walls and spilled on the floor. The table
was torn apart, the doors Of the sideboard
broken of, the drawers thrown down, while ii
was pitched on the ruins of the table, chairs
dishes, and all mixed together. One window
curtain had plate of fried meat tied up in
it, and the grease had run down window and
wall the others were torn down and trampled
among glass, crockery, and the remains Of the
breakfast the family were eating when the
first soldiers arrived. ...
"That room was the worst" Mrs. Wright
said; but when they went up stairs, Mrs. Ell
liott thought that-saving the grease-it was
fully as bad. Pillows and beds we're cut open
and feathers filled every place. Quilts, blan'
kets, sheets and pillow-cases were tom in
strips, tied round bed posts, festooned over
windows, or left scattered on the floor.
"From the little 1 have examined" said
Mrs. Wright, II think the bed ticks are not
cut very badly, and the bed'clothes are torn
mostly in straight strips so they can be put
together again and be of some service when
we can get needles, thread and thimbles.
shall miss my sewing machine now. There
1t is" and she pointed to pile of broken iron
which bore no resemblance to the neat, handy
machine it had once been.
"How can you take it so coollyS If we
had been served this way 1 have no idea I
could bear it so calmly. You had your house
so nicely furnished, and it was SO comfortable
and convenient, and now the most necessary
things are destroyed. Itmakes me feel badly"
eyes, but our house was spared no rude
ness was offered to any of us, except in injur-
ing our property; and Mr.. Wright says we
must look on the bright side, take it as one of
the misfortunes of war, and show how much
my Scotch thrift can do to remedy our losses.
The children are constantly finding something,
and when we are clean and all in order again,
hope to get along very we'll. Susan found
a pair Of scissors with only one point broken,
and good hair brush under the house ;
Johny was lucky enough to find whole
ham and little bacon under pile Of rub
bish; and Mr.. Wright has four bales ofcotton
on the Burnt Bay-place. Ipresume there are
many families who haven't any thing left"
II am sorry for them," said Mrs. Elliott,
with sigh.
$50 am l." said Mrs. Wright, as she stopped
to pick up needle; but it was broken in the
eye. "If it was the point, it could have been
sharpened," said she. Mrs. Elliott had never
heard before, broken pointed needle could
be made serviceable.
"Here is the pestle to the iron mortar"
called out Johnny, as the two ladies went to
the gate.
"Pick it up and put it away" said Mrs..
Wright.
"I saw the mortar under the kitchen" "
cried Susan, and away she scampered to get
it out
"I have learned not to despise the day Of
small things" said Mrs. Elliott, as she rode
homewards.
"And I, too, have learned lesson" replied
her husband "Had I been broken up like
Wright, I should have set down in despair,
not knowing what to do; but he is already at
work, planning, repairing and working, as if
it were only common occurrence. He has
almost nothing left. Once I should have
said, See what it is to be used to poverty but
that won't apply to him, for he is as much
above the poor white trash in the country as
we are; and he has always had plenty, if he
wasn't rich"
"My dear, we may yet have to learn by
hard experience that this life consisteth not in
the abundance of things which we possess"
II hope, for your sake and that Of my fam