New Orleans Republican., 1873-04-06
a Night in Bedford. virginis.

are as common IN ny MA Do AFA'AC9I
grass, or clumps of sassatras-"to the de
pot every morning for three or tour days
for YOU
THE deuce he has Then why didn't
he let mo know by letter. AZ l asked him
TO dO?'
Cant say, really"
This conversation took place in the main
street of the extraordinary city OF Lugston,
a city so very peculiar that ! must give it
an entire article some day.
Repairing forthwith to a newspaper ofhce,
wrote to the General how sorry was that
he had been put TO so much trouble-l had
not received the letter which he must have
written-ebliged to 90 home IN the morning
hoped At some future time 20 have the
pleasure, etc Then l went TO my lodgings
Op Federal Hill and, behold, there was the
letter. although the ambulance'-ever
blessed!-''had been so often to the depot.
it would be there on Monday morning, and
again on Tuesday evening. Dom fail to"
etc. Whereupon l called for paper and
wrote the General that, in spite of the ne
cessity for my returning home the next
day, | would be at Blank Station on Tues
day evening, and meet that ambulance
blessed ambuianCe!-or die IN the struggle.
Go | would, and go ! went-it that is
grammar.
A newspaper editor-there is no end of
editors in Virginia; wherever there is q
tan, lanyard or q wood pile, there you
find One-a learned professor who had
t1Ourishing school few miles up the road
public instruction is playing hob with
most of the private schools ID ITglnlal,
and judge on a lecturlng tour thow is q
Virginia Judge TO support his family with
out lecturing wood saving or other sup
Elementary business u entertained me most
1v n
cadet from Annapolis was the frat OBJ.
iect that met my eye when / got out.
"S death Eirginian in that hated uni
FORM"
said no such thing, telt no such thing,
but was inwardly pleased that Uncle Sans
money (he gets ten millions q year out of
Virginia tobacco, and then brsgs about
what he does for our children, the sly old
dog !! was educating some of our boys who
otherwise might not be educated halt so
we'll, if at all Moreover, the broad shout
ders, tho trim tanks, the squiline nose,
brown hair and ruddy cheeks Of the young
fellow recalled the best specimens of British
lads whom had seen in Canada and else
where. In truth, could hardly persuade
myself that he was not English.
Albion was in the air, tor on the other
side of the depOt there was q lot of trunks
and other baggage, the make of which could
not he mistaken. ! soon learned that one
of the best estates in the neighborhood had
been sold to an Englishmsn. who had ar.
rived that very day.
..Furies the sacred soil Of Virginia again
passing into the hands of the blarsted
Hinglish, from whom it was vrested cen.
turv ago by the blood and treasure of
George Washingtons hatchet! 4 federal
cadet on one side and an Englishman on
the other OF Blank Depot, away of here in
RadfOrd What are we coming to -
I did not say or think this either, but Was
delighted to find John Bul. pervading the
Old Dominion
Another and a titterer pill, had I been %
disloyaI as was five years ago, and ought
to be now, awaited me, as you shall hear.
But where is that ambulance ! The
blessed vehicle was there, and after so long
and painful a separation we should have
met face to face if it had not been backed
I'D to the platform 20 receive-WhOm! me?
No, q parcel of ladies, who filed every seat
Nv infiammable SOuthside soul would have
burst into high blaze at this if a gentle
man had not Immediately stepped forward
with a snug Jug Of whisky. Whisky in any
vessel love; but whisky in Jug, in a jug
not too big to handle easily l adore. My
v;znOmy relaxed, beam of joy began to
irradiate my features, when to my extreme
surprise the benevolent jug gentleman said:
Take glass of claret punch" had the
glass as well as the jug"-'.won't you, Sir!
Amazement! claret punch in jug at q
depot in the heart, or at any rate the peri
cardium. of Bedford county! Where was 1?
who was Il what was my name! and where
was | going to! In my life ! neveg was
more nOnplussed.
The ambulance drove of, and was con-
.;gned % spring wagon with a white boy
1r a driver.
How far is it 20 the Generals" | ven-
.red to ask as | stepped in.
Eight miles.
"WheVg'
Never mind. sir; We shall be there in an
hour and halt.
And off we went like the wind He
drove very boldly. and at the same time
very cautiously. avoiding the numerous
srurnps. stones and ruts with admirable
dexterlty. | began 20 suspect tia, the boy
was not Virginia boy. When at length
We reacked the sm0Oth stage road began
TO question him.
Are YOU The Generals son"
mo, sir: that was my father at the sta.
t;on''-he of the Jug.
"How do you like this eountryi'
NV habit from childhood had been 60
take the life of any stranger who had the
audacity TO tell me that he did not like any
and every part of Virginia. but Of late
have coutepted myself with slicing of his
ears.
"The longer live here the better like
it,
Smart boy he had saved hi. auditory
organs. But as yet his accent had not
been sufficiently defined to enable me TO
tell his nationality. 'IOU are no: from
England are you!"
mo, indeed sir-from New Hampshire g
The appalling truth was out. First. a
Yankee uniform; second, an EnglIshman;
third, whole raft. a "huil lot of New
Hampshire Yankees, and yet they call this
Virginia!
No wonder was silent. Night had fallen.
we had entered dark forest, there was an
unreconstructed penknife tsomehow or
other l always forget my bowie knife and
Derringers nOwadaysl recently sharpened,
in nv pocket. Why did I not cut the
throat of this little oppressor and fatten
the soil of my native lard with the blood
OF the small ruthless Yankee invader
1t was just because at this moment we
eau yht up with the ambulance. The two
vehicles halted. young girl and little
boz lef: tbs ambulance and took seats by
the side of my driver, and the greeting of
the brother and sister-the latter having
irst returned from visit 20 her native
granite hills-was actually as affection.
are, beautiful and sweet a. If they
had been born IN the middle OF the
mother Of States and OF statesmen. And
rs the ambulance drove on there came
floating back to us ever and anon on the
night wind d still sweeter voice. Ii came
from. a young lady-a young Yankee lady
at that-anG il sounded sweet 70 me--co me
myself, my own dear, unadultera.ed. real
Old Virginia self.
Turning from the main road. we wound
around among the rocky rsvines IN fash