New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-22
For the New Orleans Republican,
4 MOTHERS SEARCH.
4 Reminiscence Of the War.
BIZ T. A. D.

"a lady wishes to speak with you, sir,
announced the orderly.
''Who is shel Why did you not ascertai
her name9
- do not know. She said that il wa
hardly worth while for her TO send in he
name, as you would be none the wiser b.
1T"
What sort of a person is she--young an,
pretty, or old and uglyg'
''Old as the mother OF st. Patrick. ant
a. ugly as the Witch of Endor.'
Keep her out, then, by all means. Tel
her that Pm busy-to call next week, OF tt
go to the devil-anything. To be impu
dent is a fault only pardonable in you'll
and beauty; but to be old, ugly and lmpu'
dent is to be outside the pale of mercy"
THAT all may be so, Colonel, but never.
Iheless must speak with you"
These were her words az she pushed past
che orderly, and came into the room with a
movement at once rapid and catlike, but
still not devoid of Q certain grace and dig
nifty. And the orderly was right in saying
that she was ugly-that is if yellow
wrinkled skin, large toothless mouth. q
dong, thin, sharp nose, and chin clothed
by scant crop Of beard, ffosted by the
winters of sixty odd years-an united,
would be supposed to constitute ugliness.
This was the sort of woman who thus forced
herself into the presence of your humble
servant, chief Of staff of aGeneral command
ing department in the Confederate States.
She did not appear to be the least abashed
either by the stern and whitening glance
that bestowed upon her, but looking me
full in the face with those large blue, and
singularly clear eyes, for one Of her age,
said in low and sweet vOice-yes she
had sweet and motherly toned voice.
81 wished much to see you, and had so
little time to lose"
Now had determined to have her put
out for her insolence 1t was not
to be permitted, such a forcible
invasion Of the sacred inner cham
Der Of headquarters. 1t mattered not
what her business was, or who she was, she
should be made to pay due respect to the
commanding General and his staff; but
when she looked into mine through those
great soft eyes, and that kind and mourn
full voice fell upon my ear, thought that
alter all l would not be hard upon her, and
Mt least hear what she had to say. And
then, upon consideration, she was not SO
ugly, after all, in spite of her age, her
Wri nkles, her poverty in teeth and wealth
in be ard. As she stood there she seemed
stately and noble, SO ! rose involuntarily
and offered her chair. Yes, I, Colonel
Blunderbuss, the sOurest martinez in the
service, offered this intruder q chair.
begged her to be seated, and requested
that she would make known her business.
Previous" said she, ito my doing that
it is right for me to inform you who am,
And to my nodded assent she continued:
IS NY name is Wheelock - Mrs. Abigail
Wheelock, of Bath, New Hampshire. am
not one of those women who NEEDLE with |
politics, or who are attached to any depart
ment of the army which is fighting your
people to save the Union. ! am plain |
country woman-a farmers wife-and be-
fore this awful war began never was beyond
the limits of my native State. But our only
child went off to the war, and last year he
disappeared after the fight at Antietam.
They said he was killed, and ut first be-
ieved it; but soon could not believe 1t
my longer, spuething told me that he