Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-09-02
AN OLD FEMALE REBEL.

l remember a conversation between
two OF them-one q young wife whose
husband was in the army, and the other
an elderly lady with no husband nor son,
but with many friends and near relatives
in marching regiments. The young lady
remarked:
I'm sure ! do not hate our enemies.
/ earnestly hope their souls may 60 to
heaven, but | would like to blow all their
mortal bodies away as fast as they could
come upon our soil.
"Why, you shock me, my dear, re-
piled the other; Il don't see why you
want the Yankees to 90 to heaven: |
hope to get there myself, some day. and
I'm sure l shouldn't want to go if |
thought l should find any of them there. "
The old lady was convinced from the
first that the South would fail, and she
based this belief upon the fact that we
had permitted the Yankees to build rail-
roads through the Southern States. II
will tell you, she would say, that
what they built the roads for They
knew the war was coming, and they got
ready for it. The railroads will whip us,
you may depend. What else were they
made for? We got on well enough with
out them, and we oughn't to let anybody
build them" And no amount of reason
ing would serve to shake her conviction
that the people OF the North had built all
our railroads with treacherous intent,
though the stock of the only road she had
ever seen was held very largely by peo-
pie along its line, many of whom were
her own friends.
A YOUNG REBEL IN PETTICOATs.
A young girl, ordinarily of very gen
tie disposition, astonished a Federal Col
onel one day by an outburst Of temper
which served at least to show the earnest.
ness of her purpose to uphold her side Of
the argument. She lived in part of
the country then for the first time held by
the Federal army, and Colonel, with
some members of his staff, made her
family the unwilling recipients of call
one morning. Seeing the piano open
the Colonel asked the young lady to
play, but she declined He then went 10
the instrument himself, but be had hardly
begun to play, when the damsel, raising
the piano top, severed nearly ell of the
strings with Ratchet, saying to the as
tonished performer as she did so;
That's my piano, and it shall not
give you a minutes pleasure" The Col
onel bowed, apologized and replied
" If all your people are as ready as
you to make costly sacrifices, we might
as well go home"
And most Of them we're ready and
willing to make similar sacrifices. One
lady of my acquaintance knocked in the
heads Of dozen casks of choice wine,
rather than allow some Federal officers
to sip as many glasses Of it. Another
destroyed her own library, which was
very precious to her, when that seemed
the only way in which she could prevent
the staff of general officer, camped near,
from enjoying a few hours reading in
her parlor every morning. There is
STORY OF GENERAL FORREST,
which will serve to show his opinion Of
the pluck and devotion of the Southern
women. He was drawing his men up in
line Of battle one day, and twas evident
that sharp encounter was about to take
place. Some ladies ran from house
which happened to stand just in front Of
his line, and asked him anxiously:
What shall We do, General, what shall
we DOR
Strong in his faith that they only
wished to help in some way, he replied:
81 really don't see that you can do
much, except to stand on stumps, wave
your bonnets, and shout 'Hurrah bOys"