Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1877-10-11
Es!r E,in', Riil n i aay Coach.

cleS OF tue war, none eAc0l tue
"Diary OF Southern Refugee
During the War;" Hale s. Son,
New York. 1S761 Ii is under.
stood to be from the pen of gift
ed lady of Virginia, wife of an E.
piscopal clergyman and member
of a family connection widely
known ard esteemed.
The humorous extract strikes
us not unworthy of Dickens:
We lett Winchester in the stage
coach for Strasburg at 10 o'clock
at night, on the 14th Of Decem-
Der, 1861. The weather was bit
ter cold, and we congratulated
ourselves that the coach was not
crowded. Mr.. McC. and the girls
were on the back seat, a Metho
dist clergyman, a soldier and my
self, on the middle, two soldiers
and our maid Betsy on the front
seat. We went off by starlight,
with every prospect OF pleasant
drive of eighteen miles.
As we were leaving the suburbs
of the town, the driver drew up
in front of snail house, from
which issued two women with a
baby, two baskets, several bundles
and box. The passengers began
to shout out, "Go on, driver what
do you mean there's no room for
another; go on. The driver
made no answer, but the two wo.
men came to the coach door and
began TO put in their bundles.
The gentlemen gently protested
that they could not get in there
was no room. The woman with
the baby said she would get in I;
she was "agwine TO Strasburg,
agwine to spend the Christmas
With her relations, whar she was
born and raised, land whar she had
not been for ten years, and nobody
bad q better right to the stage
than she had and she was agwine,
and Kitty Grim was agwine too7Ts
! III
she's my sister-in-law and so is
baby, cause baby Dever did see
her relations in Slrasburg in her
life. So, Uncle Ben y she ex-
claimed 10 The driver, "take my
basket and box with you, and me
and Kitty and baby and the bum
dies and the little basket will go.
inside"
All this was said amidst violent
protestatlons from the men within
"You can't get in +; driver, go on >
But, suiting the action to the
word, she opened the door, CALI.
ing, Come, Kitty" got on the
step aud thrust her head in, say
ing. "If these gentlemen is gen.
tlemen and have got any polite
ness, they will get out and set
with Uncle Ben, and let ladies
come inside" A pause ensued.
At last subdued tone FROM the
soldier on the middle seat was
heard to say, MADAM, If you will
get off the step, will get out"
every well, sir and why didn't
you say that at first 2 And now,"
said she, looking at asman on
the seat; There's another seat
by Uncle Ben; sposen you git out
and let Kitty Grim have your seat; /;
she's bound TO 60" The poor
man quietly got out without say.
ing a word ; but the very express
sion Of his back, as he got out OF
the coach was subduedl "Now,
Kitty, get in, aud bring the little
basket and them two bundles;
they won't poster the lady much.
The door was closed, and then the
scene being over, the passengers
shouted with laughter.
: Our heroine remained perfectly
passive until we got to the picket, a
mile from town. The driver stop
ped, q soldier came up for pass
ports. She was thunderstruek
Passes passes fer white folks! ]
never heard OF such thing. !
amt got DO pass; nuther is Kitty
Grim" Isugges;ed to her to keep
quiet as the best policy. just at
that time a Tennessee soldier had
confessed that he had forgotten to
get passport. "You can't go on" /"
said the official, and the soldier
got out. a e 49, kFfe
Presently the woman's turn
came. "Madam, your passport if
you please. :.
Il amt got none; nuther is
Kitty Grim CHATS my sister-iI,
Law !; and we amt agwine to git
out nuther, cause we's gwine to
Strasburg tc spend the Christmas
with my relations, and | AMT been
there for ten years. and | Dever
heard of white folks hsvingpasses.
"But, madam" began the Official
sYou needu't sbut madam me,