Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-10-30

oAli noAAuS uhbiA tlV SlOCh 6UOulQ
count. eight, so / could 60 to bed.
for there is nothing going on at
night in that dismal great house in
the swamps. l was surprised to
have visitors, for anybody that
knows the country doesn't 90 out
after night if he can help 1.-THE
roads are so dangerous. But these
men had not long been in the coun-
try, and they rode up. They said
they had heard me speak of Mrs.
Mills, and they had got news that
she was killed, and they started
over right away to tell me. They
stayed all night. How remorseful
/ felt. had been ringing bells
and burning fires in the cypress
brakes while my old friend was
dying, mashed and bruised beyond
recognition. They said Fernando
came to see her just before she died,
but she would not have him admit
ted. In this hotel also lived Myra
Gains, poor as a mouse, running up
bills to be paid when she came into
her inheritance. She owes Charles
O'Coner about $4,000. She owes
board bills every place in Washing
ton, and her store bills have been
running for twenty-five years. One
night she had beenput out of hotel,
and | took her in with me. That
was long after my husbands death.
Myra was bright as a cricket. Her
having been turned out made her
gayer than common. We were
dressing to go to a hop. Mrs. Gains
had a handsome, large breast-pin
containing General Gains picture,
surrounded by pearls. She was
stirring over things in her trunk
and dipping them up by the hand
ful-she was a most untidy thing.
'0h! Mrs. Green, have you seen
General GainsY said she. Gen
eral Gains p 'Yes, his picture. |
have lost my PIN l smiled at her
expressing her loss in that way, but
while she was still rummaging l
discovered that / had mislaid sim
liar picture of General Green. 1t
was valuable, and l was alarmed.
'0h! Mrs. Gains, have lost Gen
eral Green / said. We both found
the brooches at the same moment,
and don't suppose it seems very
wifely when ! say we sat on the bed
and laughed till the tears came, over
the loss of General Green and Gen.
eral Gains. General Scott was at
the hotel great DEAL. never will
forget a compliment he paid me.
He told General Green that | was
the handsomest and most richly
dressed lady at a ball. My husband
was so proud that he couldn't keep
it, but had to come and whisper It
to me. Now l have come back to
the house, an old, decrepit woman.
Nobody remembers me. Children
are grandparents and the gay old
crowd that lived here before the
war are all gone. Then champagne
flowed like water Six boys were
kept busy in the wine room. Now
a popping cork is seldom heard.
Then the ladies all made grand
dinner toilets low necks, Jewels,
pink and blue silk the ladies wore,
or sheer lilac organdies. The gem
tlemen waited in dress suits and
gloves to conduct the ladies with
ceremony into the dining-room.
Every family had negro servants,
coachmen, and maids, Those were
times of splendor which will never
return. Then l wore a white bro
caded silk and diamonds, and was
led to dinner by Lord Baltimore.
Now | go in alone in a plain, black
waterproof dress"
Of many other distinguished per-
sons Mrs. Green gave interesting
"reminiscences, butI must save them
for another letter.