The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1881-03-29

y
or her, as the case may be, who | am
or when, or where all this happened
My name is Alden, a lneal de
scendait am from John and the Pris
ella Alden, whose romantic histor,
you doubtless have read, in poetry
IL mot in prose. My ancestors hat
4 gone West, almost century ago
hence those Puritahic and pro1incia
prcjudices, so characteristics of thosl
descendants of the Nag BYower par
~, who still cling 10 The crags o
Plymouth Rock. had been lost in ih,
broad and fertile valleys of the Ohio
or they had wandered eff and found
a flower bespangled over on the
boundless prairies of Illinois. At an,
rate they found no place in my heart
The time ofwhich wrilo vac Jan
uary, 1862 Place, s southwestern
Kentucky. Grants army was max
ing grand reconnaissance, in .forct
with q view 10 feeling oftho eneni,
before making an attack upon Fort
| Donaldson. : ''t'3s,aF 9 5H-
Acold, pitiless rain he'd peltcd us
all day, and was still pouring down
upon soldiers and officers alike
When the Village OF B. came in
view at O'Clock in the afternoon, [
had srudged through the mud aud
wsded, swollen streams, from eqrly
morn, having surrendered my horse
to sick soldier of The brigade 10
which 4 was attached, and was, there
fore worn and weary, and almost
III. Immediately after the order had
been passed along the line to halt aud
pitch tcnie fort the night, a large nun.
Der Of the officers galloped on to the
village aud sought shelter beneath
the roofof the only hotel il contained.
1t had been myipurpose to get a4hot
supper, and dry bed also, but my pro.
icssional duties detained me for some
time, and when l reached the door OF
the Inn, was informed that not only
all the beds, utevery square foot OF
the parlor and sillipg-roon floors
had been prc-empted.
1t was while sadly vending my
way back to camp. that l.hhd Tie
rare, good fortune, or tate, 10. attract
the attention OF Dir. Jewell. My
boots were covered with mud, my
clothes dripping with water, nnd |
felt as II chilled 10 the. marrow cfmy
bones and the centre of my heart.
IL took but brief time to warm me
however, for the elements OF warmth
were abundant. AT lis request /
followed tie Dr.into his chamber,
md doiincd a snit of his clothes,
while he sent my own by q colored
boydo the kitchen 10 be dried. Re-
turning to- the parlor, l observed q
large bowl ofsteaming punch, fankcd
By goblets upon table which had
been drawn up near the fire, and by
whicllaa easy chair had been placed.
The family arose as the Dir. aud adj.
vnnced, and the old gentleman de-
ivered very briei, bat very elo-
qucnt temperance speech. He said :
| s.You Northerners have peculiar
notions about the use of liquor, al
least some OF you have. have been
told that in some plnces il is an'insult
toe a guest TO offer him a glass Of
punch. We Soutlierhers think dii.
ierently. With us 1t is an act of hos
pilality to Invite our friends, and
even strangers to join us in a social
glass. do not know what your
views are, but, believing that punch
is a good medicine for a inall W ho
has been dreuched by a coldraiu,
ordered some prepared, and hope
YOU will join us in glass before sup.
per. But If you have any conscien.
tious seruples we;s!.ai! respect them
and at once send the bowl IRON The
room" oms
81 have no such scruples, .Ircspon,
ded. 1T is tho abuse and not Tie
proper use ofstimulants that forms
the basis of my temperance creed,
aud there are times when brandy is O
blessing, and this is one of The times
| shall join you, most heartily" ~
Atthe close ofmy speech the old
gentleman gave place TO @his wife
who advanced and filed the goblets
to The brinf while Lillian handed
them around. When each of the gen.
tlencn had been supplied with, efuI
ana ioaming beakcrs, and tho ladies
wi iih smaller glasses only part full
tho father said to the son: .Give us
toast, Walter-one suited TO the oc,
casion.D' se ~ 9
ghe DR.. complied by saying 8 X.
"Aiay the acquaintance begun to
night fripen into a friendship be.
fore which all sectional and political
preiudlces shall dissolve and iisap.
pear. and may that friendship live and
flourish in the hearts of all present,
when this cruel war shall exist only
asa sad and observation-disclosures ;
i''I must heartily endorse the senli-
ment iyoul have SO beautifully ex.
pressed Iresponded, and beg leave
to quote from Northland poet il
reply"
"May the song birds Of peace soon, revisit oui
afe glades, Ht' ~ aafNh
And our children clasp hands whero theil
fathers crossed blades"
| a reverent 9nd feryent Amen
burst from the lips OF lhe old gentle.
man, as he touched my glass with
HE, aid raised it to his lips, tears
rolled down the furrowed features Of
his good wife, and tears stood in the
blue eyes OF the beautiful Lillian, and
the long silken lashes that curtained
those heavenly orbs, dropped and
quiyered like the laden willow
fringe that hides from sight the crys-
tai waters of spring of Eden-the
Eden of my childhood.
Supper being announced at this
moment, the old folks led the way
and the DIR. takingmy arm followed
them into an large, old-fashioned
room, which seryed as both kitchen
and dinning-room. II was a most
cheerful aud home-like place, and the
table which stood in the centre of the
uncarpeted fle lr presented neat, in
viting appea. .ance to a soldier who
had been on short rations for some
days, aud whohad eaten nothing for
twelve hours, Ham and eggs, and
delicious corr cakes, done TO a turn,
with sweet countryhNutter, and coffee
| with real cream. c0ustituted tha hill