Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-01-12
THE LITTLE REBEL.
A New Years Remfnisence Of the
War,

use done gone and cotched dat a.
big turkey, Miss Virginnv, an me an
Nance am gwine to get up suthin rae
nice fer yer New Years dinner" sait
old Pete, coming round the house tt
where Miss Virginia Dalton was seated
upon the broad, vine-wreathed yer
anda.
The girl was tall and slight, with eyes
as black as midnight, and hair of the
same jetty hue, but soft and glossy al
satin, and fell in waves over forehead
low and broad. Her complexion was
of the pale waxen tint that spoke o.
Creole origin. Her home was in the
very heart of Louisiana, and had feer
devastated by the recent war. Hel
father was among the slain her only
brother had languished in northern
prison and then came news of hlf
death. The few intimate friends of the
family had generally shared the same
fate.
Her slaves had been freed and were
scattered and she now lived alone with
two old, faithful family servants, Pete
and his wife, Nancy, and their little 10
year-old granddaughter Cas-, who was
not only the maid Of Miss Virginia, bu!
chore girl and general utility servant
kept in order by old Nance, though
her prcoiivities like most of her lass
we're Topsy-hke in the extreme
"You need not trouble yourselves,
answered the young mistress. at mat
tiers little what one eats when the heart
is sore and life burden"
She folded her delicate hands and let
them fall idly upon the book she had
been reading, but which lay in her LAP
devoid of interest, for the privileged
old servants had stirred the depths o.
her sorrowing soul, and called up mem
cries that were never to sleep. Then
but as if speaking more to herself than
another, she resumed
'But four years since this dear old
place was the heart of hospitality.
There were those to love, cherish and
protect me. There We're New Years
days and birthdays. Now there is not
one object to live for But for the
shelter of this roof-tree | should be
homeless; but for the kind ministra-
ton of two old and faithful servants,
should have no way to even keep the
fire burning on my fathers hearth
stone"
With burst of grief she arose and
walked down one of the tangled paths,
her black garments trailing after her,
while old Pete turned away with a
heavy sigh and wet cheek, and sought
his ebony spouse in the great kitchen
where she was preparing the last OF
her brood of turkeys for their coming
dinner.
81 clar for it, Nance, me ole heart
was clean broke with that air chile
She vows she won't eat no New Year S
dinner no how, an sted of thankin' de
Lor' fer de eyes she sees wild an de
ears she har wild an de feet she walks
on, tergather wild odder blessin's, she
lus' goes on about her trials an trou-
bles.'
"Nebber yer mir rs jes gwine tel
get up de bestest dinner kin, an am
gwine ter trust ter de Lor' fer ter help
us along, an ter glib de young missus
tankfnl heart ter eat it, an ter be
willin' ter knowledge de mercies rs is
roun' about all dat trusts Him." and
she struck up the chorus of one of then
rude camp-meeting songs:
We're boun tor trus' de Lor,
Yes we're houn' ter trus de l.or
Till we all reach dc Ian of Can-na-an.'
Then as she deposited the huge tur
key in the great oven, along with sun
dry other dishes, she shouted:
"Heah, you Cass? Whar be yer?'
and rs the little, round, woody heae
peeped in at the kitchen door she con
tinued; 81 want yer to cum an hell
me to take down dat ar leetle ole ha
trunk. Wasn't | smart, hey? Whet
Mr.. Linkum's army cum marchin
tru heah, er rakin' an er sweepin' NJ
every thin dey sat dar eyes on, jes
TUX some Oh de bes' linin an hides i
up in de garrlt in dat ar ole trunk an
de silber spoons long wild it, an | tut
de ole Chiny teapot, an sum ob d
plates an' de milk Jug an hide den
under my ole cabin flo in de clos bas
kit .
"kihi! an de missus dun kno muffin
'Lout it, exclaimed Cass, following he
fat old grandame up flights of stair
into the dark and long unused garret
"Yaas, chile, an dat air one of tn
s'prises Use got fer her. See eff he
poor grevin' heart won't find juss e
crum of comfort in seem dat table sc
out like ole times"
With the united efforts of the oh
woman and girl, and after much pc
ishing and securing, the great, empty
dreary dining room was made to bloom
as q rose. Nance had hidden Cass:
"Now yer jess go an tote out dem a
ded sparregrass bushes from de fla
place and shine up dem andirons, al
ask yer granddaddy to jess bring j
sum logs and fix up er right smart fla
for | low its gwine to be cold dis eber