The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1884-01-09
IN THE TRENCHES.
BY MRS: GERTRUDE A. cANFJELD.

Soou Ire anu DrlgEt llShI were Curu-
5ng-a circumstance =ortny to bo
"made & note on,' such luxurlea as fire
ard light not being by any noaas
common :. the beleaguesed capital,
wners wood was scarce md dear, coal
scarce ana dearer, and money {that
would buy anything) scar3st and dear
est Of all. The lights were :'tal.ov
dips" it is rue, brt they were tolerss-
bly, numerous, and judi5iousiy disposed
to give as much brill;ancy 20 tn scene
as possible; and the red glow of the
fire was, on so colo and dark 9 night,
luxury and beauty Of the first order.
Nor was this all. The lighs seone up
on pretty picture Of household COM
fort, such as no one would have eypec-
ted in tenement house IN Richmond
in 1865, thai last dreadful year Ct our
dreadful struggle, when the exhausted
and undermined Confederacy tottered
to its fall /; when want was ripe in pal"
aces, and gaunt famine croached on
1ireless hearths where, till then, the
cherry blaze and tho hespltable feast
had never lacked. The building Of
which we write had not been original
ly tenement house, but the residence
OF an opulent family whom the chances
and changes Of WEI had driven from
their home, leaving behind them all
the comforts and luxuries to which
they had been accustomed 50 that the
room was preStily and even elegantly
furnished. In the centre Of the room
was table, and on that table---oh,
sight rare and detachable was al
ranged supper that would have re-
joiced the soul Of an epicme even in
long past end almost forgotten "good
times White sugar, heaped in snowy
profusion, rare old china bowl, real
coffee, {none CT yonr wretched substi-
tutes Of rye, potatoes, corn meal, ETC.,
but the genuine Mocha, shed its CRATE
ful aroma through the bright tin spout
Of the coffee-pot on the hearth the
white china teapot fanked it on the
other side, while at the foot Of the Ia
bic stood a juicy ham; golden butter
occupied the centre; white rolls and
biscuits, sweet cakes and preserves fill
ed up the intervals, and fragrant hon
ey shed the oder Of summer flowers on
the winty air. How on earth, [ hear
my incredulous readers exclaim, did
such q number Of good things meet to-
gether in Richmond, in 1861 1t
happened in this wise: The tenement
house was crowded from attic to cellar
with refugees from all parts of the adj
|jacent country, aud each one had con
tributed her quota to the feast. One
had given the sugar, nearly half the
small quantity brought from home, and
| jealousy boarded in case of sickness
another had spared the coffee t H,cli {:
sick husbands hospital stores another
had sent the juicy ham Struggled in
from the country by a faithful contra
band; and the pickles, preserves, hon-
ey, etc; came from similar sources.
Kind and generous hearts Of their
little, each has spared portion to en-
nance the young wife's innocent festi-
|: val. Old Virginia immortal Old Vir-
; ginia cypress mingles with and over
shades her lanrels, and her soil sounds
hollow with the graves of her noblest
sons; but, at least, she has glorious
record to SHOW; and beside the red
blazonry of her world famed battle
fields shines the gentle and more ten
der, yet equally eternal iustre Of her
heroic women's deeds of love and char
ity. And the little feast, contributed
from a dozen generous sources, in hon
J Or of Virginia's brave defenders, one
who had spent all the nights of this
cold, sleety March in the trenches be-
:, fore Petersburg, who slept, if he slept
at all last night, on the cold, wet
ground; but who should press tonight,
please God softer, warmer couch.
The long-desired, long-solicted fur
Tough is granted at last; and tonight
the husband rejoins the wife, not seen
} for six long months. A few brief days
} of happiness they will share, even
amidst wars universal desolation for
getting the past, defying the future,
|. they will be happy in the present. Nc
wonder the young wife's eyes glisten,
and her cheek fushes, and her breath
comes quick and hurried, as she CLAN
ces now at the table, and anon, with a
fonder, more lingering look, at a tiny
cradle drawn close to the glowing
hearth, in which sleeps chubby boy
OF four months old, yet never seen by
} his father! Oh, what pure delight to
show her boy, her first born, to the au-
thor Of his Being! to witness the "a
theirs proud joy ! to share his rapturous
csresses! Tears Of ezquisite happiness;
"the rapture Trembling out Of woe" f;
stole down the young wife's cheek as
she bent beside her infants cradle, and
breathed her lowly, heartfelt "Thank
God !" At that instant her ear caught
the distant sound of approaching