Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-10-24
4 RIFT IN A CLOUD.
.c,nrxrs OF VIRGINIA LIFE DURING
The EARLY WAR.
n.rl DAYS Of sixty-one-one Sun
'' day When Secession Was
Month Old.
wi. IN the Philadelphia Times.


sI'l., -. The long days Ot privaiioD,
u, Va,J suspcnse. though close al hand,
care ,,,rc not; end while looking always
~ uucXDfctCd. we, aS vet, looked
i~ lily into The future. This beautiful
which | write 81 dawncd rs
SUM- od dome. without event 10 mark Il
O'''' t,,trcn. ~ usual, at Sunday school.
W liners household dates accom-
by "a leaving m, carpally-mindcd father
"'.N,,,,,o,mpui " hi, pipe and book, she
10 .,1 IN church with my cousin. We
49,, vel on in the li'2ny, perhaps, 1t may
If the touching clause when lmp'orcS
I.Ncrarcc for as IN one oTcNtn-" IN ''ls
a orr prosperity IN the hour OF
,r Ccftrin il i. on The unpreparcd
If the congr, cation, and the voice
,tS rrir,t. broke the tap OF the
-, icU. Ms mother waited mo-
&c., ,o he sme her Imagination did not
It,, her, but the sound growing
ut,,,.lv a, cpcr and faster, and unable TO
80, herself. she started FROM her knees,
''.rl1fd over Us children, and in panic
80 ar the door. On reaching IL she
t,,od man running, and many standing In
.r,urs. She stopped and Questioned them,
ming thst the vessel " Pawnec" had
I'm >c,n on The river, close at hand. There
80 tin,r 10 lose. The enemy would he
TWO INNaNs ANU tAsN''N'ANr - A'''.'N
~ instantly taken for the defence OF The
city, -, -,., %
u' inst. that upon the tap Of the alarum
-, man was 10 rtndzUOtS az the Capitol,
I,o,r 10 take counsel, md act. She knew
nj. and tore along with frantic haste 10
",trb nv father, reaching home only
a. find him gone. Oars was gathering
Maze Tor the nejghborhoed. and friends
,,.re already gathered awaiting my
,,.,ler's and stunts return from church,
tbqf ih.y might together take thought for
uc morrow. \ few minutes later came
INV COUSIN. bringing the childrcn-ihe con
800, zion having heen hastily dismissed
and my mothers fears Tor us renewed they
+,.,,,j IN work. Taking time by the fore
I.,l. mother had Just bought large supply
a ,.,iou for the clothing Of her negroes.
T,i> tbcy tore up hastily 90 repent at leis-
,rc, into strips Tor bandascs, scraped for
frt and cut into snail pallets, which were
tle stuffed With straw for the acc0mmO-
dqflou % the wounded.
A certain number u ladies were detailed
., each deuaIimcut Of tearing, scraplng,
cutting; and. Tcg'rdless Of The customary
4tri,s for Ssbbath-kccpmg, dragged out an
oIt .cwine.machinc and sewed vigorously,
t.ting turns a. one or the other was eX-
lauJcd, working on with diving fingers ana
I,,vv.bcadng bears. which drove Us a
before. Each member Of the blnd
furnished what she could, so they did not
lack material.
TIR WEAPONS or WAR.
Meanwhile. a. the women worked aud
rra,,d. men did their more active part.
No PROVISION FOR The cliy's protection
layireNct been made, it was found that
m M
t.t,. a our service. 4 number oi the gem
f,u-en. amorr EN- nv fliher, were detailed
m gs from hlu., 10 house collecting sjch
yt,sion, a, were available; and motley
collection 10 proved. Worn-out and diSuScd
cun> Of e,cry >h.pc. size, and description;
words, some 30 the dullest-SOme
which had been waved 10y hands century
rold->omc crlcnd 10y tracery OF rare
device. aud craven with record for
noble deeds. Many woman lent unhesi-
tatir.ly the fancy dirk. iewel'cd dagger,
which .raccd a. an ornament her drawing
room table. They took from us two old
fint-lock mu,keis which had been owned
lv NV grandfather. and had stood HARM
lfs,lv in . dark closet for certainly forty
wears. Heaven protect the poor fellow
whose tate It should De to fire them! We
also. i'm our VOYAGE q discovery, unearihed
two pistols ana % brokcn.pOinted sword
without q ,c1hhard; hut nothing was TO be
dp.piscd, ana they were eagerly laid hands
on.
Another detachment Of men and boys
dragged With ropes and chains from the
Arrcrv % d" Rockets" the lower end OF
fhr cify. an old bronze cannon q beautiful
old landmark Of the war ol 1872; and 1t Oc-
CURED 10 no mar-iOr brave though they
were. .hrie were none so daring-to laugh
81 the pauity OF our defence. To others
$50, committed the task OF gathering to.
ceiltr stray recruits and through the noise
and hustle Of preparation sounded unceas-
in,ly TIE slow, regular thr)b OF the bell.
Hrow became the duty OF the leaders 10
30 down o. the river and sight this
dreaded vessel 81 destruction. Picture, If
,ou can. the smazcmen' and relief, tinged
with clacrin. when no ship could be dis
cued rs tLe clc1rcsi glass! Men looked
40 ouD another with wondering faces.
which soon broke into SMILES 81 amu,e-
mcu'. a. u suddenly dawncd npOn them
flat 10 was, in yeritabie truth, "falSe
'a3wm.'" Some one realized the alb
.uriiiy Of tie now mocaing bell, and
1ti, we're taken TO hush IL.
The boys, looNrg Esheep.,h, changing
o., order e :hc procession Of That famous
"hU-oi France and biz thousand men,
lwpp. impetuou-ly rolled the cannon
down .hc BIN, now th0ugdtiully dragged
itur.
Wc-for Was permitted the fascinating
ta.k - srr,prs iiut sat at our work, the
won .IcsEiug little, and with batCd
breath. 90 toe horror, almo>tin view. sud-
denly w. ceased from our hborS with the
abrupt ctssiug oi the alarum. Whist does
uWUut - theY asked each other. "IIaye
th,y surrendered without 2 blow" The
work went on, but with tagging hands the
h.gsrd mom uis crIWlcd. We soon heard
O., comforting tread Of men on the pave
Uri. and IN came my father with number
Of friends, lc l3ueu with the weapons 80
l.oiy loaned. AID all IN highest spirits and
iui % explanations. They had had time
% itcoyer from the wounded vanity at
having been such easy victims Of scIsa-
touai rwoor. Every feeling was lost in
relief and tL2nkiulucs,.
"sI4ByAIIOS HOPS"
Nobody was Iich enough in those sad
ilnl.. even though they had been willing
ios so abuse he glit. 90 spend money on
parties. There grew 10 he a dearth OF gay
ei{, jhc young spirits dropped a little, and
noHcWfrc more glad ta1n their elders when
series Of starvation Hops were start
I'D. They besmo areguar war institution.
'AN many LltF Ncld VIII brace N-cH,
tui many a fair face light up, at the
lrtsui memories recalled by the thought
a.. "Ihc Hap,." We hal large rooms
which were Willingly loaned our young
cousin. Constance Cary. now Mrs. Burton
Harrison, ard At that time rcfugeeing in
t.c nUgbioIh0od, when the time came
Ieurd for her meeting u the club. The
ICONS were cleaned and polished 10 the
i.'t touch Of cleanliness; and, though We
lad only bare floor, for the dancers and
in-M Gre, hey were a. gratefully re-
ce'td O. tldiy given. They came early,
ihe'c nln ana "O'ucn-ihc men a. fresh for
Tie d,Ict ~ Tor The battle. How 20 The
itlu'liu' OTls 81 the song?
Ihty cauc, these ladies. 10 every kind OF
Gown. II ever occurred % them to urge
lbe Plea that they had "noibiDg to wear! y
MD'.iu went chccriully by the side d silk
ana velvet, which, being pQ5Se. could little
5h'Id 10 los, their heads It the beauty
which adorned TIE simple homemade
gowns sid fora bll. ! season IN this worlds
Li'i"I! woman VA no; judged by the dress
sle wore. How ibCy crowded in! IL
itgan 10 seem q. II tn three large rooms
eouid not hold Them. u was 4 h1lcyon
hhe Tor girls, With 50 many army officers,