Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-02-21
The FALL OF RICHMOND.
How the Women of the cOnfed
eraCy Felt.
A Rebuke Administered to one who Fore
told the surrender---T erribIs State Of
Affairs After Lees Army
Had Fled.
.Naru nekec .YaatH in Eaa.ptnaanL.

Mary Tucker AdgW in Independent.
In taking a backward view OF the trsgIc
story of the civil wsr. am filled with as
tonishment at the blind security o! The
Southern people, even to the very end
This was the case especially with the Som-
en-. have sometimes thought that there
was, perhaps, better knowledge OF the
real state Of affairs among the other sex
but the women shut their senses with such
stolid determination that what they 30 de-
sired should and would come to pass, that
they were impervious to the indications
which COW seem so uImistakeb!e. II has
been asserted-sud women do not like the
ressertion-that our sex are more sWayed
by feeling than reason, and the history Of
the wal tends 10 confirm the assertion.
The Southern won en- prayed as they never
prayed before, that God would prosper the
cause TO which they had given lives more
precious than their own; and their vows OF
devotion had, in majority OF instances.
been sealed with precious blood They
! believe with all their hearts that those
| PRAYERS must be answered; GOr would they
allow O word 10 the contrary, even from
their moot trusted and devo ed iricld'
! Permit me 10 bring from ny memory Al
illustration 4 week or two before rh-
fall Of Richmond number OF young E.Ts
assembled in n certain drawing room 70
make flag Tor favored regiment ihc
stripes OF red and white cloth filled up the
GENRE OF the room aud, seated upon the
carpet around, were the girls, thlmbIes on
fingers and ehiuiUg needles all ready for
their labor Of love. AS think o! II, how
wildly the scene rises before me. Black
eyes and blue, fair, sunny heads bending
side by side with dusky locks, and delicate
fingers playing the flashing needle or deity
| fashioning the emDlemalic star Their
costumes are wonderfully simple, in style
Of several years ago, and by fashionable
people would be termed odd timey and de-
cidedly shabby" but in these times even
Young girls were rather Indifferent to the
details OF dress. The large predomnance
of black in the
COLOR OF THE DRESSES TOLD SAD TALE
II was an indication OF the times. In
vain we look for the sad Countensnces
which should accompany mourning attire,
There Was more outward appearance OF
ybyety than We would be apt 10 find in such
group nowadays have often read With
sLudder Of the orgies Of dissipation and
mad gayety which are the iuvariabe nc
compartment Of the pestilence. | Gao IN
derstsnd it. Nature demands rebound.
She will not be held down The blows Of
sorrow, during the war, fell SO Thick and
last tina. life or reason must have succum.
bod but for the intervening reaction.
Laughter followed tears as surely as light
follows darkness. And 80 my parIyo: clIs,
clad ia their shabby mourning, without at
all forgetting The prCCiops lives in peril,
laughed snd clstted rs merrll7 as il life
were al sunshine, and no storms were in
the heayens.
Listen to them as they talk You hear
nothing ii defeat, although at this pericd
defeats were not Uncommon; II is ell OF vic
tory. How We whipped them y There
is nothing said OF what they will do in the
event Of failure, aid if the Union De restoE,
ed Such sn event as that ia not number.
ed among their possibilities. Fail Whist
did not that INVOLVE Thai good God
had been deaf " their entreatles, and the
pricious blood shed in vain? Oh no
The thought alone would be death blow
and 80 they talk Of what they will do when
tie boys come home, end independence is
acknowledged. and new ties and homes are
formed and all goes merry as marriage
/ bell Suddenly q gentleman appears on
the scene. He is the head Of the house,
middlesged and distinguished in appear
anoe and public estimation. His genial
wit makes him the life OF every company;
and here his arrival is the signal for great
rejoicing. Daughters, uieces, cousins and
/ friends greet him with scclsmstions Of Joy,
which be receives in silence, GO be thro|s
/ himself on the sofa, and covers bic face
with his hands. instantly t scene
changes; such sigma can only foreshadow
some new stroke Of personal bereavement
tears replace laughter and
one GIRL, WHOSE LOVER TAS Is THt BATTLE
Of Yesterday sinks fa;Gting On the floor.
! 4 Young mstron Of few weeks tut2s
ghastly pale and shi7efs from head TO foot,
without beng able TO utter sCund Sister,
cry out 10 know if Willie or charlie is the
victim. TIE gentleman removes his hand
and becomes suddenly aware o! the dismay
Of which lie ia the author Extending hls
hands, be sa7a, with tender r:ty: Ny
poor children, be calm know Of no per.
sousl sorrow for any Of 900, bat the pros
pee: OF disaster which We mus, 81! share.
he then "a Is ttea in f fsv words tbat
there are terrible forecasts icT The cause ;
that tie Elost sEngviae paIiotE lear thH,
the end is Dcsr.
He never advanced farther in hls story
A gAlvanic battery could no, have 90 cleo
rifed the audience. They clustered about
him. the embodiment Ct fierce Indignation
flashing eyes met him at every turn; coI'
mon cigility was in aheJeOos 10 GEgovern.
able anger the words cFoskers AID
coward" we're net wanting The young
matron Who a moment before, Ess CULVER
ing in speeches. agony, exclaimed: The
God to whom we have committed Cut
cause connot fail us.
The girl. flaming with fear cor her lover
sprSng 10 her feet. With tie CRY: III the
men desert their pests. the women tGEs
their plsces! And instantly every Tom
an enlisted under her banner, and declsr
ed herself ready to do or die for tee csa'e
And what did our distinguished middle
aged head OF the family do Ee fairly
covered before the storm be had raised
looked ashamed, almost sbiect AID, what
ever his opinions, said re7er word pro Oh
: con.
Scenes akin TO those We e 60 common
! lhst dare the assertion that there is not G
woman who passed through the war VIC
cannot recall i1st such scenes az have de
scribed The men, as hsTe inimated
, bad little better insight into tina situa ion
, but, brought face TO face wish ths average
J woman, they dared net hazard possibilitie
i