The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-02-24
TURNED HER HAIR WHITE.
The Eject of Intense Fear on . souther
Girl Ina War Times.

-
The Enect of Intense Fear ON southsra
Girl ina War Times.
/ happened TO be in New Orleans a
few years after the close Of the war,
and at reception one night met q
young lady who could not have been
more than twenty years old, but whose
hair WAS a pure silvery white. She
was a beautiful girl. and with this
crown of silver naturally attracted ey-
cry ones attention. learned how she
came to have white hair soon afterward.
She was the daughter of wholesale
grocer in New Orleans. and during the
early part of the war lived with her
parents in that city. Just before New
Orleans was occupied by General But
Ter. her father. who was then an inva-
lid. took his family out to small plan
tation that he owned near Baton
Rouge. At the same time an uncle OF
the girl am talking about managed TO
.un the blockade. and took with him a
very large quantity of diamonds and
other valuables-for he was a ieweler.
He reached England In safety with his
precious cargo.
The family enjoyed peace and secur-
ity for some months at Baton Rouge.
until General Butler had hoisted the
stars and stripes at New Orleans One
night soon after that event q party OF
bummers. or camp followers. said TO be
attached TO the Union army. but who.
as l believe. may just as likely have
been thieves ard cut-throats of Con-
federate sympathies from the purlieus
of New Orleans. made descent upon
the house ut Baton Rouge. II was
nearly midnight when the family was
aroused by loud knocking at the door.
The door q minute or two later was
burst In and five or six masked men
entered the house. They proceeded at
once to the room where a lamp was
burning by the bedside oz the master OF
the aouse, who was very i'll at the time.
al should have stated" said the lady,
''that the gentleman's name was Hythe.
II / remember rightly. One of the
masked men. revolver in hand. stepped
up TO Mr.. blythe and said: We want
the diamonds and jeweiry you brought
away from New Orleans Mr. Hythe
reaiized ut once that the robbers had
mistaken him for his brother. the Jew
eler, and tried to explain that he had
no diamonds or any thing of any par
ticular value in the house. They refused
to believe him. and proceeded to make
a thorough search of the house. Mr..
Hythe's two daughters had been sleep
ing in the room below their fathers,
but, of course. were awakened by the
noise The experience of the tide oi
war which had swept over them once
or twice befor enabled them to under
stand the situation at once. By good
fortune they were able to get out OF
the house in safety and reach q neigh
boring canebrake. where they hid
Meanwhile the robbers. having discov.
cred nothing but little confederate
money. tried to induce Mrs Hythe,
whom they had captured. to reveal the
whereabouts of the treasure. She could
only affirm what her husband had said.
They subjected her to horrible indigni-
ties and finally set fire to the house
She escaped from the building. The
girls in their hiding place saw the
torches applied; saw Their father. as the
flames leaped up to the roof. come &c
the window of his room and then fall
back into the fire. They dared not move,
and when the neighbors found them
hours later. the hair Of the younger
girl. then about fifteen years old. had
turned as white almost as hel
cheeks. bloodless with fright Hel
hair had been black as night before
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