The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-05-17


she lived long, long ago. l
HAD BEEN THERE so OFTEN,
you know, that l could not forget the location.
The boys used 10 call it Poplar Grove be-
cause there was one sickly poplar tree in front
Of the house. / did not find My Maryland"
the pretty little dark-eyed brunei, but hos.
pitably-inclined young lady, of whom ] made
some awkward inquiries. She cordially invited
me into the house, and in an agreeable manner
endeavored TO console me for my disappoint-
ment.
Col J. B, Jones's blockade postofice on the
other side Of the square has been remOdeled
into business block. Right above this is st.
Paul's Church, which President JEFF Davis
attended, and where be received the notice to
quit one quiet Sunday morning. 1t so hap
peneG that ! attended the service there about
the anniversary of that day.
Franklin street remains about rs of Old-the
aTistoCTGtic thor0ughfare Of the Virginia Cap
ilal. Gen. Lees family lived on this street,
few squares from the Capitol grounds, and the
tourist Is pointed to the Lee residence as one
OF the objects of interest in the city. but as
matter Of fact Gen. Lee was not at home IN
Richmond
The Confederate White House, or residence
Of President Davis, is on the bluff overlooking
the low ground on the northern approach
to the city, quite two squares north of the
Capitol. L have walked over there every even
ing during my visit this time as did p years
ago. 1t is now young ladies school.
Had Dahlgron been able to reach Richmond
and release the Libby prisoners, as expected, l
could have piloted the boys ia blue rignt into
the
bedroom OF PRESIDENT DAVIS.
had made myself familiar with Richmond
streets and the habits of the Confederate Off
cials, and knew just where to find them at all
hours.
The ola theater building where the actress
sang the "MaTseilles" and stamped on the Stars
and Stripes, is now chesp dime concert hall,
just below the Exchange Hotel | walked
down there one night and looking up at the old
steps on which / was recognized by the Texan,
tho cold chiIls began TO come over me at
the thought OF my condition then.
There is but little private building improve
meut, though on the western outskirts there IS
some indication Of a real-estate boom il the
laying out OF lots and grading Of new streets.
The old city contains number OF the most
comfortable Virginia residences. 4 majority
Of the houses are Of that Southern style of
architecture showing great pillars and p0rticO
In the front, with little wings at each side, and
nearly always located IA the midst of shrub
berry or foliage, the lots surrounding each
house separately. They do not build their
homes in blocks as we do in the North. Strange
Is II may seem, / put &c down as q fact, after
careful study, that there is not a single bay
window IN al Of old Richmond. In Washing
ton this condition Of things is reversed there
being scarcely a residence that is not three
fourths bag projection from roof to cellar.
There is an electric street railway here,
trsversing about IL miles Of the principal
streets. The Richmond people seem to be quite
proud Of this innovation. They could not in
veigle me on to one OF the cars because, to tell
the truth, ! am afraid Of anything electric.
have handled lightning so much as an old
telegrapher, and been fooled so often by its
always doing things SO suddenly, that ] have
no confidence Ia its power to do good. A heavy
copper wire is suspended over the track, on
the lower side Of which a wheel attached to
the Car impjEges or reY0lYes. From this
/ source the electricity Is obtained, which is
conducted down to the motor machinery be-
meath the car. OF course, an immense current
is required 70 proPel the heaYliy-laden cars /
know very well that on the slightest pretext
that current is liable to take a short cut from
the conductor provided. 1t might easily get
on 10 the tin roof on a damp day, and If some
| lady inside the car should be wearing an iron
comb or pin, and touch ever SO remotely the
charged top the current would go through her
moist body TO the ground connection,
COMPLETELY PARALYzIEG HER.
As an indication of its capacity to kill, while I
was in Richmond the wire accidentally loosen
ed from its hanging fasteniugs and hung low
enough 70 touch a hOIse which Eas killed
more suddenly than IL shot. The electric cars
are quite a sensation, the novelty keeping
them well filed. They get around the street
corners aud climb up the stiff grades Of the
hllly city IN a surprising way to tae c0lored
people, who cannot see where the mule is
hitched on.
They certainly are not noiseless. Oae can
hear them coming a square distant with = hum
similar TO a plauiug-nili on wheels aud when
they strike . steep grade the machinery shrieks
ogt a buz-saw accompaniment that bodies Of
evil 70 my ear and nerves. 1 always stopped
/ when / heard one Of the things coming till it
/ got safely past me, and I stepped over the rail
j as carefully as If it were red-hot bar of iron.
At night the wicked flashes Of the blue light in
the air above aud the rail beneath are any hing
/ but reassuring.
/ Of course, i went out 10 the new fair grounds,
4 or Camp Lee, where I was eucampei with the
I I'd Nd. Art. during the Winter months OF
] 1923; and as a singular coincidence I may
/ say that while here / received from the hands
Of one Of the iudentical Maryland refugees a
/ letter and paper which l should like 10 iucOr-
pOrate into this correspondence in full not that
u is dstIering to myself but, on the contrary
/ intended to be quite crushing. have received
/ hundreds Of letters from influential persons
! tesbifyiug IN
CURIOUS AED REMARKABLE WAYS
4 TO the part they bore IN the Boys experience
| With a single exception they have fully cor
! Tob0rated my statements, and this exception
coming as il does from an alleged Maryland
refugee, and intended as q criticism is in fac
q voluntary admission Of the truth Of my Rich
/ mOnd experience. The writer prints a couple
oil columns in 4 Baltimore paper, captiOned
a Refutation Of the Boy Spy's SANDERS" evi
IDENTIFY with the feeling Of disappointment that
he old not hang me then. but would like to d.
so yet.
The article admits that I was in Richmond
as stated, and that my true character was un
I known there but suspected. The dates which
gave are somewhat changed, but the fact
that ! nOminally enlisted some time pre-
viO1s 70 my reporting 70 camp was unknown
10 the writer. That / was a company clerk anC
free TO 20 as / pleased ia the city, is conceded
MuCh feeling is shown at the comparison o
Maryland refugees ia the Confederate army
with East Tennessee refugees in the Fedora
army, which, by the way, is a subject worthy
Of consideration By war writers In reply t.
my general criticism that Maryland refuge,
business WIS z fraud on the Confederate GOV
eminent aHd so considered by high officials
the writer says that about % Of the l2j mer
Of the Maryland refugee battery were Mary
LADDERS, OF whom ! was one. This absurd
proposition, given by the Captain of that bat
terry, establishes my point, but as a matter o
1 fact these figures are exaggerated. The Tefu
gees were from Ireland and Germany and tht
Georgia peuitentiary.
The personnel of the battery as described 4
4 Hal mn So aFEF1