Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-01-27

uag nuatlng over his plantation, ne
sorrowfully demonstrated ct the haste
of his jealous wife. Physical inGrmi-
ties kept out of the army, but he
served the Confederacy in securing
supplies. 49,.
Mrs. Ripley, who has told in
graphic fashion the story Of a wo-
mans life in the Confederacy, relates
in Flag TO Flag" that on the morn
ing when Baton Rouge was bonn
barded by the Union gunboats she was
reused from sleep by the noise Of can
non. With all a woman's faith in the
cause she had so heartily espoused she
was sure that Gen. Breckenridge must
conquer. AS the morning wore on
she saw coming from the town what
seemed TO be a flock OF sheep. 1t was
not sheep, but human beings rushing
pell nell. Pouring, painting, rushing
down the hot and dusty road they
came-women bonnetless, some with
wrappers hastily thrown owe night
gowns, and men trundling children
too young to run. On they came
straight for Arlington, 300 terrified
human beings fleeing from bursting
shells.
The store closets of the house were
thrown wide open, and the bewild-
cred mistress with her child. two
months old, laid herself down on her
bed and cried, while hungry men
killed the sheep and oxen, cut of por-
tons of the meat, cooked it hastily al
fires built of fence rails, and ate it as
savages eat. The twelve pounds Of
tea that the house contained was
turned into the soap kettles from
which the d~ecoction was drunk
faster than it was made" as one Of
the negroes puts il.
One frail woman, clad i'm a light
night wrapper, came bearing a child
i'll with malignant scarlet fever, and
she was the only person who had q
room to herself, the dread of fever
being greater than that of bullets.
Amid all the confusion several chill
dren first opened their eyes in a cruel
world, and the household stores were
taxed to their utmost TO meet these
unexpected demands.
At noon came the news Of defeat,
and at night the rain which follows
heavy cannonading added to the mis-
cry. Men roasted in trees whose
broad leaves shed the wet, and counted
themselves well of, until q few shells
dropped about the house sent them
tumbling 10 the ground like ripe per
simmons from a shaken tree. The
shells had the effect of clearing Ar
lington of its unwelcome guests, and
among those TO leave was the scarlet
fever patient. The sick child grew to
be a beautiful woman, but to this day
she is deaf, as a result of that ex-
perience.
Baton Rouge was sacked. Precious
portraits were slashed with sabers,
dainty china was thrown in a heap on
the floor and ground to powder, beau
tiful dresses were ruthlessly hacked to
pieces and private letters were given
10 the winds Of heaven. Such is war.
Under these circumstance the Ripleys
concluded TO escape into Texas, the
husband going on before and Of neces-
sity leaving his delicate wife TO make
the best of her way by holding a pistol
at the head Of her sulky colored driver.
At Houston Mrs. Ripley tried to get
milk or butter. but was told that those
commodities were ''out Of season."
and the baby had to content herself
with dry sweet potato. But Houston
was then exultant over Gen. Magru-
der's brilliant exploit by which he
had captured the city from the Union
forces. and one evening a charming
young Texan, in a blue silk evening
dress, presented the daring soldier
with an elegant sword, borrowed for
the occasion from a Mexican veteran,
10 whom il was subsequently, returned.
Texas. however, became unsafe, and
they were forced TO fee into Mexico,
which at that time was busy with the
struggle of Macmillan and his French
men TO get control of the country.
In Piedras Negras HRS. Ripley occu-
pied the Office Of the Confederate Gus
toms officer, who handled the money
10 buy supplies. The big Mexican dol
lars were put into her safe for safe
keeping. and the swarm Of Hebrew
traders and spectators brought her
the money they were afraid 10 keep
on their persons. For two months she
sat on money, slept on money,
watched by money, not knowing the
amount, the names, nor often even
the faces of the trusting depositors.
Even in Texas the common necessi-
ties OF life were so scarce that TO lose
or break a needle was a calamity;
there were no salt, no candles, and
only home made soap. Pins and hair
pins were Injuries, and tootlbrushcs
were made Of twigs. Hairbrushes
there were none, and one comb an-
swered for a family. Corn meal
poundcake was a delicacy, and "'cof-
fee" was made from peanuts, sweet
potatoes. rye, beans and peas. Tea"
meant sage or orange leaves, and red
pepper played the part Of quinine. II
cost $50 in Confederate currency TO
buy a yard and a half Of blue cotton
denims to make q pair of trousers