The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-08-25
THE ROMANTIC CAREER
OFAONE LEGGED CONFEDERATE
VETERAN.

OLA ONE LEGGED CONFEDERATE
VETERAN.
4 Young freshman. Who sought Fortune
Of the Souih-A Windfall-At the sol
diers' Home.
A few more years Of toll; few more
DAYS Of sad. Retrospective thought
few more weary. lettering steps along
the rugged pathway OF ne; "uu ~
the real old of the Conieuei''S so
der Will have ended his days ol un,
rest. and but few of them VIII Dc 'ei'
to answer the summons OF the sie"'
f Commander of Hosts
Twentv-nine years have made vast
difference in the lives of the brave men
who urepared to 20 out and strike pa
triotic blows for the cause they felt was
right. -,
They were bOuvant then with hope
The spirit Of Mars ragged rampant IN
this fair Southland, and there vas
nothing so absorbing as the mar iiai
talk Of the times. The man VINO hal
ever been soldier found himself suh-
denly q figure Of prominence ana III
ferest. and his words had weight when-
ever lac smoke of the teTrors oil the
battlefield, and the trials OF military
life.
la every country-home. at every
Icrcss.road store, every village, hamlet
/ town and city there was tax OF war
and war 5 alarm.
The war-cloud broke over our loved
land. and the bravest blood was spilled,
land countless treasure was expended
ALI in vain. The Lost Cause became
historical fact. furnishing in golden
hues the pages of the past.
t. the heartaches and sore priyations
Of the war was added the humiliation
of surrender 10 the enemy. loss OF proT-
ertv. and military rule at the hands OF
tine powers ia authority. The brave.
dA-hing Confederate. who had escaped
the dangers Of conflicts on many holly
contested fields. found life so different
from the DAYS that had been. that ne
felta- If it were almost burden.
Some took a philosophical view of the
field. aud went to work TO make the
most of a condition OF affairs that from
the blackne-s of the outlook presented
small CLEAN Of hope. Some succeeded,
others failed. and the good people OF
The South. with the kind assistance of
Northern friends. succeeded IN estab-
nshipg at the capital of the late COnfed-
eracy q Soldiers Home. where the old
Confelerates could end their days IN
comparative freedom from the annoy
ance of everything save THAT demon of
man. memory IL is TO tell Of one of
the inmates Of the Home that this Is
written.
REAL ROMANCE.
Several years before the war between
the States broke out, there stepped from
am ocean steamer az Castle Galden,
New York. handsome young Irish
man. then Just in his teens. He had
l-ft his oppressed native land. and came
l0 these free shores. in order that he
might hew out fortune for himself In
ihis land. of which be had heard SO
much.
lie was "a tailor BY profession. and /
finally turned up in Petersburg. From /
the C0ckale City be made his way to
N0ttoway Courthouse. and many Of the |
Ioli-time gentry there gave the dashng /
young Irish tailor. John j. O Neal their /
patronage.
When the call 20 arms came O Neal /
was no ~ hat was then known as Blacks /
and Whites. ON the Southsije railroad, /
but now known as Bellelaute. on the /
Norfolk and Western road He /
promptly volunteered. and was elected /
fourth Lieutenant of the Nottoway /
Gays. of which Captain Richard Irby /
had been elected cOmmandant.
When the company was mustered /
into service here mt Camp Lee. it was I
found that it was not entitled 10 but /
three liautenants and John O'Ntal /
promptly took his place in the ranks. |
The company was composed Of most /
excellent material and did gallant /
fighting. O Neal rose to the rank If /
sergeant. and az Sailor 3 Greek, on the I
retreat from Richmond. he lost leg I
sh0. of above the knee. lie recovered. /
came back TO Blacfs and Whites, and .
after staying there for a year or more /
De could nos resist the old inclination /
Lo wonder around the world. and he
left for New Orleans with Mayor Mer-
rift Buchanan Miller. OF the Washing
ton Artillery
a FRIEND LEFT.
Iu the neighborhood of Blacks and
Whites lives an oll.timc Virginia
farmer named Powell. between whom
and o Neal there had sprung mp the
Watmest attachment. Ar. Powell
owned @ good plantation, had a com
Portable home. and once owned a nam
Der of negroes. These had been freed
by the turn taken by the war, and the
old man s wife had been dead num-
Der of years lie lived a lonely life.
the mOnOtony Of which was broken
often by the appearance of the one
legged jolly lrishman, o Neal. But
. Neai lore himself away from the de-
ligh.iully somnambulent nelgbbOrhOOd
Of Blacks and Whites. and when last
heard from was in the rafting, busy
and lively city of New Orleans.
AS the years rolled round. be was
lost sight Of. aud after a while good
ola man Powell. laid down and died.
Tie leit no children. and the sheriff of
the county OF N0ltoway, qualified az
administrator of his estate. This con-
sisted Of two or three horses. ten or if-
teen head of caltle. plantation utensils,
household and kitchen furniture, and
possibly some few huudrd dollars. In
due course Of time the sheriff had one
of lhOs old time country sales, which
were SD common IN the days immediate
~ following tine close of the war.
he horses. cattle. stock. furniture,
an plantation utensils were all sold.
a mOugst the household effects was an
old bureau, in which old Mr. Powell
kept bis papers. receipts, and things Of
this sort. Tie bureau was bought by
farmer who lives IN the neigbborhood
aud taken home
= STRANGE FIND.
The purchaser did not examine the
contents u the old time piece of furni-
tufe until be had 1t safely at home.
Tnen be commenced to rummage the
drawers. and amongst the rubbish of
old papers he came across a package
neatly lied Up. He opened it. and 10 ,
his a-tonishment, he discovered that it |
was the last will and testament Of the ,
deceased. Mr.. Powell.
Ia this will the good old man. re-