The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1891-08-14
THE OLD MILL.

IL, r.. SCOIl Ill CllCHpO News.
"Do know anything about the
ruins Of this old mill? Well, yes,
stranger, should say | did, ifany-
one does. 1t belongs to me, or
rather to my wife, what there is OF
it. | tell you | owe much TO This
old MILL
The speaker was dressed in
homeSpun, and appeared TO be
a thrifty farmer OF torly-live.
! had taken a walk before break
last one morning as an appetizer
out from Jonesboro, where | was
attending court, and was standing
by The ruins Of the old mill when
he came up. The root had fallen
in, windows and doors had disap-
peared. The old water-wheel had
crumpled TO decay and green ivy
covered the ruins. The dam was
now levelei 10 Il road, and "A cab
bage patch had taken the place of
mill pond.
We took seat on a moss grown
log by the side of The ruin, and he
continued:
II was with StoneYalI during
lhe war, and had some pretty
tough times, some narrow ESCAPES
and some hard tramps, but the
close call and hard tramp thai This
once caused me made all my war
experiences seem, at least for a
time. like pleasure "trip. This
was he first mill built on Cedar
creek, and was built many years
ago by old man Ben While, who
lies mp yOnder on the hill.
"Atter the surrender cur army
was di;banded, and The most of us
were pretty close run. We had
nothing, and no way 10 get any
thing. | was sirolling around.
looking for something to do, and |
happened along this road one
morning. Well, that morning the
wheel was in action. The gate
was histed and the water was
skurrying through. Old Ben White
was standing in The door. SAYS
Morning, slr. Can | get job
hereyr
He took off his spectacleS, wiped
'em, put 'em back on and looked
al me.
Soldier r. says he.
81 was" says /, It'll The surren
der"
"Luckier than my boys" says he. |
"One OF them stayed behind down
at Stone river The others lying
up there Oh he hIll-shot in front |
of Richmond and come home to
die"
And the old man took out his
handkerchief and wiped his eyes.
'Did you ever work "A millP'
mo"
well that don't make much |
difference said he, "business is
picking aid you can stay. am |
ceiling old. I'll pay you what |
can afford TO. We can tell better
in week or two. Have you been
10 breakfast z"
II have not" | said.
"Well." said he, "go 10 the house
and tell Kitty CHATS my daughter,
the only one The Yanks didn't kIll)
to give you breakfast, and come
back; you can work on The dam
to-day. There's some leaks that
need stopping"
So | went over the hill to The
house. sill had my Confederate
uniform on, and when Mrs. White
met me on the piazza, 1 saw tears
on her cheeks, and | suppose the I
uniform reminded her Of her own /;
boys. told her | was going 10
work for Mr.. While, and that he |
sent me over for breakfast. So we
went in, and she called Kitty, who
soon had my breakfast on The Ia.
bic. | was iweniy-One and Kitty |
was about four wears younger than
|, the picture OF health, cheeks as
red a. roses. Her sparkling eyes
kindled a spark in my heart that
has never gone out. Alter break
fast I went back, and Kitty went I
with me Ia tend the mill while her |
father went to breakfast. He /
showed me the leaks in The dam
before he went.
In facf I worked a week palch- '