The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-12-02
A SACRIFICE.


soft vicissitudes of pleasure and repose."
We wandered 'in gardens of fragrance
and slept in fortresses of security" but
like all pleasure seekers, we wero now
weary of the monotonous round of un-
eventful days, and former delights grew
stale. Gentle Mrs. Gray and Miss Har
land, the invalid whose thin, scarlet
cheeks and bright eyes told too plainly
khe presence of the destroyer, the quiet
rector and the somewhat pompous
major, with his little blond wife, made
up our party.
"Some one tell story, please cooed
the pretty blond, tossing aside Hero
Worship" "Who ever knew live
hero?" she laughingly asked.
81" promptly answered Mrs. Gray.
Glow delightful! DO tell us about
him; who was he?'
"The only true heroism that ever came
under my immediate notice. said the
little woman, twas displayed by hero
OF ebon hue-a strong young Hercules,
who, though rough and untaught, pos
sessed grand nature"
"Yes,' assented the sentimental ma
jor. "Often among the humblest flow
ers we find the rarest odors."
And resumed Mrs. Gray, "among
the busy workers, with hardened hands
and toll stained faces, we find great
hearts. During the late war" she con-
tinued, my father and brother were in
the army, and the overseer being drafted
into service my mother, my sister and
myself We're compelled to leave our
beautiful home in the city aud 20 up
the river TO the plantation to manage
as best we could the affairs of that place.
"Our people were trustworthy and
kind, so we had but little trouble. A
few weeks after our arrival at the plan
tation our hearts were saddened by the
death Of a much loved servant. Rachel
was her name. She had nursed nv
mothers older children, and we were all
very much attached to her. Rachel
died suddenly, of heart trouble, the ply
sician said, and her little children were
cared for by good old granny. Albert,
the husband of Rachel, was field
hand and a reliable man."
"Of what time do you speak,"
This was in the spring Of 1864. The
transmississippi department was under
the command of the Confederate General
e. Kirby Smith. The struggle east Of
the Mississippi river had drawn from US
the chivalry Of the great southwest: the
sons of Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana
and Texas were scattered from Gettrs-
burg to Vicbsburg, and Il diminished
force composed OF the fathers and hus-
bands was left to meet the gathering foe
that threatened, with General Steele at
Little Rock, and General Banks at Alex
andria, La. The conscript bureau had
CLEANED the fields of the last of the
bearded grain and nothing was left
but the flowers that grew between'-the
boys too young to go.
'Then a new order came, and the
men slaves were impressed and sent to
the shops as laborers and teamsters in
the various departments, to fill such
places as they could, in order that for
every slave so employed soldier could
be relieved and go to the front. The
burden of feeding and clothing the army
devolved upon the women of the south.
Cheerfully and with untold sacrifices,
did they do their part. Our people did
not escape the impressment law"
Excuse me, but whom do you mean
by our people?" chirped the beauty
from the hammock.
"We called our slaves our people,"
responded Mrs. Gray with smile.
"They were impressed into service and
semitic Shreveport, La, to work. Among
the men was one who had been married
only year; he objected to leaving his
wife and baby. Jake was his name.
While they were discussing the ques-
tion among themselves, Albert presented
himself at the dining room door.
Good mawnin mistis, he said, dof-
finG his hat, IAN skuse me fo' sturbin
yer brekfus, but Ize akin favor dis
mawnin'
"'All right, Albert. What is it'
asked my mother.
"'ler see, mistis, as how Jake is
pressed along wild tudder niggers an
Jake lie got a likely wife an mighty
antic boy
"WellY
"Albert hesitated and scratched his
woolly pate.
"1 know my mother said sympa-
thetically, / know all the circum-
stances, but am powerless.
81 amt blamin yer, mistis; de Lawd
knows | amt er blamin nobody, but I'd
ruther go in Jakes place an let him
stay wild hees wife an boy
why, Albertr exclaimed my moth
er. You can't mean It'll How should |
get along without you? Think of the
number of women and children to be
provided for; the men left behind are
too old and the boys too young to be de-
pended on
'lze recommembrin all dat, mistis,
but knows what it is for a man an wife
to be sipperated. Oh, mistis, de days all
lonesome and de nights a year long
'Tain't no sunshine for Albut here nor
aowhar Hits all dark shadder an de
moonshine don't nigh tech Albut. No,
mistis, hits all trials an tribberlashins.
Limme go, please, mistis. Let Jake stay
wld hees wife, pleaded the earnest voice,