The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1893-04-08

Lulled with the perfume OF old hopes new
No louser dreams, but dear realities.
-AIoliuaid iumpman.
TIE POTENCY OF PIE.
When the Federal General Grierson
made his famous cavalry raid through
Mississippi, the women Of the state were
speechless with Indignation at the ruth
| less invasion of their sacred soil Not
tear was shed as the Roman mauou
bucl,led ON the armor of the home
guards--old. gray haired majors" an
"colonels, who had mustered with flint
locks. and young boys just in their
/ teens.
/ All who could "bear arms" went pour
| ing forth with iinpetuous speed and swift
/ " formed in the ranks of war. The In
| vaders were beset front, flank and rear
/ by an umlisciplmed but pertinacious foe
/ The willy generals march was executed
/ in deux temps to avoid the harassiug
enemy which he dared not halt and dis
perse Many hlueconts from the invad-
| ing column We're picked off by the way
side, and every suaggler was gobbled mp
/ by the ubiguitJus home guards. They
sent tine wouHdCd Yankees to the nearest
hospital A number We're taken to Co
lUmUus. where Confederate hospital
had been established under the super
vision of the Soldiers Aid society The
society was composed Of the women of
Columbus, who had organized at.the be-
ginning Of the war. The hospital was
full of sick aud wounded Confelerates,
but the lJdies made room for tn "hated
Yankees as a Christian duty.
Torelieve the crowded hospital a dozen
Confederate5 were removed to the house
of "a dear old lady, who made them com
fort BILE ON cots in her parlors. This
dear old lady had three SONS in the army
Her husband was ON duty with the
home guards.
Hr carriage horses were in the artil-
lery service. and a pair OF plantation
mules pulled her carriage.
Her spinning wheels and looms were
, manufacturing gray jeans, and even
, while she slept her fingers moved, as
, when awake she knitted socks for the
soldiers.
, Daily she drove to the hospital and
went through the wards, followed by
Ter negro woman bearinga basket Of
omemade dainties. which she dispensed
} the sick With Christian charity she
, extended her ministratiOns TO the Yankee
+ ward. She could not love them-they
. had invaded her home and shed the blood
of her liusmen-but she could return
? good for evil It required, however,
: no small effort on her part TO divide with
d the euemy's sick the dainties so hard to
: get in the blockaded south. She did SO
because it was a duty but her heart was
4 not in the work.
Q There was one of Grierson's soldiers
3 scarcely "a man in years-who lay on his
. cot in the delirium of fever The kindly
y black face of the nurse who bathed his
+. head was strange to him, but he smiled
y feebly when he looked into the gentle face
5 of the dear old lady who bent over him,
~ / and he called her mother"
% AT that moment the heart of the dear
y old lady surrendered, and she took that
= Yankee boy for her own.
% Never was invalid more tenderly
% nursed. and never hung life on more
s slender thread She watched him from
q day to day and admiuistrated with tire
less hand medicine and liquid food. He
,G fingered days and weeks, his brain
g clouded with fever fancies and the flesh
6 shrunken upon his bones.
30 One morning there was a CLEAN Of in.
N telligence in his pale blue eyes as he
looked up at the kind. earnest face Of
70 the southern woman, and he whispered
10 Water" After few sips he contin'
Is ued, Il thought you was mother, but
guess as how / won't see her no more"
% He closed his eyes, and the dear olt
1o lady sent at once for the surgeon. The
On doctor felt his pulse and remarked, Hi
~ vitality is very low-we must try t
90 build him up with stimulants and nour
., ishing liquids
These We're obtained, but he refusei
positively to touch the whisky, as ht
SO had promised his mother never to do so
IA he said. and had taken the pledge. III
swallowed the beef tea with reluctance
81 The fever had gone, and with it nearl.
i5 all the life that was in him.
70 The dear old lady looked sadly upoi
20 the emaciated form and sunlleu cheek
90 of the poor boy. She forgot that he wa
3 an enemy and saw only a mothers sol
"a among strangers and sick unto death
- Her soul went out in a great wave Q
- sympathy to the invalid,
20 In vain she tempted his appetite wit
Of each of the liquid foods within the fol
M. mula allowed by the surgeon. She coul
OF not persuade him to take stimulant'
and his vitality continued to sink daily
$ To her question whether there wa
anything that he would like to eat b
answered, Pumpkin pie"
But the doctor said it would kill hiI
in "a hours.
Pumpkin pie" became the lads da
long and night long plant. 1t made ii
dear old lady's heart bleed to refuse it.
Doctor, can't you save the poor fe
90 lowy' she asked.
The doctor answered grayely, Ma
20 am, am afraid all your work has bee
"a in vain. He cannot hold out much lon
er."
ac- After the doctor had gone the dyiI
% boy opened his eyes and whispered wis
fully, "Please-just one pIecer
b "Yes, you shall have it!' said the o.
81 lady, and as she stepped into her ca
p riage and ordered the driver to ''wh
, 20 up those mules and drive home quicl
there was in her face the same EXPIRE
S sion of determination which may be Sc,
I " on that of the soldier when with blanche
" cheek he cliuches hls lnusket and dash
( IS at a battery Of gatliug guns.
The pumpkin pie was made. The cri
2 90 crust was rolled ont 10y the beautif
274 hands Of ,le dear old lady, who w
v 10 careful not 10 let the tears that roll
s. 3G down her checks drop ou lr.
The same evening tine homely I4aul
3 3s trotted brislly 10 the hospital
"I' 1t was a terrible thing she was abo
TO do.
Ts, She went again 90 the surgeons othl
Again she asked, Doctor is there
r,, hope for that poor aukee bOyt
Gii. MADAM, | eau do nothing more.
MAJ. will be dead before morning WAS
answer.
ll I'D Quickly but resUlutely she made
$500 way u the couch of death. She q
10 on missed the nurse and took her seat. AT
o 9. awhile the boy opened his eyes, and :
90 oi held ont a slice of the pumpkin pie
- 80 He opened Eis mouth. and she brC
~ W the pie into bits End tod him, weep
quietly the while When the slice v
70 finished, hi- hollow eyes seemed 90
&. on vour her . ha munurad. ".lure.
M o, She hesia,aI moment aud N
whispering Cod forgive met she g