The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1893-09-08

bright yesterdays;
But thinking of that first sweet kiss and that
first clasp of hands,
Lies whip-poor-wills sing sweeter now
through all the winter lands!
Franz Il. stanton, IN atlanta Constitution.
miscellaneous.
THE POTENCY OF PIE.
When the Federal General GriersoIl
made his famous cavalry ride through
Mississippi, the women of the State
werespeechless with Indignation at the
ruthless invasion of their sacred soil.
Not a tear was shed as the Roman
matrons buckled ON the armor of the
home guards-old, grey haired ina
iors' and ''colonels,' who had mus
tered with flintlocks, and young boys
just in their teens.
All who could ''bear arms went
pouring forth with impetuous speed
and swiftly formed in the ranks of
war. The invaders were beset front.
flank and rear by an undisciplined
but pertinacious foe. The willy gen
erals march was executed in deuX
temps to avoid the harassing enemy
which he dared not halt and disperse.
Many blue coats from the invading
column were pic',ed off by the way
side, and every straggler was gobbled
up by the ubiquitous home guards.
They sent the wounded Yankees to
the nearest hospital. Anumber were
taken to Columbus, where Confeder-
ate hospital had been established I'M
der the supervision of the Soldiers
Aid society. The society was compos-
ed of the women of Columbus, who
had organized at the beginning of the
war. The hospital was full of sick
and wounded Confederates, but the
ladies made room for the hated Yam
keesn as a Christian duty.
To relieve the crowded hospital a
dozen Confederates were removed to
the house of a dear old lady, who
made them comfortable on cots in her
parlors This dear old lady had three
sons in the army.
Her husband was on duty with the
home guards.
Her carriage horses were in the artil
lery service, and a pair of plantation
mules pulled her carriage.
Her spinning wheels and looms We're
manufacturing gray jeans, and even
while she slept her fingers moved, us
| when awake she knitted socks for the
soldiers.
Daily she drove to the hospital and
went through the wards, followed by
her negro woman bearing basket of
homemade dainties, which she dis
pensed to the sick. With Christian
| charity she extended her ministrations
| to the Yankee ward. She could not
| fh.y ,,a1 inXaIn1 han
home and shed the blood of her kins-
men-but she could return good for
| evil" 1t required, however, no small
effort on her part to divide with the
enemy's sick the dainties so hard to get
in the blockaded South. She did so
because it was duty, but her heart
| was not in the work.
There was one of Grierson's soldiers
scarcely a man in years-who lay
on his cot in the delirium of fever.
| The kindly black face of the nurse
who bathed his head was strange to
| him, but he smiled feebly when he
looked into the gentle face of the dear
old lady who bent over him, and ne
called her mother"
At that moment the heart of the
| dear old lady surrendered, and she
| took that Yankee boy for her own
Never was invalid more tenderly
nursed, and never hung life on more
slender threat. She watched him
| from day to day and administered
with tireless hand medicine and liquid
| food. He fingered days and weeks,
his brain clouded with fever fancies
and the flesh shrunken upon his bones
One morning there was a CLEAN of
intelligence in his pale blue eyes as he
looked up at the kind, earnest face of
the southern woman, and he whisper
ed. Water" After a few sips he
continued, 81 thought you was moth
err, but guess as how l won't see her
no more"
He closed his eyes, and the dear old
lady sent at once for the surgeon.
The doctor felt his pulse and remark
ed, His vitality is very low-we must
try TO build him up with stimulants
and nourishing liquids
These were obtained, but he ref fused
positively to touch the whisky, as he
had promised his mother never to do
so, he said, and had taken the pledge.
He swallowed the beef tea with reluct-
ance. The fever had gone, and with
it nearly all the life that was in him.
The dear old lady looked sadly upon
Tie ellldcldlcu lOTlI itilO SuuNel ClleehS
of the poor boy. She forgot that he
was an enemy and saw only mother S
son among strangers and sick unto
death. Her soul went out in a great
wave of sympathy to the invalid.
In vain she tempted his appetite
with each of the liquid foods within
the formula allowed by the surgeon.
She could not persuade him to take
stimulants, and his vitality continued
to sink daily.
To her question whether there was
anything that he would like to eat he
answered, "Punkin pie"
But the doctor said it would kill him
in "a hours.
"Pumpkin pie" became the lads
day long and night long plant. II
made the dear old lady's heart bleed
to refuse it.
doctor, can't you save the poor
fellow p she asked.
The doctor answered gravely, Mad
am, | am afraid all your work has
been in vain. He cannot hold cut
much longer"
After the doctor had gone, the dy
ing boy opened his eyes and whisper
ed wistfully,. "Please-just one piece I"
Ives, you shall have it :" said tn,
old lady, and as she stepped into Gel
carriage and ordered the driver tC
"whip up those mules and drive home
quick there was in her face the same
expression of determination which
may be seen on that of the soldier
; when with blanched cheek he clinche'
his musket and dashes at battery o
, gatling guns.
The pumpkin pie was made. Th'
| rnlln1 Inv thu
, beautiful hands of the dear old lad.
who was careful not to let the tear
that rolled down her cheeks drol
ON it.
The same evening the homely mule
, trotted briskly to the hospital.
. 1t was terrible thing she wa
about to do.
She went again to the surgeons of
> flee. Again she asked, doctor. i
there no hope for that poor Yankee
boy?''