The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1893-01-07
A SACRIFICE.

lived the balmy days ''only to know the
soft vicissitudes of pleasure and repose."I
We wandered sin gardens Of fragrance
and slept in fortresses of security" but
like all pleasure seekers, we were 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
the presence Of the destroyer, the quiet
rector and the somewhat pompous
major, with his little blond wife, made
up our party.
"Some one tell a story, please" cooed
the pretty blond, tossing aside Hero
Worship" "Who ever knew a live
herog" she laughingly asked.
81" promptly answered Mrs. Gray.
"How delightful Do tell us about
him; who was her
"The only true heroism that ever came
under my immediate notice." said the
little woman, twas displayed by a hero
of ebon hue-a strong young Hercules,
who, though rough and untaught, pos
sessed q grand nature"
LOO, dbocAtCu Uu0 bcublllcAtdA AIh'
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 were compelled to leave our
beautiful home in the city and go 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 my
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 a good old granny. Albert,
the husband of Rachel, was a 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 Gettys
burg to Vicksbuyg, and a diminished
} force composed of the fathers and hus
bands was left to meet the gathering FOE
that threatened, with General Steele a.
Little Rock, and General Banks at Alex
andria, La. The conscript bureau hat
cleaned the fields Of the last of tn,
bearded grain and nothing was lef
: but the flowers that grew between'-th'
boys too young to go.
'Then a new order came, and tn
men slaves were impressed and sent t.
5 the shops as laborers and teamsters il
, the various departments, to fill sucl
places as they could, in order that TO
. every slave so employed a soldier coul'
be relieved and go to the front. TIL
burden of feeding and clothing the arm,
devolved upon the women of the south
r Cheerfully and with untold sacrifices
did they do their part. Our people di
t not escape the impressment law"
9 Excuse me, but whom do You mea
by our people?" chirped the beaut
from the hammock.
n "We called our slaves our people,
/ responded Mrs. Gray with a smile
''They were impressed into service an
sent to Shreveport, La, to work. Anon
9 the men was one who had been marie
9 only a year; he objected to leaving hi
wife and baby. Jake was his nam'
While they were discussing the que
ton among themselves, Albert presente
himself at the dining room door.
"'Good mawnin, mistis,' he said, do
fling his hat, IAN skuse me TO 'sturbi
yer brekfus, but I'ze akin a favor d
mawnin.'
"'All right, Albert. What is il
ic asked my mother.
Is eyer see, mistis, as how Jake
y pressed along wild tudder niggers q
D. Jake he got a likely wife an might
% antic boy
ST. "'WellY
n "Albert hesitated and scratched b
woolly pate.
j. ".I know my mother said symp
,r t~hetically, 4 know all the circur
Of stances, but am powerless.'
ID "'I amt blamin yer, insists; de Law
Is knows l amt er blamin nobody, but
10 ruther go in Jake's place an let hi
stay wild hees wife IN boy
"'Why, Albertr exclaimed my mot
or. You can't mean it! How should
get along without you? Think Of Il
he number of ONE and children to
be provided for; the men left behind a
en- too old and the boys too young to be d
de pended on
~ "'I'ze recommembrin all dat, mist
!, but l knows what it is for a man an wi
Nc to be sipperated. Oh, insists, de days
ot lonesome and de nights a year Ion
~ 'Tain't no sunshine for Albut here n
~ nowhar. Hits all u dark shadder an
moonshine don't nigh tech>Albut. N
IT. insists, hits all trials an tribberlashir
,si Limme go, please, mistis. Let Jake ST
Iv wild hees wife, pleaded the earnest voit
y. half choked by sobs.
u" "'Unk Albert called my little siste
going to his side, would you really
away to save Jake from goingy'
r.. "'Yes, honey he replied, his sorro'
II full eyes lighting up with a pleasant e
preston, as with his great black hal