The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-12-09

might he? the doctor almost co"n"'
ted a breach OF ctiquet by answering pc
snro his superior. and the commissary
smacked his lips audibly ere the generals
prompt reply was heard. A pcrtly bottle
was introduced, a big-bellied relic OF
olden times, and glasses OF generous size
"P'raos YOU would prefer sweetnin, GIN
eral,' and a disk OF saffron-hued sorghum
extract was here brought forward. But
at this juncture q diversion was maoe
by the good lady of the house. 10 "hon
had been importantly impaired tne un
doubted rank and importance OF 'he VS.
,tor She entered triumphanty' o,uei GA
n halt in the proceedings In homeiy ou,
emphatic phrase, and forthWih p'ouu'e "a
a parcel Of cut loaf srgar-pIeseI'vu III
some sacred hiding place throusn al .le
yicissitudes OF war by this carciui house
Understanding as she ,enu . a.. ~ 80
ury TO the general: "The pes. III INC 'o"'e
ant none too good for YOU
"t,ror, this time onward the most
,h,,ved ranidiy. though still maintaining
a demeanor of great Difference toward
G.neraI Wcislger At Irregular intervals
ubich grew briefer as the hours pro
crossad he would suggest what he called
.n,and,n, OF YOUR holts.' and his sugges-
ton. were treated with marked consider
ation. hut at last this method grew too
sIow and ceremonious. He inaugurated
go-as-you-please performance by gong
alone 10 the side-board, filling a brim-
ming bumper OF the fragrant and mellow
apple jack, and tossing II Off with lhe
comprehensive remark: You all are 100
slow for me. II isn't every night l nave
any sure-enough gineral under my roof,
and I'm going TO take a drink; and you
all can do as you ChooSe:' But now
a bounteous and gorgeous repast was
ushered In by the beaming matron, ana
the participants talk TO this day WIN
grateful fervor Of the dainty viands
served that night in honor OF the GIN
Nral.'"
Not 20 fortunate was the adjitant's
party For thirty miles the country an
swered Sher;dan's description or the
Shenandoah valley after its devastation,
$50 pcor that a crow flying across IL
would have to take his rations with
him. II was IL land OF desttution ana
desolation. STRIPPED by the taxg1therer'
cleaned over by the raider, ard finally
scraped bare by the stragslers OF two
armies. Night fell upon the Gene as
kindly mantle covering the wrctched
signs of poverty, and through the mi?e
and darkness the tired horses were with
difficulty urged, while their riders won
dered II peace might ever bring back
prosperity and happiness 10 the ruined
homes OF the South. Later the rain fell
In listless scrt OF way well correspond
jourpeying. Are we never to stop|
asked the la l. Of the company. brave
little fellow whose courage had outSrown
the doom upon his life. who had been
O. hero in action but was dispirited by
fatigue and hunger what is there TO
stop for?" replied the leader. The loneli-
ness was that of the desert the gloom
unbroken by a ray Of light; the road led
through tall and dense forests. the in
frequent clearings In which bore no signs
OF recent cultivation, and not even the
barking OF deg betokened the neigh
borhood OF any dwelling The water-soak-
ed earth was uninviting as bed even to
wayfarers so utterly exhausted. one OF
the party had been lucky enough TO fall
somehow upon famous prize, box OF
matches: ard so the only interruption to
the monotony Of FLASHING hoofs and pitt
full yawns was the lighting of pipes. In
the dismal profundity of the universal
shadow even that feeble CLEAN was re-
lief. At length, when the skies already
yielded sign of dawn, rousing blaze was
described in the copse some hundred
yards away. The sight was like that of
an approaching ship to castawayS at sea.
The horses pricked up their ears. whn-
MED, and mended their pace with such
strength as remained to them. The men
leaned forward in their saddles and peer
| ed eagerly toward the beacon in the will
| derness. Halt! Who goes there?" rang
| through the forest. "Paroled Confeder-
| ates from Appomattox," in quick re-
J sponse Hold on n Bit" shouted the
| challenger. Another moment brought to
| the front Lieut.. Gillespie Of the Union
| cavalry, commanding a securing eXpedl-
ton sent off some days before by Sherl-
dan. Mutual explanations and self-intro-
auctions ensued and soon we were well
coined TO the rude but hospitable Yankee
bivouac and supplied with rough but
plentiful fare from the haversacks of the
generous fellows who had so lately felt
our fire at Cumberland church A pot Of
genuine coffee, a priceless boon to South
ern soldiers, soon dispelled our physical
and mental vapors, and soon every man
OF us was fast asleep double-wrapped
in oil-cloth and blankets, and guarded
by the men who for four years had been
the constant disturbers OF our slumbers.
late awakening, hasty breakfast Of
| bareback and pork. a cordial leavetak-
ing, and then to the road again. In 1898
| at Chicago, the grey adjutant had the
good fortune TO meet again the blue
lieutenant. No brothers could have known
more affectionate reunion.
Once in the borders of fertile Charlotte
| affairs took on a brighter aspect in out
| ward seeming. Here the granaries were
| bursting with the fruits of harvests
promise of harvests to come. If the iron
hoof of war had ever trod this section
| ii had passed only along the highways
| and been scrupulous 10 leave no trace
| behind. For two whole days the route
| lay through a land Astounding in crea-
| ture comforts. and every house was
| thrown open to the returning veterans
With scrupulous mpartiality each pail-
| tation was visited. 1t were shame 10
| tell how many meals were taken be-
| tween suns by these rapacious Dagettys.
| Suffice it to say that Bruces and Mays
| and Nobletts and Momsons RECALLED them
| to their hearts content, and filled the
| hides of their patient Roslnantes with
| corn and clover as down through Lon
| nenburg and Brunswick they lotered
with idle spins, short stages, and linger-
| Ing adieus.
1t was Friday April q, when, after
swimming Nottoway river. then in full
flood, and leaving upon the further bank
one bedraggled comrade whose horse.
after one mad plunge, refused to make
the passage. the party swiftly cantered
down the Dinwiddie turnpike into the
district which had been the field of
Grants thanking operations against Pc
tersburg. Here the bosom of desctruc-
ton had swept over the face OF the earth
The hailstorms of battle had torn through
the forests and the AK of the engineer
had laid these giants low. The bosom of
the soil had been robbed Of its fair pro-
portions by the busy spades of 2j0OO0
Of delivers. and here and there explo-
sions as OF earthquakes had piled high
1