Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-23

Not much OF 'ole Mis- s" valor, that /
had heard so often Wanted. came TO her
little namesake then, for nearly sbrieked
with terror
What are you doing here?" demanded
the sentinel.
choked back my fears, however, and
was a Yankee for once.
Where is Mr.. Barney?" asked. Amt
this his evening on?"
Yes" said he, but amt Mr. Barnes,
and this is no place for you" giving me
a grim look as he released my arm.
And II put up the street. and climbed
the hlllside-steps like an Alpine goat!
Once there, we were always safe.
But either the fright or the long. In
sufficient nourishment. or both, told upon
me; for next day l was Ill also.
ii.
When we recovered. Bella and I, we
were pale, little shadows OF what we
had been. We learned from Barney's
wife that he had been sent to field duty,
and 1t was long after Christmas before
we ventured near the frowning Libby"
again. Even then 1t was In fear and
trembling that we walked sedately past.
The windows were closed and barred. No
prisoners were on the ground floor, and
eyes grew glad at sight of the little Rebel
girls. Time and again, as we grew
stronger. we passed the prison and fur
lively stole a look up to see IL he was
among the shadowy forms He was not.
and chill forebodings of his fate grieved
our tender hearts.
The coil was tightening around Rich
mond. Oftener the alarm-bells rang, call
ing out the reseryes-the old men and
the boys-to her defence. Gradually the
compass of hope grew smaller. Amid
want, and the privations known only to
a doomed city. the few weeks elapsed
until the eventful day came when Rich
mond fell.
We were not in the fre-belt; but from
Church Hill one overlooked a valley OF
seething flames. The explosion OF the
conference.-the; the bursting OF shells
at the Armory, and deafenng bombs
laundering in all directions tolled of the
fearful hours.
How the next week passed I know not.
We children were closely kept in the
house. Communication was cut or from
the home place, and there was llttle 20
eat. Added to this. mothers grief for
fathers uncertain fate, quenched even her
brave spirit.
The DAYS went by. One morning we
were all in mothers room when NANNY
came In and handed her a card.
"What does he want. Judy?' asked
mother, turning the bit OF pasteooard
about. what can he want with me-
DE name o. heaben on'y kno' MIS-
May! Hits a Yankee oncer. an he
say he want you erloneP
My mother gave one look around her
frightened family. said something 10
ont
We had our scant dinner of black peas
and corn bread, and Bella and 1 esconced
ourselves in our favorite dormer window.
We heard mother call. and then Nam
Judy came painting up the attic steps;
for hard times had not told upon her
stout frame.
you mar want you all chirun, bofe
on YOU" she said.
We went down stairs supposing the
Officer was gone, but he was not, and
our wonder greatly increased when
nanny got US clean blue-checked aprons
and put them over our homely dresses,
saying I'VE were to go in the parlor.'
Startled, but with the old Mother Eve
fully aroused. We stood while nanny
twisted Bellas lovely curls and pulled
my own straight locks-"ole Mis- har,"
she called it--smoothly back.
Mother met us at the door, Colonel
Wychoff," she said, Il guess these are
the children"
What did mother mean" we wonder
ed. And oh. horror! what had happened,
that this Yankee. in all his glittering uni
form. came toward us with outstretched
hands, and kissing us solemnly, looked
US over as If to see in what way we
differed from our more fortunate north.
ern sistersi
Yes" said he. decisively, these are
the children"
The intuitions OF childhood are infalll-
bie With one good look In his kindly
face We feared no more: though we gazed
In awe at the blueness OF his coat and
the glory OF his gold braid. Alasi the
uniforms we had lately seen were old
and trayed, and the git as dlmmed as
the hopes they symbolized.
The Colonel soon had Bella upon his
knee. while l stood by in amazement
Presently he brought out an orange, ana
l asked III his little girl liked oranges?"
MY big girl does" he said, smiling,
and have a big boy who likes oranges,
and is very very fond OF little girls"
20, no." said pert Miss Bella. mot lit
tie Richmond girls he wouldn't. Every
body calls us Rebel girls and one blue
soldier called Minnie Ross Old Seceshp'
BLESS my life," cried the Colonel.
what very curious nameg' There were
tears In his fine old eyes as they travelled
over to mother, and he added: but OF
all girls. 1t Is the little Richmond girls
that my boy loves the very best" And
you may be sure Bella and / thought that
very funny.
We were petted awhile longer and then
mother said We might go, telling us
quietly to be good children.
III.
When mother came back TO us the least
tot or the family could see that she was
a changed person.
Once or twice she caught us to her
arms. and with streaming eyes murmured
Historically something about bread upon
watersw
1t was several days before she trusted
herself to yell us that she knew the
story OF "our prisoner" No restrictions.
OF course. had been placed upon us about
the prisons. one naturally supposing that
our fears would have been sufficient.
Mother chided US for our !nd.scretion:
but. recognizing the pure feelings CT pity
which had guided US. and the great good
our impulsive kindness wrought. she halt
ed between conflicting duties, and wisely
said but little.
For Colonel Wychoff was the father
OF our prisoner" who had been ex-
changed by special order during our III
ness. II was in the first few weeks OF
his imprisonment, before he had been able
to communicate with home. that he had
az me LA a. H.. o..