Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1895-07-18

such terrible sights to witness. The
dream of childhood was disturbed by
the shock of battle, by the booming OF
heavy guns and by the rumors of blood
and carnage, and of families rent
asunder and homes destroyed.
Until Sherman marched through
Georgia our quiet place on the edge OF
the great Olzefnolzee swamp in
southern Georgia was unvisited by
federal troops I had not up to that
time even seen q blue-coat, and rumors
of the war were conveyed to US only
through the accounts in stray weekly
papers. To me it seemed far away
then. As boy, dreamily listened to
the excited talk of the planters, and
wondered why they took SO much in
terest in the affair.
But when matters grew worse, and
my brother enlisted in the confederate
army with several other young men OF
the neighborhood, realized that the
war was not so far away as L had sup
posed. They marched northward toward
Savannah amid the tears and prayers of
every one. But their bright uniforms
and shining buttons AID swords particu-
Iarly attracted my youthful attention.
For DAYS after / dreamed of being a
soldier, and of marching to war to the
tune of the drum and fife. In the
dense shades of the great swamp
fought imaginary foes, and even en-
listed several of the little negroes of
the plantation into the service, and led
them bravely to battle.
With boys idea of excitement and
adventure, l was soon disappointed in
not hearing the boom of cannons and
the shock of battle. From the CONVEX
sation of my parents, l had learned
that the war was close to our doors,
and every time 1 walked down to the
swamp 1 expected to see horrible-look-
ing men in great blue coats ready to
shoot at me. On one or two occasions
a dark-green bush in the swamp fright
ened me so by it's resemblance to my
idea of federal soldier that 1 concealed
myself in the thick reeds for nearly an
hour, and only ventured forth again
very cautiously as night began to settle
over the woods.
But as no signs of federal soldiers APP
peared, 1 soon became treasured, and
attended to my fishing and trapping in
the swamp again as usual. Even the
news of the capture of Savannah did
not rouse me to a just appreciation of
the case. With my little body-guard of
two negroes, l roamed through the
swamp as careless and Indifferent as if
no war disturbed the land. The rumors
that the country was full of federal
soldiers were discredited by me, be-
cause of my first deception.
One hot August day I was in the
swamp, as usual, fishing for the south
ern trout. The heat was almost
sitting, and the welcome shade of the
forest made me tired and sleepy. The
fish in the muddy waters seemed to
gasp with the heat also, and the bait
that dangled close to their noses was
untouched. A beautiful sand-hill
crane stood on one leg in the sluggish
water about hundred feet away,
dreamily watching me out of one eye,
and not far from the same spot Flor
ida ibis was cleansing its gaudy
plumage with the water and cooling
its feverish body at the same time. My
two darky companions were asleep.
Near me, with head nesting on the
soft, moist sod, was Banks, my faith
full funting dog. 1t was an ideal,
peaceful scene, as l look back at it