Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-15

az tho sreat conflict True there are war
poems and war stories. but any discussion
OF the issues involved or any renecuon
on the parties do not seem to nave iounu
any place in its pages.
one number only Of a monthly maya
zine. which took its name from the pub
fishers. Smith & Barron. was issued III
1854. The editor was Charles Z. Dimltry,
who was one Of the vigorous writer's OF
the South during the war. lie belonged
TO family OF writer's. Professor Alex
ender Dimtry. OF New Orleans, was
distinguished scholar and prominent IN
educational matters OF his state. MS
yons, John and Charles Dimitry, are weI-
known southern authors, while his daush-
ter. Mrs. Virginia Dimitry Ruth' hdS
written a book OF poetry and a novel
The Smith & Barron Monthly Magazine
was modelled after Blackwoods and had
a similar cover for the outside
The Southern Field and Fireside Is the
name OF a publication that was issueu
during the war at Atlanta. ii was sup
posed to come out monthly. but aIter
awhile II refused 10 come out at all. Just
how many numbers in the Field and flre-
side we're issued / am unable to say.
Three numbers OF periodlcai cdleu
the Age were issued I'm 1863. They are
| distinguished from most OF the other
southern publications Of war time by De-
| ing neatly printed on rather white paper
Another monthly IL worthy OF mention
here because I'm its second number ap-
peared that stirring poem, "Iollicoter,
written by Henry Flash. This monthy
was published by two printers Messrs'
Hutton & Freleish. at Memphis curing
/ the first year Of the war. IL is known
/ By their names. Three NUMBERS only "'S
/ known 10 have appeared
+ba v-nat.fx uuIlic1 ffO0g I'm the South
during the war two Will be remembered
bv many southern people. They are the
illustrated News and the Magnolia Week
Is. These two weeklies were strong
rivals, and made many bids for pubic
! favor and patronage.
The Magnolia weekly offered In 1875
prize of 500 fo. the best continued story.
IL was won by Charles y. Dimitry who
afterward became the editor Of the Week
". Then the News offered $1,000 for the
hest serial story This time the prize
went to a lady, Miss Mary Hawes Her
story. entitled, "The Rivals" was story
Of the war.
The illustrated News was a weak imi-
tator OF Harpers Weekly and Frank Les
lies. Considering It's resources, 1t made
a fair showing. The typographical APP
pearance Of the News is bad, because II
is printed on wretched paper with poor
ink. The portrait Of n Confederate gene
raj adorned the front page OF each No.
The wood-cuts are often spirited, but,
OF course. blurred. Many Of them were
drawn by W. L. Sheppard. an artist
whose clever sketches OF southern life
and character. especially OF the 'darky,"
has since won for him fame and for
tune.
From a literary point Of view the Mag
nolia Weekly surpassed its rival. IL Sc
sVfl. IN
writer's as William Gilmore Simms. Henry
Timrod Schele de We're. John Esten Cooke.
and others. The Magnolia Weekly
was at first a four-page and latterly an
eight-page paper. The News was also
eight pages. Unlike most Of their con-
temporaries, these two weekly papers
came out very regularly. oddly enough,
both the Magnolia Weekly and its rival
the News. met the same fate, at the
same time, and in the same way. The
offices Of both papers We're destroyed by
the great fire which broke out In April
1855. after the Federal troops occupied
Richmond. Thus the careers Of two we'll
edited and interesting war-papers came 70
a close.
Such. then. are some OF the literary
enterprises that nourshed for a brief
time in the South during the war
They are few only Of the ephemeral
out One Of the magazines that eXertcd
a great influence upon southern literature
was De Pow's Review. 10 was pub
lished for many ycass at New Orleans.
From It's pages one can gain better,
tr1er idea Of the "Oid South than from
any other source. In one OF the last
Nos. OF this Review there is "a list
Of the papers and periodicals published
throughout the Southern States I'm
ls6l To this list should be added the
publications from 1861 10 1866.
so one. as fer as ] know. has ever
compiled a complete "Dixana." Most
all Confederate publications are rare.
Many are worth their weight in gold.
Some OF them have disappeared complete
Is. They exist only in name Now and
then some prying individual proving In
the garnet Of q southern home, or a book
worm grubbing I'm the dark corners Of
secondhand bOok-shop brings 10 light
one OF these curious relics OF literary
activity I'm the South.
You should see how some Of the Con-
federate books and papers were printed.
Just think OF having your newspaper
figured and lowered on one side. and
blurred with had lettering on the other
side The printers could not help it.
They did the be4t tLey could with wall
paper.
publications was Ather high The price
Of the monthlies was about so a year.
Toward the END Of the war the editor
! was obliged TO * 800 a year. The sub
scribers paid wl n was equivalent 10 so.
The Richmond ialies We're sold at the
rate Of $50 a ar. Later on the mails
were cut off fro q the South Atlantic and
! Gulf states. az 1 the Richmond dailies
could not be ha for love or money
The man who Ould afford paper was
! regarded as oloated hondholder. al
though the bon after awhile would not
call for as IN ch as newspapers. The
subscribers rea and reread. studied and
| pOndered over Every line in their valuable
and costly paper. which passed through
90 many hands that usually IL was torn
into fragments. and then the pieces We're
seized and greedily devOured. IL would
be interesting. perhaps. TO give some
of the quaint and curious things that
appear in "Dixiana." They possess no
great literary merit. but they show that
even amid the thunders Of war literature
will have its charm for some people.
At the time when General Sherman was
marching through Georgia, when the
southern armies were being scattered,
when the cause was lost--at such a time
men and women were writing essays and
stories, and poets were polishing their
verses. A great war is detrimental TO
the highest lit srary art. but ii may be
the means OF bringing out battle song,
a stirring lyrL; or an eloquent Grafton.
| The most enduring works are most often
matured I'm tines OF peace and quiet
MANASSAS.