Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1895-10-20

fording some slight "ventilating" once in
while of those 'cribbed, cabined and
confined" war memories" which simply
present strictly true pictures of certain
incidents of cruel past, wherein the re-
publican party figured more conspicu-
ously than creditably. II it pleases re-
publicans to review their own deeds then
would Cuba Grey indulge no churlish
spirit in Withholding from those epicures
such feast as she might spread for their
enjoyment.
1t has been my good fortune, or i'll for
tune, to acquire considerable fund of in
formation during the period of my exist
ence, and Ii has proved an impossibility
for me to forget the facts once implant-
ed upon my mental surface. Those fates
who presided at my natal hour wholly
neglected to eRdow my composition with
the faculty of forgiveness. l am, never
theless, wonderfully slow to take offense.
and 1 rarely stoop to register any circum-
stance as worthy of cherishing malice
in consequence of its occurrence. When
one does go on the books" however, 1t
never is erased. 1 am careful as to what
1 record in the "never-to-be-forgot often
column" therefore. l don't spend zone
half of my life in SHINING and the other
half in repenting," as some good folk
seem to do. If the door of heaven be
found not wide enough to admit a SOUL
with it's budget of grudges against north
ern republicans, then 1 dismaly forbode
that my soul Is in danger of being left
outside as [ could not honestly pretend
to forgive such outrage against the prin-
ciples of simple truth and justice as was
and is still committed by our malignant
foes. Bartemus requests me in such gal
liant mode to participate in his nimrod
sport against gold bugs that I can but
drop an orthodox "old woman" courtesy"
and exclalm, with all my gentle SOUL
kind sir, I'll be there" I have already
been guilty of some amateur cunning at
occasional gold bug specimens. but they
fail to "shatter like clay pigeons" every
time l bring my gun to shoulder. Some
of the hardy bugs" persist in flying off
lot, friend Bartemus, and are not hit
fatally always when they "holler." If
you credit the old saying. that "all roads
lead to Rome" you may better compre-
bend the brilliant plan of campaign
mapped within that mighty organ termed
Cuba Grey's brain. Cuba has not all this
while been rendering herself a Just
cause of complaint" on the part of edi-
tors and printers simply from motives of
vanity. When have seemed to ruthless
1y tear the veil off withered features of
sad, though glorious past, it was with a
grim, set purpose that | SO acted, even
while my own Irish heart bled afresh
over each incident to which my pen re-
verted. I have undergone no slight de-
gree of self-torture in the ordeal of which
/ speak, but held a certain aim in view
1t has always been conceded as preroga-
tive of woman to sit by the grave of her
murdered land and bewail that loss but
I tried that essentially feminine task
and my Sweet, sad verses" just palled
upon my own and the public taste. So
here l am, reporting for duty on the sill
yer question; and 1" promise not to in
dulge in weak poetry" even though I
fail to evolve the highest type of con-
vincing prose.
With brave Bartemus' and Cuba
Grey both on the "bloodless" warpath
won't the god-bugs prepare to fold
their tents and silently steal away?" My
wisely conceived plan had been to fight
back issues" through the war and re-
publican party practices" on up to the
present date, when gold-bugs do abound
in consequence of one John Shermans"
willy influence. By singular and of course
weakly feminine ratiocinati ton. | had ac
tually connected the war with the re-
publicans, and, yet more strange to re-
late, / did seem to directly link the gold
standard" policy also unto the republi-
cans. How could frail womans intel
lect properly grasp such a mixed situa-
ton, and disentangle all mention of the
war" from treatment of the money
problem" in which republicans seem to
be chief factors of evil, just as they were
in bringing about that forgotten "epi-
sode of secession?' 1 intended to drive
party ahead of it. until I brought them
straight in the rear Of our patriotic gold
bugs. The gold-bugs might then be I'M
able to retreat. unless they crowded back
into republican ranks. so Bartemus, and
his band of skilled marksmen, might bag
full measure of game by meeting the
covey with face fire" while poor Cuba
Grey drove" in the rear. You might have
engaged in a regular "battue" under
such suspicious circumstances-oh, Bar
temusi If Adam. the very first man.
scrupled not to admit that he followed
the lead of a woman" then why should
Adams of this later period assume dis
dain of modern" Ewes tactics? adam
the first" betrayed the white feather
by faltering and sl<ull<ng behind Old
Eve, so he was properly cast from the
Garden of Eden. Men should never falter
or skulk. Do please compliment Cuba
Grey upon those brilliant attributes of
skilled tactician, which she has doubt
less betrayed to your keen discernment
Napoleon and wellington would dwindle
in the light of history We're their military
exploits compared impartially with those
which Cuba Grey might achieve upon the
"bloodless" field of strategy. Kind Bar
temus, 1 grant you gracious privilege of
laughing heartily at thought of your
conceited correspondent.
CUBA GREY.
Oak Grove, Talladega, Ala.