Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-23

had elapsed when she reached ner oest.-
nation. It was during this long week
that Colonel Christie continued to SINK
slowly and ionged TO see his wife.
Az the days passed by and she came not
he would ask us she comingT MIS-
Christie was relieved Of some or her
otherwise loneliness by the companion
ship OF a lovely Christian woman. Mrs.
Branch, from Savannah, Ca, who was
going on a similar mission. Mrs. Christie
remembered with grateful heart the low
ing care and sympathy OF this noble wo-
man. Upon her arrival at winchester
Mrs. Christie was me. by two Officers OF
her husbands regiment-Dr. Vines r.
Turner, the adjutant now living at hai-
eigh, and Captain James Johnson. OF
Charlotte, n. c--who had remained AT
winchester several days to meet her.
Their countenances indicated unmis-
takabiy sad news for her. and she al
once implored them tell II all. her sus-
pense being extremely painful. The hrst
10 sneak was DR.. Turner. her husbands
dearest friend. who. with tears In his
eyes and tre'nulous voice. could only say
"He Is no more"
"'Tis sweet to know there Is an eye VIII
mark
Our coming, and look brighter when we
come.
but fate had decreed that II should be
Other wise in this case, for his eyes han
been closed In death. He had died FIT
day morning, July IL. 1868, just two DAYS
before her arrival.
THE BURIAL.
As the sun sank slowly to rest behino
the hills the next evening he was buried
with military honors in the City Gene
terry. whence his remains were shortly
afterward removed TO Stonewall Gene
terry. where they have ever since reposed.
Rev. William J. Hoge, the widows
frsend and her much-loved tutor n
former years. conducted the funeral SER
vices. His feeling allusion at the grave
TO her and their association as teacher
and pupil, and their lasting friendship.
filed the eyes Of the soldiers with
floods of tears. and made the occasion
q most touching one to all present.
STILL LINGER.
During Mrs. Christies brief stay In
Winchester she was the guest OF Mrs.
Smith, in whose house Colonel Christie
had fingered ten days. and finally died
Here DR.. Sears the surgeon OF the
regiment; Bishop Wilmer. OF the Pro-
testant Episcopal church, and DR.. Hoge
called to see her. and did much TO
comfort her. Their loving. Christian
ministrations still linger in her memory,
and will never fade.
Mrs. Smith, a, kind. sweet friend, had
tenderly nursed 1.-The dying soldier" and
was prepared to relate to his widow
his longing. to see her, his oft-repeated
wishes that she would some ere he
die: his fears, as the days passed by
without her coming, that his wishes would
not be gratihed, and the loving
messages he had left for her. Just
before his death he called Mrs. Smith
to his bedside. and babe her kiss him for
Lizzie. With this request she willingly
complied, for she had learned. as she
said to love him as a brother. II Is
needless to add that Mrs. Smith hast
ened as soon as she met Mrs. Chris
tie. TO give her this sacred kiss re-
ceived from the lips OF the dying SOL
der.
Mrs. Christie soon returned TO Hender-
son, and thence TO Suffolk, her old
home, where she has since resided. Be
fore she left Henderson the people OF
that place held a public meeting. and
took steps to purchase and donate to her
house and lot in that place, on the
single condition that she should re-
side there. as an expression Of their
high appreciation of the services her
husband had rendered his country; but
she did not accept the gift, feeling that
she could not do so. In view of the great
distress Of the times.
The few members OF Colonel Christie's
regiment who survived the carnage at
Gettysburg raised among themselves
1900 In Confederate money. and sent
the same to Mrs. Christie as an ex-
preston OF love for their late commander
and sympathy for her. Though this
gift was highly appreciated, she endeav-
ored to return II, but without sue
cess. as II was impossible to reach the
soldiers She felt that their wants were
greater than hers, and that they could
not afford to do witout the money. Find
ing that she must retain II, she In
, vested the money In the lot upon which
she now resides IN Suffolk. In her eyes.
in view OF the source from which the
means came to enable her TO purchase
Il his lot Is a sacred and precious
spot. as any one might well imagine it
to be.
MATILDA"
1t so happened that while Mrs. Chris
tie was young girl. and pupil at Buck
ingham Female Collegiate Institute, In
Buckingham county, Va, she met and
became the warm friend of Matilda c.
Smiley. one OF her schoolmates. OF
Miss Smiley II could be truthfully said.
"Poeta nascitur, non fit" She was born
a poet. She had been sent TO the insti-
tute TO be educated by her friend or
guardian, the late Rev. George w Mol
ley, a minister Of the Virginia Confer
ence of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
South She wrote poetry with a great
deal OF ease, and soon became noted for
her compositions. She had left school.
married Mr.. Alpheus Edwards. OF
Washington, d. c.. and settled in that
city. Here she lived at the time OF
Mrs. Christie's bereavement. Soon after
the latter's return TO Suffolk she told the
whole story of her sorrow in a letter
addressed 70 Mrs. Edwards. who at once
sat down and. with the information
impaired by the letter, wrote 1.-THE
Dying Soldier" which embodies the
thoughts suggested by Colonel Chris
ties last words kiss me for Lizzie"
The poem was first published I'm the
Richmond Christian Advocate. in Octo-
Der, 1863. and has since appeared In a
volume Of southern poems, and frequent
" In newspapers. This. however. is the
first time the full story OF its origin has
been published. Mrs. Edwards wrote
and published her first volume OF poems
while she was a pupil at the Bucking-
ham Institute, and afterwards became
quite famous as poet
Strange to say. Mrs. Smith mentioned
In this article and Mrs. Christie have
never met or heard from each other since
they parted. In July. 1863. If Mrs. Smith
is now living In Winchester. or else
where, and wishes TO experience the
most Joyous moment OF her life. she
should not delay 10 communicate with
Mrs. Christie. Cannot some one in Win
chester tell US something Of Mrs. Smith?
Colonel Christie was a brave and
faithful officer. and for gallantry at
Charlottesville was recommended by
General Rodes for promotion. Had he
lived a few weeks longer he would have
he L. Ind H. .nra r.rnl