Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-12-24
A Southern
christmas
i'm 1864.
Lucilla $, ruppor in Tho commonwealth.

A1oohAhS hho phbpo VI - E'Ste
city to-day one is bewildered by the
multiplicity OF beautiful things for the
children. Everything ~ there that
heart could wish-=dols of every race
and size, with wardrobos dainty and
complete, mechanical toys, worked by
ateam and electricity. The miniature
man and woman have been thought OF
! so fully that nothing appears left TO be
desired, unless il be the pennies ami
dollars to purchase. Fra
This abundance and beauty Of the
articles exhibited bring to my mind
the first Christmas ! can remember,
when scarcity and meagreness We're over
the whole South.
In 1864 the war clouds hung heavy
and mepacing over our land. Those
living away from the scene Of active
war could not realize the intensity
and dreadfulness of those conditions.
To cen the wounded and crippled and
starving and not BIZ able TO help!
When the Confederates came marching
through they were greeted on every
side with wHrmest welcome and given
the fast diminishing provisions gladly
and cbeerfuly. Then the hearts of
the women would take new courage,
and they would congratulate each other
and say: "We shall win. we know we
shall. Our men are true and our CAUSE
Just; they must win"
Then would come news OF defeat
The trains were irregular, the tele-
graph offices far away; even ii they
had not been, the service Was I'm
reliabe. At that time it seemed to me
that l eau remember nothing but
hearing and seeing mourning and tears
The women worked bravely, preparing
lint and bandages and clothing for the
soldiers.
South Carolina was in desperate need
all her men over lG in the army,
almoet all their property in Cor,
federate bonds and slaves; tho first
taking thousand cents to make a
dollar; the second worth thousand
dollars, but their maintenance costly.
The farming had been almost entirely
abandoned Wheat and corn were in
credibly dear. Northern ships novered
around Charleston, and most of the
Southern ports were cut off from sup
plies OF sugar, coffee. and ''the
thousand and one- things necessary to
comfort. Hunger began to chow her
gaunt form in many villages, our vii
lage among these. My father had died
ia Virginia in 1863 leaving mother a
frail, delicate creature, with four little
children. She had struggled heroi-
caiiy; and planned and worked to
take care of her four children, and the
one hundred and fifty blacks who made
her family. These negroes aided her
10 every way possible; aud light here
want to testify to the faithfulneHs
and earnestness of our uolored people.
Marse Johns wife was to them a
worked ''thuir fingers to the bone,' as
they said, for her. Never one night
since she became widow had she
been in the house alone with her chill
dren Like faithful watch.dogs Uncle
Barney and Henry would sleep before
the "mistia' ~ door, month in and
out; even after the "surrender,n when
they were freq, they still stayed on,
and watched her and hers until she
crossed to the other shore. In that
funeral procession there followed no
more sorrowful mourners than those
whose faces were black, but whose
hearts were as white as the snow.
To go back to Christmas. The holi.
day time WAS approaching. There were
no signs of tho festal occasion. II
anything, sorrow was deepened, for at
this meeting time there were so any
vacant chairs. | heard the boys
tell how. before the war, they had
"fire. crackers and Roman candles, and
everything nice and 30 much fun. " Ii
seemed to me that il / could but see
fire. crakers and Christmas trees with
candy hearts and PUTS my happiness
would be complete. The day before
Christmas came; the boys wore talk-
ing together and looking mysterious.
They sent me away all the ti:le. From
a 6-year.old. point of view life seemed
hard. Before went to bed that night
4, tn, HtanI nal lflr
something for you, dear; but you are
old enough to understand that We, al
home, cannot make merry when our
dear boys are on the battlefield. suffer-
ipg.' Such o look of overwhelminp
trouble came over that dear face that
/ felt that Christmas had done wrong
to come during war times. AS | lay
in bed, | was restless. and in my sleeI
dreamed of the things the boys had
told me- A dear old lady who never
forgot the children, remembered me.
Afror ! was asleep, her colored maid
came over, bringing tray NIGEL!
covered, saying: "Mistis lowed thai
three children should have som(
Christmas. . Happy three--her little
orphan nephew, who lived with her,
the minister's daughter and myself. A
Z little deed of Kindness indeed; bu
oh, how much it was worth In th,
morning, when opened my eyes, the,
fell upon the tray beside my bed. Witt
spring, | was out and felt sure tina
Christmas had come to me-; and /
had. My delighted eyes rested on
what do you think? j see little Mis-
"A and Master Dainty look eontemptu
ousy at my fine Christmas present
just hickory nut doll, with fac,
Il covered with a piece OF white kiC
N glove, eyes, nose and mouth made will
RI ink, and real hair! A nice little Whit
n Gun bonnet, tied under her chin, and
~ lilac and white calico dress, completed
her costume. How sweet she was Fo
ri many months the three Miss Nutties-
va the little boys, the minister's daugh
N ter's and mine--went to see eacl
t# other, and We had just as good time
WI MS little Miss g Francais'' has whe
,lE she goes ia her silk lined coach.
'b Present number two--some slices O
2% molasses cake, with dried apples invi
M for raisins;i it was delicious! Numbe
IN three-two whole Jumps Of white sugar
'S' stick of molassess candy and som
W pop. corn. The whole of South Carolin
~ contained no happier child that da
if than |. At breakfast We had COLE
maze of parched rye, sweetened wit
sorghum! Sounds horrid, eh? Vol