Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-05-06

stopped as contrabond if tried to
.ake them In whole pieces. And
they'll make over just as welI.n
On, this dreadful war y, In.
mented the elder. eff only John,
eff John feels that he is RIGHT
mother," broke in Alice, firmly, but
blinking back her tears, "my duty
is with him. And LIly and Willie
are as we'll there as here. You never
saw babies grow faster than mine.n
But its hard to part with YOU
again, child"
Yes, mother dear, know. But
even this little visit has been sucb a
comfort. John SAID | might not get
day II tho provost marshal sus-
pected-Ah, / wonder if that's il p,
She listened and started up as the
street door-bell rang.
Alice went down stairs and ro.
turned with parcel that she put be-
tween the mattresses.
Well, that's safe here. thank
goodness, she said. awe won't fix
The dolls till the last thing"
They worked steadily on. The
trunk began to fill; the young
mother seemed more and more given
over to deStruCtiveness. Lustrous
ribbons, creamy laces, filmy hand
kerchiets, all the elegant trifles of
dress, she crumpled and made to
look old, while she placed them pro.
miscuouSly in the trunk. At last il
was nearly full, and she patted the
dolls with:
Mother, think what a blessing if
can only get through with these ~
"Alice, had you better try it?
Ihere'll be such a danger"
Not exactly dangcr-though thew
may cause the confiscation of nv
fine new wardrobe. Have you the
glue, mother?"
Yes, everything's ready, Alice"
Come then, my Willie," said the
little mother, picking up the man
DOLL Wen see if you can be
useful as well as beautiful
She took the package from be-
tween the mattresses, placed it on
the table and opened it. There lay
quantity of soft, fluffy stuff, lighter
than flour and whittier than snow.
Alice took penknife, plunged it
under the doll's neck, worked it
around above the shoulders, lifted
the head and laid it on the table,
Then she shipped the stitches that
held on the arms and legs. Finally
she emptied the limbs and body of
sawdust. The poor doll had dwin-
died to thing of cloth. Then Alice
seized a spoon and dipped up some
of the fluffy white stuff.
My child, do be careful? The
blockade runners are so closely
watched"
Yes, but you see, mother, the
Yankees pass me to Point of Rocks"
All, but afterward-"
"pll have to trust to luck. OF
course, some of their advanced posts
may take the notion to look into my
trunk again but | reckon on avoid
ing them"
But if they should suspect the
dolls at Point of Rocks. Think !"
"Oh, they won't. I'll lay them
right on top. They look SO innocent.
And they are better than innocent.
Every grain here" she held up a
spoonful of the white stuff, "may
be the saving of mans life"
All this time she had been pouring
and ramIning the white stuff into the
dolls legs, arms and body, When
| these were quite plump again, the
old lady sewed them together firmly
and glued on the head, while Alice
put Lily's LADY doll' through the
emptying and filling process.
Then back and forth their shining
needles flew in dressing the pair
Lily's doll in spangled tarlatan
and pink satin, and Willie's in full
regimentals of blue, gorgeous with
golden epaulettes and braid.
"To think that should take the
first Yankee officer into Richmondw ~
Alice laughed as she laid the mimic
general in the trunk.
Now the small hours Of the morn
ing had come. The two women
knelt together beside the bed, with
their arms around each other, as
they prayed low, and with sobs, for
their loved ones and themselves and
peace-oh, the peace that seemed so
far from their distracted nation!
Two days later Alice stood by her
open trunks in the bare barracks Of
the Point of Rocks army post. A
company of blue coated, yellow
braided soldiers. with high cavalry
boots and clanking sabres, loitered
near with some curiosity, while a
young lieutenant, looking as if much
ashamed of his duty, stopped in ex-
animation of the lady's baggage.
"Humph! dolls-I don't suppose
dolls are contraband," said he, with
a smile.
And the young lieutenant laid
down the dolls with the abashed air
of man who feels himself out of
place.
"DolIs !" said the sergeant, who
was assisting. He lifted them on
high that the men might see. "BOys,
We hain't been seeing nothing of this
sort lately. Gosh they do take my
eyew
The men crowded around.
"I've got three babies at home
myself, ma'am," said the Old SER
geant, alphabetically, to Alice. AT
the some time he mechanically
handed the doll to soldiers eX-
tended hands.
Lily's doll was at once passed back
to Alice apparently the soldiers
we're afraid of its feminine finery.-
But Willie's they hailed with shouts.
"Say here's new way of get
tim the blue into Richmond J" cried
one.
"Capturin' our officers ~ roared
another.
"True blue general!" shouted a