Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-09-30
" Miss Mary"
THE STORY OF A WAR WIDOW.

What a dear little old maid -
said the Northern visitor, as the
charming Southerner tripped down
the garden walk, prim little skirts
gently stirred by the autumn breeze,
shawl neatly folded over shoulders
which had the slope of the true Vir-
ginia aristOcrat, dark hair banded be-
meath the close elittle bonnet-an ideal
type Of spinsterhood.
Every one laughed. "Miss Mary?
An old maid? Why, she's tho fierc-
est war widow in the whole Shenan-
doah Valley! She bit q Union SOL
dier's arm clean through to the bone
once. You must get her to tell you
the story it's very interesting"
The story was nteresting-deci-
dedly so.
You see," said Miss Mary, bend
ing down to pick an invisible thread
from the spotless rag-carpet rug
"yOu see, there had been good deal
of trouble all along the valley be.
cause certain of our people were said
to be giving signals by means of
lights in the houses at night to the
Confederate troops in the Blue Ridge
heights. Sheridan was encamped all
round us, and he had issued an order
that any house showing a light after
dark should be burned to the ground.
1t was regular curfew."
"What did you do?" murmured
her hearer, sympathetically.
Miss Mary's laugh was delightful
thing to hear. No one would have
suspected her of misfortune, and GER
tainly not of the tragic experience
of war. "Oh, it wasn't pleasant,
but we all stumbled into bed in the
dark-those who didn't 60 to sleep
with the chickens. Well, one night,
just at midnight, messenger rode
up to our door with note for me-
1t was note from one of my rela-
tives telling me that my favorite
aunt was dying. OF course l had to
read the letter, and Of course / had
to have light for the purpose. I
went up into the garret and lighted
just one little candle"-ah, Miss
Mary, what meant that odd gleam in
your keen, dark eyes at the recollec-
tion p" but it was seen, and early
the next morning regiment of SOL
diers filed into the yard, marched up
on to the gallery and into the kitchen
and proceeded to turn the kitchen
stove upside down, and so set fire to
the house. My father expostulated
with the captain, showed the letter
about my aunt, told him my mother
was old and feeble and liable to die
from the shock-it did kill her.
Nothing availed; the house was
ablaze in dozen places, and the SOL
diers began ransacking everything
/ rushed frantically upstairs and
down, trying to secure the most val
liable things, our money-we hadn't
much-and the silver and jewelry.
My two children were asleep on the
third floor, taking their morning nap,
when the excitement began--my lit
tie Cir! Of three years and my baby
boy. My first thought, of course,
had been for them, and the negro
nurse was directed to take them to a
place of safety.
could see her in the distance, my
little girl running about, 80 ] took it
for granted they were all right. But
suddenly / had an inspiratiOn--you
know things are told you just as
though spirit spoke. l was drag
ging a small trunk out when the
vOice--it was nothing less-said 60
to your children
dropped the trunk, ran down to
the quarters {; there was the nurse,
there was my little girl, but--there
was no baby. Law, Miss Mary
said the stupid black creature, wiring
ing her hands and crying, 'he was so
heavy l couldn't done tote 'em bofe.'
never stopped; ] fairly flew
back to the house the nursery floor
was already in flames. On the stairs
a big burly soldier barred the way.
/ tried to dodge past, but he caught
me by the elbOws-I'm not very big,
you know-and held me out at arms
length.
couldn't stop to argue; time was
precious / just ducked my head
down, bit at at the fieshy part of his
wrist, and-let my teeth meet. He
dropped me with an oath. l scam
pered past and caught up my baby
just in time. The bedclothes were
on fire."
A flash of the old bitterness and
storm stirred Miss Mary's mobile
features for the moment then she
leaned back with her own musically
Southern ripple Of laughter. Well,
we'll, those days are past, and my
baby's father and Pm a grand
mother; and you, my dear, were in
vited to eat Sally Lunn and drink
tea, which is a heap sight more po-
lite than telling tales against the
Yankees. Let's go and have our
supper"
DIDN'T KNOW THE RoPEs.-Gen-
eral Morgan, of Illinois, who COM
manded brigade in Davis Division,
was one of those men so slouchy in
his appearance that stranger would
never have picked him for an officer
Of high rank, says Harper's Round
Table. One day raw recruit of his
brigade, who had lost some books,
asked veteran where he might be
likely to find them. The veteran
said the only thief in the brigade was
Jim Morgan, who occupied q tent
near the blue flag. The recruit has
tened to Murgan's tent, showed his
head through the flaps and asked:
"Does Jim Morgan live here? ?"
&" My name is James Morgan an
swered the general.
"Then i want you to hand over
those books you stole from me I"
81 have none of your books, my
dear man."
"That's lie," cried the soldier.
Z" The boys say that you are the only