Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-29
THE WAR AND WOMAN
CAMP LEE SIGHTS AND SCENES
SUGGEST A STUDY.
HER PADS AND PANCIES FORGOTTEN.
She Has Dropped Back Into Her Old
Sphere, and Justs Wants Help I'm
the Old-Time way-A Volunteers
Opinions.

Women are constant visitors TO camp
Lee, and go when one will, he is very
apt to find them among the tents. for
should they present themselves before
the hour OF o'clock in the afternoon,
they generally manage TO have them
selves taken to some officer with whom
they say they have business.
Their business is not always with the
company commander, whom they wish to
see. Frequently. perhaps. most frequently
they wish to see some member of his
company--a brother, a friend, or sweet
heart. Yes, sweetheart, for ''all law is
silent during war" and the observant
visitor at Camp Lee. noting the fire.
quency with which a blue-coated soldier
and fair visitor. with jaunty shirt
waist and hat, are seen strolling In less
frequented portions of the camp or en-
gagged in earnest conversation In the
shade OF the big trees, is led to believe
that the legal maxim applies to the no
less stringent laws Of conversationality,
also. The girls visit the boys.
A pretty girl seated in front of tent
sewing button on a soldiers coat made
SIIlkluBly OOIneSllC SCcile III camp OHo
afternoon last week She may have been
his sister, but the flush on her cheeks
indicated that she was someone else's.
How she would have scorned to perform
for him month ago the task she was
doing. But these are war-timeS now,
and all law is silent.
The stroller about the camp, the stray
visitor who is not bent on finding friends.
but only wishes to satisfy his love OF
curious, or 10 I'll his notebook prepara-
tory to grinding out a column or two OF
copy, invariably notes the fact that the
majority OF the boys seem to have femi-
nine acquaintance to see them. Many o.
these acquaintances have probably been
formed since coming TO Richmond, for it
is very natural that a soldier should in
troduce his female friend to a comrade.
Sometimes he may find this a very con-
venient method of Kidding himself Of a
pretty, but troublesome, third party.
IT don't know any of the women, and
don't want TO know EN-" strapping
young fellow with one Of the Roanoke
said the other afternoon, as
he lounged under q big tree near the one
beneath whose shade the Gospel Crusa-
ders conduct services every evening. The
rather yearning look In his gaze directed |
merrily chatting TO group of soldiers |
not far away, rather belled the honesty |
Of his remark, and caused fellow |
Younger to question the reason of the |
remark.
"Why don't 1 want 'em around" he
asked. 'Tll tell you. 1 don't know wo-
men much now, but used to know 'em.
all right, l guess, in the MAN,"
and there was the suggestion OF a ro-'
nance in his voice. II don't know 'em
now. Maybe If knew more of 'em 1
wouldn't be here. I'm certain 1t would be
harder to leave II had to tell 'em good
Dy.
You think they won't mind SEEM us
march away" he continued, as he sat
I'D. and threw away the stick he had
been whiting. 'Ill bet you there amt
l man here that'll feel half so bad about
soin' on the day we start as the wo-
nen'I feel because we have to go. They
ook mighty gay, and don't care now,
,ut I know what they feel. I've heard
ny mother talk too much about how the
women folks used to feel during the war
when the men would have TO march away
o the front. May be they're after cheer
m I'D the boys by keepin' up show Of
,pirits now, but 1 know that in their
learts they are sad. It's woman's ma
ure. We have to do the marchin', and
Ightin', and dyin', when It's got to be
lone, and they stay at home. and watch,
md wait, and pray. I'm glad l amt
War finds woman woman-just wo-
nan. In the days Of peace she clamorec
or that which she termed her rights
ought for wider freedom for her sex
or the ballot, for a single-moral stand
I'd, and what-not. But war came ana
he was silent. The noisy sex, as men
ERIN it. strangely enough, has become
he silent one. Her fads and whims she
as cast aside. She no longer finds In
eresting the things that only few weeks
go engrossed her utterly ana
aused her to seek to get the world by
he ears. She is ready and determined
0 do her part, but her conception or that
art has undergone a mighty change'
he only insists upon her right to give
err services in the home, to soothe the
uffering in the field and hospital, TO
heer on the brave fellows who march
way to fight for their country's honor.
he has fallen back into the place TO
,bich nature assigned her. She feels 1t