The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-05-24

either side, whether there have ever
been since such lovely. brilliant and
loving girls as those with whom they
rode and flirtcd and danced, for loving
whom they, perhaps, fought all the
better, away back in the COS.
Probably these old boys. still feel
ing spry and hale, forget the swift
cadence of Times march as they sit
at camp fire" or Reunion. Per-
haps few of them have ever heard, and
those few have forgotten, the old
song verse
81 never shall sec such flowers again.
Nor smell such q sweet Perfume;
But if there be now no such flowers az
those,
'Tis who have lost my bloom!'
But this rcminisccncc is not to risk
the dread artillery Of bright eyes Of
to-day; only to recall, without com
parison, those merry, delightful and
wholly unparalleled entertainments of
the later days Of the war, which sol
dicr beau and Richmond belle knew as
starvation parties Many white
haired grandsirc, many a stately and
venerable grand dame of to-day re-
count to generations then unborn the
frolic and real brilliancc Of those
social gatherings in the sorcly Lacquer
cd Capital in the winters Of 1863 and
"a.
Richmond had ever been famous for
her hospitality, and for the generous
elegance of her entertainment to all
accredited strangers. When she be-
came the Capital of the Southern Con-
fcdcracy a great and new population
was cmpticd into her gates, coming
from every distant sister State, and
embraces most Of the distinction,
social rcnown, intellectually and
wealth Of the entire Southland. And
for time, indeed until the strain Of
war and mourning of actual want bore
too heavy upon her, this new popula-
tion was treated as though each and
everyone was an bcnDrcd and invited
guest. The Gray and personal bearing
were the only open sesame" needed
to swing wide Richmond doors.
But the Capital was the spot of all
the South coveted by the powerful
and active enemy. Untold masses Of
men were hurled against her; COM
munications were cut off and supplies
became restricted in inverse ratio to
demand for them. Money, too, de-
preciatcd in value in a tumble that,
looked back upon to-day, seems almost
comic, until there came to be truth in
the epigram that the housewife going
to market carried her money IN the
basket and brought back her supplies
in her pocket.
The early constant round Of din
ncrs, lunches, balls and receptions
grew gradually less; at first by almost
impcrceptible degrees. then with
strides as rapid as the financial de-
preston or the cngrossment of all
thoughtful people by more sad and
serious duties. For the once merry
Capital became one vast hospital Of
the great camps, and almost every
6rcsidc had its vacant chair
So, by the trying winter Of 1868,
formal entertaining in Richmond was
almost thing Of the past. Every
house was open esA Its doors FELL back
of themselves tn the open sesame Of
"our boys" but The strain to provide
home necessities, with the added om-
nirrescnt one of feeding the sick, put
an automatic negative on every sug-
gestion of entertainment. Still the
people we're far from hopeless were
buoyant indeed to near the very end,
and the younger element, both in the
army and in society, were ever fun
hungry, and ready for every plan and
project Of amusement.
Out Of this demand, met by necessi-
tvs negative, sprang what we've known
as starvation parties At these
beautiful and accomplished women,
and not always only the giddy girls.
met and danced and flirtcd to their
hearts content with "thosc poor boys
who deserved to be amused In the
winter ''siesta," when tired nature
stopped nine months of killing by
making roads impossible with mud
and snow, this elastic descriptive list
covered all grades. The bcardlcss
private, longing for his first mustachc,
was as much hero to young woman
hood as was the corps commander,
with wreath -circled stars upon his
collar. Indeed, for starvation" uses,
the sub usually chad the CALI on his
chief, for he danced better, and, in