The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-30
Dixie-A Memory.


 We gladly print the following reminls- cences of one f the South's most charm ing and cultured women:
 It must have been in the springtlme' or the early summer. for as write l seem to smell the crushed flowers, and to see the hundreds of pale-yelioW Dhtternles that made golden the prairie roadsioes. that sunny afternoon. We were golns u Van Dorn to see the soldiers start TOT inc war; and our party formed quite procession In front, mounted on trahk' his great chestnut sorrel rode grandpa His smiling face was now grave anu pTe- occupied Accompanying him was C@h- @ cle Nate" the old bachelor of the family. beloved of us all too old for service, put 'poing to the war to look atter tne boys'' Next came buggy III which rode my father and mother, then the lumberinG high carriage 1t was n,ieed away up in mid-air with steps that IInfolded. and curious springs that curved out in the rear; Veriuapie fda si,a,l T of state it always seemed 10 me. lI,oluo were mammv. our baby brother and three othor childrer, When we reached the en- c4mnment. all the nighhors had gathered indeed half the country had turned out. to see the soldiers of. l tnlnk ' Was a mart or the whole of the llth Alaoama Pagiment and they were the first troops thai started from Marengo county II my childish rocollections be correct. have no one near who could give me nIsitive information. However, they were
 
 were no glittering uniforms, very httie gold braid and but few brass buttons. The muskets and shining bayonets, the knapsaCks, canteens the soldier caps anu heIts and the gray flannel shirts were all new and of thrilling interest to us. I recall even now my intense surprise at seeing all the men in their Snirt sieeve1 IJttle groups of soldiers and thear tTleilus tI stood all around us waiting for the drum hest to sound their marching orders; There were whispered good byes' anu tremulous God bless Nous' Weepii p 5 5 mothers embraced their boys ana 'iiy nlany eyes looked love to eyes that ne CT "VuIu 1 meet again. as the soldiers fell in me. Then there was silence broken ohly ny sobs. and the deep voice or the eIag haired minister's prayer which conliheI'uI t,lI cd o,Ir boys to the keeping of the Goa of Pattles; and then while the ar was rent with shouts they marched away uh- der the floating stars ana nars' Anom ". II II inc dusty road they tramped; ana as the huzzahs died away. the music began from the first brass band had ever 1T heard-the air they played was "Dixle. We rode silently homeward III the gath- ering twilight. our childish prattle stllleu, i, and over us fell the hush and awe one feels when they have listened to clods
 Years passed; my husband and l trav- cling in the West visited San Francisco: Win A party of friends as guests or tbe citv. we were invited aboard one of those great iron-clad monitors that lay in the hdrbor We steamed past the seals and the Cliff House. through the Golden Gates away out on the waters of the Pacific. On deck all was merriment;; There were song and dance, laughter ana music. wit and wine. My husband Coi- onel Mosby. of Confederate fame, Mao Blois of the l.. s. Army, and the snlP captain, stood together discussing me superb music of the Marine Bann' oI Iad of these gentlemen turning to me anu 1.i asked: What would you like 10 near pixie" l answered promptly. APP o'hU1i nd ing the leader. he spoke fe" worus, s-, fl'u ',, presently the old familiar me ap sS%d0sp and spaee S were obiiterated, The Rockies, the bound, less prairies. the rollng, rivers sw.y mf5yyn down S"ntb in Dixie" I stood for moment on that old camp ground and say S,at the ne bnvs in gray [ looked on my granutatn- ers I pale, set features, and my mo mother f,ars s tear-stained face. and listened once more ore to fhe shouts of the Rebel Yell-while the band plard Dixie It was ,,'ne eyer r,s tnrnad aside to hide my emotion ne ,,atsrsn chieftain was brushing something from his cheek. could not tel wnat ds' i'- J. F. P.