Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1903-12-23
MARSE ARTHUR

war. Appomattox had not been for
gotten. and desolation still hung over
the South like a great black shadow.
The plenty of the past. the poverty
of the present, the dark uncertainty
of the future, haunted memories. and
beartches and tears were in the
place of joyous feeling and gladful
smiles. The terrors of yesterday, the
suffering of the to-day, and the fore
holdings of the morrow would form no
background for Christmas like those
or the used-to-be.
The James flowed on to the sea,
washing it's muddy waters against the
ice-bordered banks. A light snow on
the hard unyielding earth only added
to the gloom. The wind moaned
through the winter-swept pines.
Fences strewed the dirt roads still
marked by the heavy ruts of artillery.
Here and there were the charred and
blackened wreck of some barn or
granary; here the whitened bones of
some faithful horse whose rider lay,
perhaps, beneath an unmarked mound
In the little burying ground about the
shell-battered church. the spire OF
which just rose above the hills in the
distance What a picture or despairl
And 1t was Christmas morning
Christmas morningl And the great
world was echoing with the angelic
melody, Peace on earth, good will to
men"
With unbending figure he stood
leaning against one of the heavy pill
lars that supported the portico TO one
of the historic mansions. A black
SLOUGH hat was pulled down over the
long gray hair. The suit he wore was
only partly civilian. The coat was
gray and tightly buttoned about the
waist-the one relic. besides the
sabre, of the gallant cavalry that was
no more Was he thinking of the last
Christmas in camp, of forage before
sunrise. a roasted pig held over the
logs with bayonets, an interrupted
feast, and a charge on Christmas
evening that had written the names
of heroes on the page of history? Was
1t that?
Across the field the smoke fioated
upward from the mud-smeared chin
ney of q hut-several huts. 1t was
where the negroes lived. Two totter-
ing old men, two boys, big enough to
work in the field, and one old woman
that was ALL The rest had gone
One of the boys was bringing the
horse from water. As 1t followed its
ragged groom along the road 1t made
a strange contrast with the surround
ings; for, fat and sleek, ii seemed as
If there must be plenty everywhere
yet the barn, like everything else, was
almost depleted. How closely he
watched the animal! From the call to
arms until the bugle sounded for the
final taps it had been his constant
companion. And then, after all was
over, they had come back through
Richmond and then to the old home
He smiled when he remembered how
he and the boy had hooked up the
old charger and a solitary mule to a
pillow and worked until the faithful
mule had died. There was not enough
in the field or the stable for two.
The old men and the boys had
Joined each other and were coming
across to the house. In the kitchen
"Auntie" was making corn bread and
frying bacon. Christmas morning in
a mansion on the James and corn
bread and bacon for breakfast! In
the dining room she-she who had
borne so much-was setting the ia
BILE two plates) How she thought OF
the faces that had gathered three
years ago: some that were no more.
She finished. and going up stairs
brought down a Bingham apron. She
made It herself-made 1t over from
an old one she had worn. With eyes
full OF tears she handed it to the
dear old ''Auntie" and whispered
MERRY Christmas" She could say
no more. Memory was bringing up
visions OF the old days. The Christ
mas days in the servants quarters
an apron for each woman, a dress for
each child. with coin In each
pocket. But those days were gone
and the slaves had vanished.
The four colored men had stopped
in the road and were talking. He
came in from the porch and said
word to her. and they sat down by
the window He gazed over the riy-
er. and she laid her head on his arm
and cried softly to herself. Both were
looking into the past. and both saw
the same pictures. 1t was Christmas
morning on the plantation. The house
was full of young people In the par
ior a log fire cracked on the hearth,
and there were laughter and shouts
of msrriment And such breakfast!
What stores were brought from the