The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1903-09-18
A Tributef to Our Women.

" say something IN behalf IF H. {
nobte women Of our dear no,iv.
5 uthland. While it is true H.,
war cndsd 3S years ago, and with i,
the passing events of the day. Blu,
at no period of the worlds history
mas any country or nation produced
a nobler band of mothers and
daugters than this fair Dixie land.
When the tocsin of war was
sounded and the bugle call to arms.
what was their condition then?
What station in life were thew fill
ing? The parlor, the school room,
the easy places of comfort that knew
no hardships. And, my dear read
er, can you imagine how quickly and
how well these noble mothers and
daughters sprang from an easy life to
the arduous duties of the dom estic
circle?
Never. never frown; never a
muruur; never falter, but with
willing hands and heart full of love
and devotion that knew no bounds.
On. how we'll those dear mothers
adapted themselves to the changes of
peaceful firesidc to the extremes of
cruel war. The Wizard of the
Saddle said that War means fight
a"1 fight means to kill, and wien
WIS was imminent, end the South
bad, by will and liberties of the
PEOPLE chosen to withdraw from the
Union and set up a separate govern
ment, by so doing, gave birth to
nation whose value was immeasur-
able, and whose patriotism was
founded on fabric as solid as the
rock of Gibraltar. When the God
given graces o! those good women
became interviewer with the then
existing surroundings, and when
their sighs and tears could no longer
curb the ambition of her people.
those good women turned about in
their sphere. She began her first
lessen to the young men who were
to mike the proud Confederate sol
der. o with what reverence she
gave him the little pocket Bible and
warnei him of its teachings. o how
she fingered on these, her last words.
and ties that only heaven itself could
break. And this she did with the
keenest aspirations, the deepest emo
,ions Of her soul, and with not the
least fault at heart. She uttered
these burning words: "Take this
shield for your defense. Take this
sword for our defense, and bring it
b"c& with honor, or be borne back
upon it. O how thick and fast time
made changes But, oh! how those
good women faced the obstacles.
With that dauntless courage.
where no fault, no misdemcanor,. no
misapprehension, and a self,denial
that was wholly unconquerable.
While she wept, she laughed. While
she prayed, she dried the tears of the
fallen comrade. And, in view of a
bloody conflict, she never gave
thought except to glorious victory.
The son, and perhaps the father, al
ready at the front, the f,mily tie
already broken, and maybe that the
idol of the household already borne
to s last resting place. The proph-
ecy of tho old black nanny still
lul king in that peaceful breast. In
the lone watch of night she keeps vigil
over what is left to her care and
keeping. While the father, and
perhaps the only boy, are standing
out on some lone hill, or shadowed
va'e doing picket duty, and with the
various changes she whiles away the
time. But, all in all, hers is but
one sorrow and grief. Yet in the
face of everything that is distressing
she stands out nobly, and with an
iron will. She confronted conflict
with that passionate love and devo-
ton which leads to higher attain
ments. Her loved ones at the front
and at every pulsation, every throb
of the heart, every time the clock
ticks twice, she thinks of her dear
ones. She moves on with that God.
like power, and with her own tender
hands she prepares for the making
OF the gray jeans SC common in those
day. And on and on. with all the
domestic affairs, until the whole rou-
tine of business passes under her su.
pervision. 1t may be, she is milk
maid, wash woman, house.keeper.
and general over.seer of the farm.
Days and months 60 by, years span
the sands Of time. But with all tbe