The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-03-22


going down. the street with one just
like it,
The house now remains as hereto
fore, undccoratcd.
Capt. Mayo, our naval friend, has
just come to inform mother that orders
have been issued by the commanding
general that we all must 60 up King
street tomorrow morning, aud take
the oath of allegiance TO the United
States. She positively refused, but
Capt. Mayo says that in case of nom
compliance we will all have to leave
the city at once. l EN- at loss to
imagine what grounds the authorities
have for fear Of US, as helpless a party
Of five ladies as can be found, the
eldest being 81, and the youngest lG;
hut we must decide today, and unless
you see US, if We are actually turned
out, | will write you of the result in
tuOtncT lctLCT.
Charleston, March II, 1868. Day
before yesterday Capt. Mayo returned
and informed us that the orders had
been modified, SO that if We desired,
only the oath Of neutrality would be
required.
We had never before heard of such
an oath being required Of helpless wo.
men, but we were willing to com
promise under the circumstances. So
as there WAS lot the smallest chance
of our e'er being of any service again
to the Confederate cause, we announ-
ced our willingness to declare our
selves neutral if the United States
Government thought it important.
Aunt Anna said her 81 years rem
dered her utterly unable to walk as
far as the provost marshals office and
asked "if the oommandant thought
her neutrality of importance would he
send an officer to the house to ad min
lister the oath?" This was done.
Aunt May, having in view the new
regulation, which prohibited the de-
livery Of letters through the postoffice
to any one who had not taken the
oath of allegiance, and having her
daughter in New York from whom she
was anxious to hear, said, trembling
ly that she would take the oath Of
allegiance.
Capt. Mayo's manner to her imme-
diately changed, and became very cor
dial, as he said, she would go and no.
tify the provost marshal and come
back for u.s. whom he had already
offered to accompany.
We retired to our room to make our.
selves presentable for the streets, as
we had not been out of the house since
we came down from the plantation and
Annie and changed our home spun
dresses for our black and put on, with
lurking feelings Of satisfaction, our
bonnets, for which we had paid the
milliner only few months before,
$3.50 each. We felt that our enemies
would be impressed with the fact that
we were quite within the circle of the
fashionable world, and really when
We appeared Capt. Mayo seemed quite
struck; but we did not then imagine
the reason.
He oourteously offered his arm to
Aunt May, who took il with deep
Sigh and We, leaving Aunt Anna to
Raohers care, followed them to the
provost marshal's Office, where we
had reason to be glad OF Capt. Mayo's
escort, as the sidewalk in front Of the
Office end che aees=ss we're .I:cassaa
with idle negroes, who would have
made themselves very offensive il
they had not seen US escorted by o
United States officer.
AS we entered, Capt. Mayo said to
us in low tone, that "the oath will
be administered to you ladies by o
member Of one Of the best families Of
Boston,. to which Annie replied,
don't you think he might be better
employed?"
Ofthis the captain took no notice as
he led the party to the middle Of
room, where we stood tho attraction
of many curious eyes. The officer at
tho table came forward and asked
which Of the ladies desired to take
the oath Of allegiance, whereupon
Aunt May, looking very conscious,
moved forward aud tremblingly held
- her hand, but she was so agitated
that sns could scarcely murmur her
neeapt opI oson har mama ts.si