Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-10-09

each hand-fluttered in the air over
the vast audience almost hiding the
people. This salute came so instan
taneously and spontaneously that it
presented q sight never to be forgot.
ten. AT first, Mrs. Pickett was over
whelmed with surprise and pleasure.
yet she quickly recovered her CON-
posture, and in that gracious. dignified
manner so eminently characteristic
of the true southern lady. bowed her
appreciation of the beautiful compli-
ment paid her by the immense audi-
ence. 1t was several minutes before
order was restored, when in his own
inimitable way DR.. Vincent introduced
our speaker to us.
When Mrs Pickett arose she was
greeted with such applause as is sell
dom given the most renowned orator;
and as this was her first appearance
before a northern audience, it must
| have been truly gratifying to her. It
was so cordial and genuine that she
could not mistake its meaning.
Il wish l could WELD the pen of
Dickens so that might graphically
portray to you the charming personal
ity of Mrs. Pickett; but no words of
| mine can do it. / beheld not what
my fancy had led me to expect, an
old woman whom the management
had put upon the program merely as
a compliment to our southern friends
whose numbers at chautauqua are
increasing year by year-but lady of
a most charming personal appearance
"a little above medium height, per-
feet figure, easy and graceful in man
ner, bewitching eyes, smiles that
might capture the most Indifferent of
the sterner sex, and bearing
that betokened familiar association
with the most cultured and refined
Her dress was simple, not of the GUS
tomary stage or platform style, but
eminently becoming the modest wo-
man who adorned it. And when she
began her address. 'Pickett's Charge
at Gettysburg was still more sur
prised. Instead of having a weak,
| feminine voice, she was able easily to
| make those in the most distant seats
understand every word she spoke, her
voice was so clear and enunciation so
nearly perfect.
| Il now come to 4 point where l find
it impossible for me to proceed intel
| ligently, viz: to give a worthy ac-
count of Mrs. ri ;kett's { dress. had
! read and re-reac the history of that
memorable thrse-days' fight, but
never before had heard so graphic a
description of any event as she gave
us. She began with a sketch of the
ground; she created for us rolling
plain, fortified it with hills, then form
ed a ridge in the shape of a sharp
| hook, upon which many a victim was
impaled. On the brow of a hill she
built knob appropriately named.
VOLTS Hill Then she erected Cuep's
Hill. Between .h9se hills she caused a
stream OF we .er TO flow. Upon this
range OF hills a ridge was formed
where the bodies of the dead were
| left to rest, and, because of this, it
was called Cemetery Ridge Along
this ridge were two little hills
Round Top and Little Round Top
Near the latter was a cave known
as The Devils Den. West of Gene.
terry Ridge, separated from it by a
valley three-fourths of mile wide,
she caused US TO see another ridge,
| called, because of a theological semin-
AIRY there. Seminary Ridge. | give
| all this az only faint outline Of the
grand word picture Mrs. Pickett drew
| for us almost as vivid as the reality
| Having thus showed us the battle
| ground she drew our attention to con.
! ditions in the spring of 1863, when as
! she stated 1.-THE confederacy had
risen to its highest tide and the union
had sunk to its lowest ebb. The for
tunes of the confederate army had
steadily risen, while those of the
/ army of the Potomac-had just as
steady gone down. Excepting at the
battle of harpsburg-which we
call Antietam--the Stars and Bars
| had been uniformly successful, while
! the raven of doom had lowered over
the Star Spangled Banner. The con-
| federate army of northern Virginia
] was all the time under tried com
mander while the union army OF the
Potomac had had one commander
after another all unsuccessful
till the men had confidence in no
leader. Hooker's forces we're scatter
ed. Halleck in command at Washing
ton; the real situation could not be
! told.
1T was at this time when General
Lee began to think of a new move
! the invasion OF the north. But three
I things must first be done.-get the
army away from Fredericksburg,
clear the Shenandoah valley of feder-
al troops and raise the siege of Vicks-
burg. The south was short of supplies.
| there was plenty in the north. One
victory on northern soil might supply
their needs. Lee saw the anxiety of
England for a new market, also that
the moves of Napoleon were encour
aging. So. after consulting his leading
generals, the proposed invasion was
attempted
In a most entertaining manner.
Mrs. Prickett described the northward
march of General Lee. One day, Just
after crossing the PENNSYLVANIA line,
while passing through 8 little town. a