The National tribune., 1908-12-31
MY SANTA CLAUS IN 1864.

|
MY SANTA CLAUS IN 1864.
A Virginia Girls Memories Of War
| Time.
Editor National Tribune: There are
many pleasant "reminiscences In after
years of ones happy childhood-espe-
| ciaIly in connection with the Yuletide
seasons. And never, in all the five and
forty years past, have / forgotten upon
these happy returns the visit Santa
Claus made to me in 1864, during the
civil war, when our beautiful country
was the picture of Poverty and Distress.
Perhaps, nowhere In the South was
| there similar case to mine-where
Santa Claus was personified by the
North.
| My mother and her five little ones
lived on the main macadamized public
thorofare leading from Alexandria to
Winchester, Va. My father enlisted in
Confederate service at the beginning OF
the hostilities, and all our family con-
nections were Southerners. My earliest
recollection of the war was seeing a
and very naturally, during the four
years following, they became familiar
objects to us. We children, in order to
express their number, would sometimes
punch the wood fire vigorously, and as
the millions and millions of sparks flew
| up the chimney, exclaim: Il believe
I've seen that many Yankees!" and to
us the statement seemed truthful.
| My mother was wonderfully practical
| for those days, and Oh, how we love
to think of a noble mother; what her
itage. All her sympathies were with the
South, yet, in the goodness of her heart,
she granted due consideration to the
North, and never showed the least ami
mostly toward the soldiers in blue.
1t was only few weeks prior to
Christmas. in 1864, that We began to
discuss, as all small children do, the
approaching visit of Santa Claus. But
whenever we expressed our delight In
his coming. mother would shake her
head and tell us not to look for him, and
for a better reason, tho, resourceful as
she was, explained to US how impracti-
cal it would be for him to venture too
near the pickets, as she was sure they
would not let him pass or enter our
gate with so manyVconcealed parcels.
This sad state of affairs preyed heavi-
| ly upon my young and tender imagina-
ton I wis next to the youngest child,
and she was toe young to be concerned
Those above me in age were "enlight-
ened," but was still in the gloaming in
regard to these delightful, mysterious
annual visits from the North Pole.
For weeks two Yankees had stood on
| picket just across the public road from
our home, not more than 200 yards
! from u.s. They were outpost pickets,
land there under a large, leafless. black
oak tree they endured the piercing,
bowling winds and the sleet and snow.
All thru my life I have thot those Win
| ters were more severe than any since.
| The oak was a very beautiful one in
summertime; it was corner tree di-
viding a body of woods from large,
open field on the west, from whence
trouble might approach, stealthily. on
short notice.
The pickets were jolly fellows. They
sang war songs, and sometimes, in order
to keep their feet from freezing, exc
cuted war dance around their camp
fire. They frequently came over to our
home on small errands, and mother was
kind to them, which, only shows the
| truthfuIness of "cast thy bread upon the
water" So friendly, sincere and gener-
Gus had these men been to us. that we
actually regarded them as our protect
ors, instead Of enemies. They had cof-
| fee we had milk. and, Yankee like, they
proposed an exchange, which, indeed.
was appreciated by mother. The present
gene ration cannot conceive in their
| Imagination the situation of those days,
the horror of bloodshed, starvation and
lack of comfortable clothing confront
| ing the South. I remember istinctly of
wearing a warm dress. which I was
proud of, that was made of a black and
yellow checkered (Yankee) horse
blanket.
| But it was December, and I was ex-
| tremely anxious over the prospect of
our Christmas; therefore, one morning
when 1 went over as usual with my
| little bucket of milk it occurred to me
| that might appeal to these soldiers in
regard to Santa Claus, hoping and
| trusting that they would for my sake
| allow him to come to u.s. Oh! 1 re-
member so well it was a big task that
/ Mi oh did
succeed? Yes. I did. From the full
ness of my little heart looked full into
the face of the picket who received my
bucket and said: 81 have been good to
you, and so has mother, and think you
might let Santa Claus pass. and come to
| us: but mother says he will not be able
to get by you''-the tears began to roll
/ down my cheeks. But, perhaps, the
| picket had little ones at home, for he
understood, and STOPPING down. picked
me up, held me to his breast, wiped
Iaway my tears, and brushed his black
whiskers over my face, to make ME
laugh, and then replied. tenderly: Eyes
little girl, you have been good. and you
are q sweet, pretty child; will promise
Il Won that Santa Claus shall come to
i you" Having gained my point L went
home perfectly happy and explained to
mother my mission. She did not ap-
Iprove of my appeal to the picket. yet
did not condemn 1t. But when those
pickets received their Christmas box
from the North little later, I've nc
doubt but what the most choice con-
tents came to me-for I, indeed. had
La full stocking on Christmas morning,
Tho 1t has been years and years ago
II Ut was several years afterward. when
my mother was spending her first
A Christmas in Heaven, that my brother
! revealed the secret to me) I have never
forgotten the picket, and IL knew that
he was living, and where, would will.
Mrs. Cosby. $40 Sixth Street, Washing
Il ton, D.. G.
Pension Newh
/ See classified ads. on page 4