New-York tribune., 1911-12-09
Literary .NeS0s ana Criticism

y
dandy. VINO when half frozen IN the
trenches before Richmond. was called
by a brother officer 10 come to place
where they could sleep warmly. Eager
IN" SAYS our author Saint Martin fol-
lowed his guido to bc introduced i'm the
wintry dark TO an enclosure full of
snufIiing. gruntng creatures, among
whom they lay down in oozing mud: it
was q pigsty. nothing less. and there
they slept till morning." 1T IS true
them said the ex-dandy aftcrward TO
Mrs Cary and her daughter. but que
vCulez vous, l was freezing" Food
became scarce and it was sometimes
difficult even to feed the wounded. Mrs.
Harrison tells us that never since has
she hcen able TO endure with compla-
cency seeing the waste OF food in peace
times. In the last winter of the war
she was almost always hungry" The
menu Of the Virginia ladies is easily
described,
Our breakfast at a. IA. consisted Of
corn bread with the drippinSs Of fried
bacon instead Of butter, and coffee made
OF dried beans and peanuts, without milk
or sugar. For luncheon we had, day in
and day out, bacon. rice and dried apples
sWeetened with sorghum. For our even
Ing repast We're served cakes made of
cornmeal and water eaten with sorghum
molaSses. and more Of that unspeakable
conee. cannot remember getting M
from any meal that winter without wish
ing there were more OF IT, / went once to
call upon a family antecedently wealthy
and found father, mother and children
making their dinner upon soup plates
hlled with that cheerless compound
known as BENJAMIN" bareback. soaked i'm
hot water. sprinkled with salt or brown
sugar 1t is TO be said. however there
was in our community no discussion OF
uletS. tads or cures, and the health chase
or modern society was an unknown guam
uty. People in better physical condition.
than the besieged dwellers OF Richmond.
when their cause was beginning TO feel
tainly not to be found
The author, in referring to Davis's ac-
tion In relieving General Johnston of his
command. quotes those who declared
that the Presidents feeling against the
soldier was based on a petty feud be-
tween their wives. Johnstons removal.
Ii is certain, cut him TO the soul. One
who knew him we'll told Mrs. Harrison
that the general shed tears Of bitter
modification. saying: Il had drawn and
drawn and drawn Sherman, and Just
when l got him where wanted him 70
be. 1 was taken away" The spring
came on and the young Southern girl
sitting In church one Sunday morning
saw a gray pallor fall upon Davis's face
Ie 11a Of
hurrying messenger brought to him.
The Federals were approaching and
that night the Confederate government
left Richmond. There was no sleep for
the people Of the city-they walked
thrngh the streets like lost spirits till
nearly daybreak." Before night fell
Miss Cary happened TO meet the presi-
dent of the bank in which were deposited
the securities that meant safety and
comfort for mother and daughter after
the war The haggsrd man declared
that he could not vouch for the safe
keeping Of anybody's property and adj
jured the girl TO take the papers
in charge She went to the bank with
him, received the papers, and returning
t. her unClc's house. stitched them into
the skirt she was wearing. The next
day the bank and all its contents dis
appeared i'm the great fire that ravaged
the city. With the coming Of the North
crn troops something Of order was
quicklF established. When citizens ap-
piled for guards to be placed at their
houses their requests were granted with
courtesy and the starving were fed. 1t
was bitter food, no doubt. to those who
had suffered so greatly for their deVo-
tion TO the broken cause. There is
quaint reference TO one girl who found
comfort in singing Dixie with her
head buried in feather pillow There
was no humor in another scene de-
scribed here, an evening service in the
old Monumental church: when the
rector prayed for The sick and wounded
soldiers and all in distress OF nina OF
body. there was a brief pause, nied
with sound Of weeping all over the
church. He then gave out the hNmh'
when Gathering Clouds Around ! View
Tbore was no organ and q voice that
started the hymn broke down in tears
Another took it up and failed likewise
7 then. with a tremendous struggle for
self-control. stood up in the corner or
the pew and sang alone. At the words
Thou Saviour. see'st the tears | shed
there was again "A great burst Of crying
and sobbing all over the church.
Mrs. Harrison writes without rancor
OF that past time and with enjoyment OF
her later life i'm the North Her pages
are never dull, and, as the readers OF heT
former books know, her style is always
agreeably easy and graceful.