The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-14

ease made under the lady's direction
rom raw material produced on the
estate"
Ana she addH, "One OF the great bur
dcns Of slavery was that II uverwork-
cd Tie lady" Tho legendary slave
owning Indy. with the languIshing
odali:uuc manners. who said 10 her
ianamhid. "Qua.ha. tell Quanka 10 tell
iibbn TO pick up the pin that lies at
my foot was supposed TO he Il resident
Of the East Indies Certainly. her like
woul,l have been hard to find In the
Southern states. Another view OF the
busy. useful. bencJcent life OF /, he
fore the-war lady may be gained from
the first CHAPTER OF the DIARY Of IL
Refugee" edited By Frances 'earn.
THIS is dated $50. when tho war cloud
was already dark; ana the writer tells
of the sad heart She bore about with
! hcr rs bile went on her daily round.
Her first duty was to visit the hospital
she had established on the, place. under
the charge Of their family physician
some Of the more Intelligent negro wo-
rcn having been trained as nurses.
Tic young mothers must be seen to-,
and The childrcn's quarters inspected :.
and, Az Il was Saturday. The mistress
would have The duty Of giving out to
| the slaves such ncw clothes MS were
needed. II am always pleased" writes
the diarist when / can reward q young
Woman. girl.ior child for good conduct
by giving an extra pretty dress. hand
kerchicf. or perhaps string of bright,
beads, as the latter Is greatly priced"
This lady. clearly sweet and gentle of
heart, says thai though n Virginian by
birth. she had ncver approved Of slnv-
cry. and felt il as the burden Of n great
responsibility weighing upon her Her
husband shared her feeling, and both
were anxious to mitigate tho condi-
lion of their Slaves by kind, con-
Eidorltc. and inst treatment f.--.
Their first experience Is rcfuEecf was
Just after the fall of New Orleans.
when the dread message. The Yankees
are coming" was passed along. Two
sons OF the family were in the army:
and the father and mother with their
other children, and eighteen servants.
embarked III the steamboat. I4afourachc,
where they endured many hnrdships.
/ and even lacked food at times Ar
rived In Alexandria. they took ZIP thcii
! abode III an abandoned hotel. which
was almost minus furniture ana had
no GlSss left III the windows Here.
too, they we're short Of provisions. and
spent much OF their time fishing in the
stream 10 proviie whe.cwithuI for their
meals, The husband OF the diarlst was
| a man OF wealth, owning valuable
lpro3ciiy both in the North and In Next
co: but for tho moment they were as
poor as other wnr-stricken Southerncrs
4
sugar FOR nccdful things; and he sue
ceeded AT last in collecting quantity
tof provisions. which he offered to the
| Confederate government for tho re-
| lief OF the garrison at Port Hudson
There is vivid description of their
expedition in n steamboat to carry
these provisions, and their narrow cs-
cape from destruction during the en-
I SaSemcnt that was taking place They
/ witnessed the burning of the Missis-
Slppi, when her machinery was disabled
! hy shell and she ran aground; and
anything about their son. who was In
! the fort.
Returning 10 the plantation home.
several months later the head Of the
! family summoned his slaves before him
and told them Tint, IL they desired he
! would take them to Texas within him.
| lie explained 10 them that as soon as
the Federals took possession of the
place they would be set free; hut such
| was their attachment to their mas
ter, that only fifteen chose to ROMAN
behind. The exodus was made none
| too soon: for the rederals, arriving
| shortly after, established themselves
in the fine old house, and lived in Il
for several months, Before leaving,
they set II OH fire. The tedious four
ncy OF the train of wagons. moving to.
| ward Texas. abounded in trials of many
! kinds; and the hearts OF the father
and mother werc rac,cd by anxiety and
| pan. One son had already fallen,
charging II battery at the head of his
| regiment, AT the battle OF Chicka-
manga: and another was prisoner OH
Johnson's Island.
Yet there were occasional brighter
CLEANS. as during their stay In pictures
| que and hospitablc San Antonio; but
soon they were on their weary way
again. travelling in the awful stage
coach" OF that time. At one point
| they sw evidences of Indian warfare
-scalps being l,cattcred along tho
| highrond. but. as the darist says on
another occasion: we must not know
| what fear is. have long since driven
| all sense of II from my heart" AR
| rived Mt last in MeXtcn. they were
| obliged to find lodgings in nh adobe
house with All earthen floor, not only
| without comforts. but without even
the dccencies OF life. The two pretty.
charming young daughters of the fam
ily, even In these sad wandcrings, did
not lack admirers
! a handsome and wealthy YOUNG; Next
can offered one his heart and hand; and
French officer attached to Maxi
milians staff fell in love with tho
| other. Apropos of this officer, n rather
amusing story is told. Ills devotion,
| one evening. took he shape of a
| screnade: and as tho mother and
daughters. hearing sweet strains. ran
| TO the window 10 look out. they up
set accidentally four large water-jara
that were standing on the window
| sill; thus deluging the musicians
who might have changed their tune to
tic old song, III picut, il picut Der
gere." Tho music. as may be imagined.
ceased abruptly after this uncXpcct ud
| shower bat TIL.
! Their next move was to Cuba and
| later we find them sailing for Liver
| pool in steamer not only unspoakably
! iilthy but unseaworthy. Their lives
for tie past months had been so fun
| of hnrdshlps that they endured the dis
comfort and danger better than The
| land. where they had relatives as well
as friends they were quite prepared
| to enjoy the comforts OF civilization;