The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1911-03-10
Playing
Hero
A Story of a Virginia Manor House
Just Before Its Ruin
BY WORTH WOODBURY.
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911
Copyright by American Press Asso-
clntion 1Nl1

There has never been and never will
be again any such life as existed on
the southern plantation up to the pc
riod when the system of slavery ceas-
ed to exist. In many respects It was
an ideal life, Its pleasanter features
were more pronounced In Virginia than
In any other state. it having been
the first of the colonies and planted
by the cavaliers of England Two
hundred years later their descendants
formed unique people. The planta-
ton was patriarchal institution The
planter stood in the place of the pa
triarch. his children constituted the
next grade. the negro house servants
the next. and lastly came the field
hands
The children of the planter were ed.
ucated In accordance with the some.
what lofty ideas of their English an
cestors who lost their cause at NaSeby
some two centuries before. The young
men lived an out of door life and
mostly in the saddle. The young We
mems duties consisted largely In visit
ing the negroes on the plantation and
ministerlng TO their wants. There
was no actual work done except by the
negroes, and they were not overwork-
ed The plantation supported every
one on IL and was administered usual
ly with justice TO all.
saw the end of this system not as
n part of it, but as participator In
the military struggle by which 1t fell.
The plantation on which the incidents
narrated In this story occurred Is now
divided into thirty parts. Even the
beautiful grounds in which the manor
house stood and still stands, slowly
rotting away, are covered with potato
vines. and the immense trees that
shaded the roof from the hot southern
sun have been cut down for firewood.
One afternoon-it was In 1907 car
ried from battlefield to this manor
house n brother officer who had been
wounded. II was then rs 1t always had
been, but was not to be In future
Two soldiers carried the wounded man
on stretcher through an avenue of
trees to the front veranda and set
down the stretcher. while l stalked In
side. quadroon house servant re-
ceived me | asked for the owner OF
the premises
"What is it, ClarIce?"
The voice came from person on the
second story and seemed to roll melo
diousiy down the great winding stair
case. When first heard the opening
strains of annie Laurie" fell In love
with the song. and when | heard these
words. What is 1t, Clarice?" ! fell In
love with the unseen voice.
81 have brought young officer"
said. "from the fight going on over the
river. He is badly wounded. Can you
not find II In your heart to take him
In? He would die If left on the field"
As spoke girl of twenty. perhaps
came down the staircase. Alas! she
was the last of n long line OF refined
DANES who had passed up and dow
that same staircase, built in England
hundred and fifty years before, He
complexion was that olive white nike
with vermillOn which was often to b
found among these highborn wome
OF the south She cast quick glanc
Mt the limp form. the pale face lyin
on the stretcher, and her features wer
TRANSPORTED to express profound pity.
This way" she said and turning
opened n door that led TO n chamber
on the ground floor We followed
ordered the men TO set down the
strctchcr, and one OF them assisted me
to lift the wounded man on to the bed
Then. telling the invalid that would
be back MS soon as possible | left him.
We were members OF the same staff,
and went NJ once TO our general and
reported what | had done. He directed
me TO find surgeon If possible and
wounded comrade-a and remain with
him until he was out of danger or
dead reminded the general that II
would not do TO ask n surgeon to 20 to
one from so many who needed him,
and he said he would send me one as
soon as he could be spared
1t was week before we could
form any opinion MS to Klrkwood's
recovery During that time my gen
erals headquarters were not far from
the Rutledge manor house where Kirk
wood lay. and ! was with the invalid
a good deal Of the time My presence
there was really unnecessary, for the
women OF the family-thc men were
all In the Co frdcrate army-could not
have taken better care OF n son or n
brother Lillian Rutledge, who had
thrilled me with her voice before | had
even seen her and afterward by her
personnel. was unConSciously leading
me to fraudulcntly let the general be,
lleve that Kirkwood needed me.
fear wished my friend might lie
there hanging between life and death
till the war was over. but uufortu.
he could be moved, and was obliged
to move with him
While he was there medical direc
tor looked Mt the house with n view &c
taking IT for Il hospital. Miss Itut
ledge showed him through the rooms
| accompanying them. One room Miss
Rutledge ut first declined to open aHt
on being pressed to do so told tlj'
medical officer that II could not bt
used. It required n deal or prodding tC
induce her TO tell why The reason
finally drawn from her was that the