Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-12-27
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CONVICTED " Yrs. INHIBITION
THE XMAS OF 1864.

We were refugees living in the country between
and five miles from Macon The farm house
completed, had ceilings except some rough
boards overhead had window glass only some shut
tiers with inside hooks fasten them and the parti-
tons were only lathes ready for the plasterer who
did not put in appearance.
The house did fairly well for refugee shack in
midsummer. but it draughty affair in midwinter
During the previous july we had by
Stonemans raiders, the fields ravaged and poultry
shot down. my saddle horse carried off and orchard
stripped 1t an awful day and succeeding
night. The Federal troopers all over the place.
and their camp fires brightly burning in the twilight
gloom.
In September measles broke out and buried seven
inside of a week. my dear Willie five years old,
of the seven
sherman's army advanced in November and were
the Georgia railroad between Athens and Au-
gusta' when his troops desoated the country over
which he passed. 1t required three weeks and long
circuit the part of the state to get back
to the old refugee home by December 10. Wheelers
cavalry had the country where Sherman failed
to We had hog Chat defied capture) left to
us, and that hauled from Twlggs coun-
ty, twenty miles the worst roads known to that
terrible We killed the hog and made corn cakes
and I've hominy and prepared for the Christmas ho-
days under those harrassing conditions in December
1854.
My only surviving child John. was ten years old,
and tried fix Christmas stocking for the dear
boy. If I had known it was be his last Christmas
on earth, expect should doubled my efforts.
I had still silver dollar and cane syrup so I
made lot of candy and placed the silver dollar in his
stocking.
He had bird trap that we placed out in a broom
sedge field. and his delight boundless when he
found cartridges in the trap had bird
dinner in default of turkey and cranberry
There were amusements. no places of recreation
for the evenings. had a huge pine knot fire and
read aloud to the boy from Pilgrims Progress"
It was - antiquated volume with long SIS, and
reading difficult for him. but my memory never
fails carry back that last Christmas of the
war; and the anxious mother, so lately BE-
of little Willie bending her Johnnys head
scanned the rude cuts in Bunyan's great book.
and who putting all her soul and mind and
strength reading Of the to the delighted
youth who leaned across her lap.
Less than six months later sudden congestive
uttered before coma supervened something about
Bunyans story OF travel with Great Heart and the
singing birds.
That remembrance has immortalized that last
Christmas Of the war; 1t stands out above and
alone all the rest, and I nearing my seventy
eighth of long line of Christmas holidays; since
baby eyes opened light day long pill
grimage of my That last Christmas Of the
was dreadful time at and in camps. The
wenigh exhausted of its supplies and of its
fighting force.
Everybody who reflected at all understood
only fighting against fate. killing time, well as
killing before the leaders would the strife
There nothing to cheer no bow of hope ever
the that could and to look back upon
the madness of it seems suicidal even
We long ways from home, in unfin-
ished shack, had to read by freight all dark.
stormy days living the commonest fare and coarse
clothing, destitute of common comforts with deli
caces the SICK the memory of that awful winter
yet one bright, sweet memory the loving tender
ness of my DEAR boy who gave thought Of
his dear young life to the pleasure of his mother