The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-10-14
REMINIscENcE
XII.

XII.
Editor Star: Well my furlough has
ended; at least it had reached the
limit of time that l could remain at
home and reach the front in time TO
answer at roll call before | would be
marked absent without leave in
which case all of the sweetness of the
time spent at home would be elm
mated by what would follow So now,
here / am out on the long, broad
piazza of the loved old home, about
to say goodbye" to the dear ones
sheltered by its roof. and whose faces
/ was destined not to see again for
three long years-three historic years,
pregnant with hardships, trials, per-
plexities, sanguinary conflicts, victor
les, defeats, joys, sorrows and in fact
almost every phase of experience that
humanity could encounter say that
adyisedly, for it is a fact that through
it all there were, here and there,
pleasant and enjoyable events running
through it all like threads of silk in
woof of wool. | began the good-byes
with my two brothers who were too
young to enter the service, then my
sister then in her early teens, then
with father who kissed me on the
cheek and said, at is unnecessary for
me to remind you, for we know you
will do your duty as man." Then
last of all was mother. She with a
long, crushing embrace and kisses en
cheeks and lips, said, Goodbye.
Laurie. May God bless and protect
you, and send you back to US, some
day, sound and well" And now / had
fingered to the last precious moment,
so went out to the gate and was
driven off for the railroad station,
with my eyes looking back at the dear
old home and the group on the piazza
as long as could see them. All! mel
Little did dream then that in speak
ing those good-byes, that / was bid
ding farewell forever to the ante
bellum life as it existed then on the
old Southern plantationsl That ideal
life where the mingling and associa-
tion of cultured, courteous and chival-
ric men and beautiful, accomplished
and refined women, in the conditions
and environments then prevailing,
constituted a mortal social existence
of peace, pleasure, purity and happi-
ness the like of which this world has
nowhere else ever seen since Paradise
was lost. What though the Code
Duelo was in every gentleman's IL
brary; it served far better purpose
of adjusting questions of honor"
than the barbarous hip-pocket prac-
tice of these days, though truth to
tell, those of the hip pocket brigade of
today could have found no place in
the glorious old life of which / write.
Do not understand me now as adyo-
eating the establishment of the
Code Duelo for these times. I do not.
Present conditions forbid it. The so
cial zones existing then do not obtain
now. Then they were as well defined
as the geographic circles around the
surface of the earth, the lines being
marked by intellect, culture, refine
ment and good breeding. No so now
more the pity. Yes, / bid all of
the old life farewell when l left the
old home at the end of my furlough,
| for when / saw it again three years
later, they had been shattered forever,
but in my memory the perfume of the
roses hang around them still. But /
must get on back to my company and
resume my duties at the front. / will
not dwell on the journey back to the
camp It is sufficient to say that |
arrived there safe, sound and sober
and in due time to prevent being re-
ported "absent without leave. And
now after telling you of the pleasant
time / had on my furlough | am go-
ing to record the most awful and hor-
rible experience passed through dur
ing the whole war. There were many
ether places where the hardships and
suffering were very, very great, but
in my opinion these that ] am about
to relate reached the climas of human
endurance. 90 not believe there was
any other time or place during the
civil war that equalled it. 1t may be
! that in the world war now going on,
there may have been some time End
i place where the suffering, horrors and
i terrible conditions may have been as
great, but / doubt even that. / am
speaking of the scenes and exper-