The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-17
Her
AtOnen1ent
A Story For Memorial
Day
By ESTHER vANDEyEER


period of my life. / was then a girl O
eighteen, and the war between tn
states was at its height l was Twin,
In Pennsylvania just north of tn,
Maryland line and on a road leadin,
up to Gettysburg.
One morning persons began to pas
our house, making all the haste the,
could; Some of them were on foot
some In vehicles of different kinds
and nearly all carried articles of furni
ture or household utensils. When ask
ed why and whence they were movins
so hurriedly they said that a great
army Of Confederates was ADVANCING
to invade the northern states.
We held family conclave to decide
what to do. We were all Union sym
pathizers and knew we had nothing to
expect from the southerners. But 4,
didn't make much difference which
side we were on, for the fences were
sure to go for firewood, and soldiers
who are bent on pillage don't mind
which side they loot We decided to
stay at home and protect our property
as far as we could. We buried the
valuables-some silver and a little
1ewelry-and walked back and forth
over the ground under which 1t lay so
that the recent digging might not be
noticed Father took down his fowl
Ing piece and started Off northward to
Join the Federals.
When we had hidden everything that
was hidable we waited. Father and
the boys-the boys had long ago en-
listed in the Union army-had always
Kept guns In the house for hunting and
two or three revolvers. After fathers
departure l found that one revolver
had been left, and l took it and put IL
In my pocket-for women had pockets
In their dresses in those days-not
knowing but that l might have occa-
sion to use it.
IL seems to me now, an old woman,
that must have been a plucky girl.
though I didn't think so at the time.
Indeed, the idea of a horde of men.
with weapons to kill, sweeping over us
ike cloud of locusts was enough to
terrify any one. felt the danger, but
/ kept my self possession. And have
noticed all through my long life that
It Is the unexpected that happens. Vice
versa, the expected does not happen.
Surely this was illustrated in the
first locust which came in advance of
the swarm. A young fellow in gray
uniform, with gold braid on his sleeves,
rode up to the house. / was on the
porch. He took Off his sombrero smil-
ed and said in the most deferential
manner and voice:
Can you tell me If there is a road
leading eastward within a few miles
north of us?"
There was certainly nothing to be
afraid Of in this young fellow, and 1
bravely answered:
II can, but won't"
He seemed rather amused than of.
feBded at my blunt reply. At any rate,
he smiled. showing a set of very white
teeth.
You are a Unionist, suppose?" he
said.
Il am" was my firm reply.
"Then you are quite right to refuse
information to Confederate"
He looked up the road, hesitated,
then spoke again.
Would your Union sympathies pre-
vent your giving me crust of bread |
I've been on the go for twenty-four
hours with not bite"
This was certainly not what l had
dreaded. had pictured lot Of rough
men coming to the house and helping
themselves to what they could find
without asking permission. Here was
handsome young man deferentially
begging crust Of bread.
Il win give you what we have" l
replied and went into the house. He
dismounted and, throwing the bride
rein over picket in the fence, follow
ed me. The cook had run away with
other fugitives, and since there was
no one to do anything but myself set
some cold meat and bread and butter
on the table and made cup of coffee
The young man was really hungry
indeed, he seemed famished. And 1t
did my heart good to see how he en-
joyed the coffee
That's the first cup of real coffee"
be said, that l have tasted in more
than year. You northerners have no
Idea what privations our southern peo-
pie are enduring. The blockade has
tut us of from every luxury"
While he was eating / was wonder
Ing why he wanted to know about
road running eastward. 1 asked him
some questions, which he answered
frankly, and from his replies learned
hat he was an officer ON the staff Of
general commanding one of the corps
II the Confederate army and that he
wished to reach the general command
ng troops on the road next east and
'unning parallel with the one on
which we were. In his sword belt
was a folded paper, which 1 presumed
Re was carrying to this commander.
The only persons in the house be-
Iides myself and the officer were moth
r and Aunt Charlotte, and they had
ocked themselves in a room on the |
econd floor My eyes were fixed on
he paper the young man carried, and.
] was curious to know
THAT was in it. Then the idea popped