"'Tis a little thing
To give a cup of water; yet its draught
Of cool refreshment, drained by fervid lips,
May give a shock of pleasure to the frame
More exquisite than when nectarian juice
Renews the life of joy in happiest hours."
In order to reach Montgomery I took passage in one of the high-pressure
steamers of the Alabama river, and during the two days and nights of the
trip I was surrounded by a throng of sympathizing, interested passengers,
whose tender tones and gentle touch was as a cool, refreshing draught to
parched lips, a sweet morsel to the tongue, for human hearts ever hunger
and thirst for affection. How utterly unendurable would be this life, with
its desert wastes and hot siroccos, but for the sweet, verdant spots
dotting the sandy sea, whence spring the "fountains of perpetual peace"
and issue the healing waters.
These loving ones surrounded me as I sat busily occupied with my bead
work, and not only delighted and entertained with their curious questions
and familiar chat, but freely bought my books and fifty dollars worth of
baskets, while they would doubtless have doubled the amount had not this
exhausted my little store.
As we steamed in sight of Montgomery a gentleman came into the cabin and
requested me to make for him eight of the handsomest bead baskets before
we landed; and, seeing an amused and incredulous smile upon my face, he
said: "You work so dexterously and so rapidly that I did not realize that
my demand was unreasonable." Explaining to him that it would require eight
hours of the closest application to accomplish that amount of work, he
apologized and left me. Nor did this specimen of the "genus homo" evince
any unusual ignorance of woman's work, whose endless routine and
diversified drudgery ofttimes require the patience of a Job and the wisdom
of a Solomon. In the labyrinth of domestic entanglement more is needed
than the silken clue of Ariadne, and the vexed question of domestic
economy requires the unerring skill of the diplomatist, the subtle tact of
the politician, and the sure strength of the statesman. The "Poet of
Poets" has shown his appreciation of the character and life of woman in
the following lines:
From woman's eyes this doctrine I derive;
They sparkle still the right Promethean fire;
They are the books, the arts, the academies,
That show, contain and nourish all the world.
After a pleasant and successful visit to Montgomery we went via the Mobile
Railroad to Evergreen, a little town fitly named from its deeply shaded
evergreen surroundings. We reached this little hamlet at two o'clock in
the morning, and those who are familiar with the cold and penetrating
dampness of a southern night, even in mid-summer, could realize our
condition and desire for rest and warmth, and know something of our
disappointment at finding the one poor little hotel of the town without a
vacant room. Seeking the office for a resting place, we found the case
equally hopeless, for congregated within its narrow limits were men,
women and children, every one of whom was stretched in various attitudes
upon the floor, as peacefully enfolded in the arms of Morpheus, and,
perchance, as sweetly dreaming as if resting upon beds of down and
pillowed upon fine linen and gossamer lace.
Sleep is indeed to such "tired nature's sweet restorer," and to those
whose healthy bodies and unambitious natures know no perturbation it is
balmy and refreshing.
Turning from the unconscious, slumbering group for one friendly face, we
were greeted by Major Lanier, of the Confederate Army, whose manner and
tone not only betokened the gentleman, but whose acts of kindness evinced
the true and chivalrous heart so characteristic of the southern character.
After failing in repeated efforts to find us a room, he gave us his
blankets and great coat, and all through the dreary watches of the night
fed the fire with wood, which with one hand he chopped, while with the
other he fought off the rabid attacks of fierce and barking dogs, which
persistently assailed him. Had we been distinguished ladies, or had there
been any probability of the gallant major being praised, complimented, or
in any way preferred for this act of gallantry, it might have been less
appreciated, but it was an act of purely chivalrous courtesy to two
strange ladies in humble position, and his only reward was our poor thanks
and the approval of his own generous heart. It must have had its comic
side, too, to see a major of the regular Confederate service, who had done
battle on the field where glory was to be won, groping in the dismal dark
of the night and running the risk of being severely hurt, possibly of
being killed, by dogs, practicing war with one hand, and dispensing a
noble if not an ostentatious charity with the other.
We had been promised the room opening into the office as soon as it was
vacated, and at the first streak of coming dawn the Major stationed
himself near the door, listening for the slightest sound; and when from
the carefully guarded chamber the faintest rustle came he would jocularly
exclaim: "Ladies, prospects are brightening!" and so he helped us to
while away the weary hours until we secured the promised room and bed,
where we rested until noon.
When we arose from this refreshing rest we found that the session of court
had brought this throng, and we were soon surrounded with visitors, who
kept us constantly conversing and almost incessantly weaving baskets for
their amusement. These people not only bought large stores of my work, but
their talk sent crowds of people from far and near, all of whom made
purchases of some kind. Such was the interest of every member of the bar
and every attendant upon court that the four days I spent there completely
exhausted me, physically and mentally.
Finding there were no other important towns beyond Evergreen, I returned
to Montgomery and repaired to Savannah, Georgia, where I was treated with
the most genial generosity, and should have been repaid for a trip to that
place in a visit to its cemetery, whose reputation has been spread
throughout the length and breadth of our land, and whose strange, sad
beauty is so infinitely beyond the conceptions of imagination, but
which--
"To be remembered
Needs but to be seen."
Its grounds are densely grown with trees of live oak, whose huge and
spreading branches, seeming to bear the size and strength of a century's
growth; with the dark, drooping moss, which, as it mingles its weird,
fantastic drapery with the bending, swaying, weeping willow, seems like a
pall for the graves hidden in its sombre shades; while the millions of
birds which dwell therein lull their warbling notes to the measure of a
low funeral song; and every sound of Nature's many-voiced music seems to
murmur a requiem for the dead. As I sat subdued and listening, the low,
rustling sound of the wind seemed as a sigh of sorrow escaping the breast
of the bereaved, and I could picture in the far away land of Palestine
that sacred spot which had so often been described to me, even the "Church
of the Holy Sepulchre."
This most benevolent city of Georgia, without solicitation, presented me
passes to Jacksonville and Tallahassee, Fla. The former was at that time
quite an unimportant place, but has since become a popular resort.
While in Tallahassee I met with great sympathy and kindness from Governor
Rood, who bought a book and handed me five dollars. When change was
tendered to him he quietly and respectfully declined, and said with his
usual delicacy that it was worth that much to him.
The Sheriff of the county was also very generous. Wishing to present me
with ten dollars, and fearing to wound me by so doing, he ordered that
amount of bead-work.
Tallahassee was certainly the most quiet Capital City I had ever visited,
resting in its placid loveliness apparently undisturbed by the usual
wrangle of legislation.
We returned via Live Oaks, at which place we encountered one of those
severe thunderstorms known only to tropical lands, and in which the angry
"war of elements" strikes terror to the hearts of those unschooled to it.
All through its thundering and lightning, its wind and torrent, I was in
such a state of nervous excitement, that when the last lurid light faded,
the last crash was echoed by a low reverberating moan and died away, I
gave one deep sigh of intense relief and sank exhausted from the reaction.