The banner of the South. (Augusta, Ga.) 1868-1870, April 10, 1869, Image 8

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The banner of the South., April 10, 1869, Page 8, Image 8

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Newspaper Page Text8 For the Banner of the Sontfc. Song. In the sunny land of Dixie, I dearly love to stray, Where the mocking-birds sweet wild notes Make musical the day ; For there I met, and woed, and won, My peerless Lee, Oh ! her equal in this wide world, I'll never! never see! Her eye was dark as midnight, Like the raven was her hair, And brighter than the snowdrift Was her face—divinely fair; Her voice, like sweetest melody, Was ever dear to me, Oh ! her equal in this wide world I'll never! never see ! I muse on her in daytime, I dream of her by night,' The likeness of her fairy- form, Is ever in my sight; She was the jewel of my heart. She was all the world to me, Oh! her equal in this wide world, I'll never ! never see ! But my darling now is sleeping, In the cold and silent tomb, And my joy is changed to wailing, And my sunlight into gloom. And my anxious spirit, waiting, Is panting to be free, To meet her in a brighter clime, And with her over be. AuffUita, Ga., April, 1809. ®he Jost ®attse. For the Banner of the South. EX-PRESI DENT DAVIS. San Francisco, Feb. 21,1869. Editor Banner of the South : In the 16th of January number of your paper is published a communica tion of the celebrated E. A. Pollard, entitled the “Flight and capture of Jef ferson Davis,” taken from Packard's Monthly, for January. A greater tissue of lies I never saw weaved into any ar ticle, and I know whereof I speak. It was to Gen. Ewell, Gen. Lee tele graphed the news of his defeat, and in structed him (Gen. Ewell) after destroy ing all the artillery he could’nt remove, to join him (Gen. Lee) without other and elay, at Amelia Court House.” This dispatch was sent me by Major Selden, of Gen. Ewell’s staff, at 11 A. M., Sun day. Mr. Davis left that afternoon upon the cars, and not secretly as Pollard al leges, his family having proceeded him several days. Gen. Breckenridge, ac companied by Gen. Lawton, Q. M. <5.; Gen. Gilmer, Chief of Engineers and Gen. St. John, Commissary General, left Richmond upon horse-back before day light on Monday morniDg, and reached Danville, after the usual adventures, on or about the 9th of April. A part of the time I was with the officers named, but not after we crossed the South Side Rail road at Pamplin’s depot. At Greensboro I saw Mr. Davis for the first time since the evacuation, where he was in consul tation with Gen. Joseph E. Johnson, who had come from the headquarters of his army especially to see and confer with the President. By special invitation I joined the latter and his cabinet in the journey from Greensboro south, but on ly travelled with them to within four miles of Lexington, N. C., where we went into camp for the night. During the night a messenger came for Gen. Breehenridge to go to the Headquarters of Gen. Johnson’s army, and although we had various surmises of the cause of his going, we learned nothing of its ob ject until we had been several days at Charlotte, N. C., when Mr. Davis re ceived a dispatch from Gen. Brecken ridge, announcing the armistice, and subsequently, its rejection by the Federal authorities, the account of Lincoln’s as sassination, and the attempted assassina tion ot Mr. Seward, and also the terms ot surrender .agreed upoa between John son and Sherman. I was standing talk ing to Gen. St. John, when one of Mr. Davis’ aids joined us, and related the news regarding the assassination, and also, of Mr. Davis’ expressed disbelief of its correct ness, and of his wish that it would prove untrue. He said no Southern man would commit the crime, and no North ern man who wished well to the South. There was no man who accompanied the fallen Chief but who knew that the idea of escape bad never entered his mind, and that his only desire was, after learn ing that Lee and Johnson had surrender ed, was to get to the Trans-Mississippi and rally lor one more earnest effort tc achieve success. He could have easily lelt when Gen. Breckenridge, Benjamin and Harris did, and escaped to Cuba, but he would not; and now to be coarsely and cowardly abused for remaining, and suffering in his person capture and im prison ment tor the acts ol the whole Southern people, by a man who would not enter the army, is something the people of the South ought not to permit to .go unrebuked. I knew Pollard in dns country when he was the law-report er for the Alta and Herald newspapers, hat whose habits becoming so shamefully bad, was dismissed by both, when he raised money enough to take him back to Virginia. I saw him next in Rich mond after the war had commenced, where he was valiant with the pen, but notoriously adverse to using, himself, either the musket or the sword. He was first exempted from military service as editor (assistant on the Examiner) and when that no longer availed him, he— healthy and strong—unblushingly ap peared before the Richmond Board of Ex amining Physicians and pleaded, and ob tained, exemption, on the ground of physical dissability ! The administra tion could do nothing to please the pa per he was assistant editor of, after Mr. Davis’ removal from command of Gov. Floyd, in whose staff the late John M. Daniel, the editor in chief, was a holiday officer. This was the Richmond under standing of the Examiner’s hostility, which carried with it of course, the bomb proof patriot, Pollard. What I started out to say was, that there is scarcely a word of truth in the communication from the beginning to the end of it. Mr. Davis had given up all hopes of holding out after he heard {at Charlotte) of Johnson’s surrender; therefore the trashy words placed in Mr. Davis’ mouth by Pollard, as having been uttered to those gallant spirits, Breckenridge, Duke and others, are just about as reliable as many other false hoods of which Mr. Lamar, in his paper, convicted him. He says that "Gen. Breckenridge was dispatched to Gen. Johnson’s lines only to bring hack to the party Jon their route, the sorrowful news of his surrender, and to increase the dismay of their flight ” The facts ' are, Gen. Johnson was for several days in consultation with Mr. Davis and his Cabinet in Greensboro, and only return ed to his army a short time before they left that town. The first night out from Greensboro, as I previously said, we camped within four miles of the town of Lexington, where Gen. Johnson's dis patch oeen'took Gen. Breckenridge, which caused him to go to his (Johnson’s), headquarters, accompanied by Major Sam. Melton. No member of our party (which included Mr. Davis and his Cab inet) saw Gen. Breckenridge, or heard from him again, until the dispatch from him to Mr. Davis was received at Char lotte ; and before Gen. Breckenridge again joined us, Johnson's arm;/ had surrendered, lu regard to the Shenan doah story, without knowing positively, I am of the opinion that that ship was in the Pacific Ocean at the time Pollard would have her off the coast of Florida, to receive the "fugitives.” W 1 len 1 re-! turned to this State in August, 1865, she 1 was then cruising in the whaling! "grounds,” wh'eh she could hardly have j reached in so short a time as between j the surrender and the time named. Again : the long trains that the veracious Pol-! lard makes accompany Mr. Davis ex isted only in his malicious imagination. The only train seen between Danville and Washington, Ga., was the local transportation brought out of Richmond, which had nearly reduced to nothing by the time it reached Charlotte. An am-1 bulanee or two was all that, was left, to Mr. Davis. As to the speeches attribu ted to Mr. Davis, I remember to have heard (or heard of) but one, which was delivered from the house steps of a Jew ish gentlemen with whom he was stoo ping, at Charlotte, previous to the re ception of Gen. Breckenridge’s dispatch, in which he claimed that the surrender of Lee did not necessarily make the cause of the Confederacy hopeless; but when Johnson’s surrender became known, he as well as the prominent men, gave up the cause as lost. Pollard says, "but the blow (speaking of the Council of War of the Commanders of the "seven” remnants of Brigades) was too much for his feeble organization. llis face was white with anger and disappointment, and the mist of unshed tears was in his eyes—te«,rs which pride struggled to keep back.” It was my pleasure to have had two interviews, by invitation, with Mr. Davis, in the presence of Ge« Breckenridge and Postmaster General Reagan, at a time when the railroad in front and rear was destroyed, and every ford of the wide river ahead of us was picketted for thirty miles, and never be fore was I so forcibly impressed with the greatness of the chief who could be so much himself under the searching or deal of adversity. Let Jordan and Pol lard rave at the truly great man who for four weary years maintained a struggle, the equal of which history makes no mention. Enemies of the South will no doubt praise them, and may he throw them the thirty pieces as the price of their treachery, but the honest hearted sons and daughters of the land of Lee, of Johnson, of Jackson, and of the heroes who are sleeping that sleep that knows no earthly waking, will loathiugly re member them while they live, and curse their memories when they are dead. X. MUM 0F EH BOTH. - WHAT THEY DO IN A CONVENT- The Cloisters Opened to the Outer World-A Visit to the Convent of the Sisters of Mercy-The Life of a Nun An Interior View of a Conuent. From the New York Sun. “What are they doing in the convents all the time;” said a very intelligent Protestant gentleman to me. “I will find out and tell you,” I replied. So, true to my promise—l never break a promise unless “’tis more honor ed in the breach than the observance” — I posted myself oft’to the Convent of the Sisters of Mercy, at the cornier of Mul berry and Houston streets, and asking for Sister C., to whom I brought an introduc tion, found no difficulty in obtaing ad mittance and an interview. AN INTERVIEW WITH AN ASSITANT SU PERIOR. When Sister, or rather, Mother C., entered the parlor—l ascertained after wards that she was the Assistant Super ior—l was a little embarrassed, scarce ly knowing how to frame my request. Assured, however, by her gentle looks and kindly greeting, I “outed with it,” and told her my errand. I related pre cisely what has passed between my friend and myself, and wound up with the requ est; “Will you let me go through your convent, and report to my friend?” PRAYER IN THE CONVENT CHAPEL. She smiled a sweet assent, and telling me I might go at once, but it was near twelve, appointed the next day for my visit. I rose to take my leave, but, taking my hand, she first led me to the convent chapel, and, after a moment, bowed in prayer, rose and explained the subjects illustrated by' the beautiful stai ned glass Gothic windows. Then, con ducting me to the door, she again urged my visit on the morrow. THE PARLOR OF THE CONVENT. Punctually at the hour appointed I was at the door. At the first touch of the bell-handle it opened, and the lay sister in the vestibule showed me to the parlor—-a large and commodious room, comfortably furnished, but not modern either in furniture or finish, for it was warmed by a large open grate, whose old fashioned brass appendages glowed with the brightness that is only given by daily and constate care. A CICERONE. Soon came Mother C., in the modest dress of the order, and, after some kind ly conversation, excusing herself from being my cicerone, she introduced me to another sister, who said she would be my conductor through the house. And as we proceeded she gave me all the neces sary information, seeming, with marvel ous intuition, to anticipate my every inquiry. THE HOUSE OF MERCY —HUNDREDS OF YOUNG GIRLS AT WORK. As I had already seen the little Chapel of the Virgin, we passed the door, and proceeding along the corridor, entered the House of Mercy attached to the convent. Here I found a house and school of industry, perfect in all its ap pointments, presided over and managed in all its department by the sisters and lay' sisters. Hundreds of young girls were at work in the different apartments, all neat, silent, and orderly. an IMMENSE LAUNDRY. A large laundry, where ten thousand pieces are washed at a time, dried by -team, and ironed, offered employment to a part of these girls. Most of this is plain work, but a great deal of starching and fluting is also done, under the ey r e of the sisters, and frequently their own fingers perform the work, while acting as teachers to the new hands. These operatives and pensioners are virtuous young girls, who have been rescued from the streets, Very few of them seemed over twenty years of age, and three little ones, I observed too yoang to work, the smallest of whom, little bright eyed Marry McFadden, only tree years old, ran up to the “sister” when we entered this juvenile department, with the happy confidence a child gives its mother. A REFUGE FOR POOR YOUNG GIRLS. Whenever a virtuous poor young girl is out of employment (those who have fallen from virtue arc sent to the “Sisters of the Good Shepherd,”) she has only to apply to the Sisters of Mercy for protec tion, home and employment; and wheth er she be Catholic or Protestant, Jew or Gentile, she is received into their House of Mercy. Here, under the eye of the sisters, they are instructed and perfected in the branch of industry* to which they are best adapted, staying as long as they chose, and furnished with a home, food and clothing. After proving themselves efficient workers, if they prefer the House ot Mercy to any other home, they are paid wages. If they desire situations, the sisters aid them in procur ing them or send them to places in the West, many of these pensioners being emigrants just from Europe. SEWERS AND SEWING MACHINES. In other rooms I found many of these girls engaged sewing, some, at machines, which they are taught to manage, others with their needles, learning every varie ty of plain sewing and beautiful embroidery. NO SECTARIAN THE KITCHEN. Upon Sundays and the regular holi days of the Church, these girls, accom panied by the sisters, go to church; but those who are not Catholics are not obliged to conform to the church cere monies, and no persuasions are ever used to induce them to become Catholics. The dormitories where the girls sleep were exquisitely neat, though plainly furnished, and inexpensively, each girl occupying a email bed alone. Even to the kitchen I penetrated and the bright utensils here showed, that the prevailing neatness ruled in this as in every other department. I saw the im mense batch of bread provided for all these busy workers, and others pen sioners beside, for this is not all they “do in the convent.” THE MOTHER SUPERIOR’S BENEVOLENCE THE SCHOOL. I was shown a little room, roughly and plainly furnished, where the Mother Sup erior daily, with her own hands, dispen ses soup, bread and plain food to the very poorest of the poor. From the industriaal department I was conducted to the school. It was the hour for dismission, and part of the young students were already gone. Those who were present rose with ready pol iteness upon my entrance, their bright young faces beaming with intelligence and the ardor of study. I was also in formed that the academy 7 of the convent, on Fifty-first street, where certain of the sisters went daily to teach, was much larger, and had a fuller attendance of pupils than the one I saw here. NUMBER OF SISTERS IN THE CONVENT As I proceeded to the other apart ments, I asked my gentle conductress how many sisters there were in the con vent. “Forty-eight” was the reply. “Forty eight wemen achieve all I have seen; and teach the school in Fifty fiirst street!” I exclaimed. “Oh! yes, and great deal more,” she answered, with a sweet laugh. “Every morning a certain number are sent out to visit the sick, the Superior beiug noti fied by the clergy and others where their sendees are needed, and certain others go to visit the prisons. From 5 o’clock in the morning til half-past 9 at night, we are thus occupied, unless engaged in devotion or contemplation; only about thirty minutes after each meal being: given to recreation. CELLS OF THE NUNS. By this time we had reached the upper and fourth floor of the convent. Here I saw the cells of the nuns. How many 7 a benevolent lady, who doubtless does much good and sacrifices much for the sake of others, if she could see these cells, and learn all I did on that afternoon, would exclaim, “Oh, how poor is my work! how meagre my sacrifice of self, compared with that of these devoted beings!” Each nun occupies a cell alone. It is small and uncarpeted. It’s only furni ture consists of a bed, precisely like those occupied by the girls iu the dormitories, one wooden chair’ and a crucifix. Each cell is lighted by 7 a small window. These cells are occupied but seven and a half hours out of the twenty-four. In very many of the rooms throughout the estab lishment were oratories for prayer. Pic tures adorned many of the walls, and ap propriate texts, mottoes aud devices were found over the doors and alonir the corridors. ORATORY OF THE VIRGIN TIIE SACRED HEART. Turning from the cells, the nun led me to a small niched oratory of the Virgin, where the last prayer of the sisters *is said before retiring for the night. A taper was burning before the statue of the Virgin, and on each side of the altar bloomed a Calla JEthiopica. Back of this niched oratory was ano ther, dedicated to the Sa<r.*d Heart It was appropriately ornamented, and per fumed with the odor of the exotic plants which bloomed around. So the care of hot-house plants takes up a part of the time of these silent, unobtruesive, wor shiping workers. THE FINEST ROOM IN THE CONVENT. Again I visited the room devoted to the fine arts. A splendid cycloid Linde man piono stood on one side of the room and an artist’s table and implements on the other. The walls were adorned with beautiful paintings. Many of the sisters not only teach drawing, painting and music, but find tin e to cultivate those arts. A WONDERFUL VOLUME. . One whose beaming artist eyes will long live in my memory was engaged in the mediaeval art of illumination. When one of her illuminated volumes a beautiful convent register of the names, parentage, time of dedication to God, etc., of all the sisterhood, was fi rst opened before my admiring eyes, I thought the work was the finest engraving The lettering, marginal lining coloring and gilding, all done with the pencil, and without the aid of compasses, were only equaled in their marvelous execution by the exquisite beauty and endless variety of the designs. Every page was differ- ent, and all variations of the medieval style of ornamentation and design. The sister who does this work varies her oc cupation by teaching French in the school, and also devotes some other time to the House of Mercy. THE STORY TOLD. And thus, my friend, did I fulfill mv promise, and truthfully have I related how I found the inmates of a convent oc cupied. These observations, I trust, will meet jour eyes, and their perusal will spare your patience, when next we meet the infliction of a verbal account of “what they do in a convent.” [For the Banner of the South.] CHEERFULNESS. K ___ FROM THE GERMAN. Excessive grief is the heart’s suicide; as in Silesia the self-murderer is buried with his face to the ground, so he who indulges in excessive grief, lies with his face turned earthwards, instead of lifting it, as he ought, to the heaven of the past' the present, and the future. Rise thyself up, 0 man ! look around thee, and re gard something higher and brighter than earth, with its worms and darkness. Cheerfulness, not enjoyment, is our duty; be it then our aim. In a soul filled with gloominess and mistrust, the heavy stag nant air chokes the growth of all spiritual blossoms Let your heart open to sweet sympathy and compassion, but not to cold mistrust and dejection; as the flower re mains open to the dew, but closes its leaves against the rain. So little is suf fering, so much is happiness a proper part of our nature, that with equal meas ure of delusion, we repent that only which has pained, not that which has given joy. Great bereavements work afterwards more refreshingly upon the spirit than great joys; so, on the contrary, minor sorrows weaken more than minor joys strengthen. For after the sun-stroke of rapture, the chambers of the heart are un closed to all our enemies, whilst excessive grief opens them easily to our friends. But the happiness of life consists, like the days, uot in single flashes, but in steady, mild serenity; the heart here lives in this peaceful and even light (were it but moonlight or twilight) its fairest time. The spirit alone can yield this heavenly calm and freedom from care; fortune cannot—for she gives as -die takes away 1 by starts; and we feel ever the shocks of fate, whether they lilt us up to heaven or cast us down to earth Blit in what way can man effect tais." Not by' planting joys, but in uprooting and removing sorrows; so that the soil, unchoked by weeds, may of itselt beai sweet fruits—not by man’s seeking atwr joys and building up for hiinsclt heaven upon heaven, which often a single cloud may' wholly veil—-but by' removing the furies’ mask from giief and uncoveimg and looking steadily upon the daily a • r face. If man has only once unmade s— that is, conquered—grief, he hoi a -‘ ready the garden key of Eden ; for remains to him, besides all the blessings of circumstance and ot duty. - still, untroubled, happiness ot CX!Ste ”j j which in this freedom from sorrow joy can expend in fullness and. strong-* —a happiness which, although in a ilff 1 degree, the savage in his but, the son o the East under the shade ot his tree, the rustic on his house-door bench, wise enjoy; whilst without ought t* - ought to receive, he stretches hi - l there, quietly and at rest, and lo y' u ; .. and feels the world without. sn* tranquil feeling not sorrow al me rapture, too, destroys; lor as it 1 y abiding feeling, so too is it a w?a\- " Thus have we a perennial lorgcvme - . of joy within us, but not similar ° pain; and thus is the blue greater than every cloud that ] and more lasting too. Jean Pittsburg, Pa. O ' ~~ lh? The* ancients used to vcncrat “ashes” of their departed frl ®“Xre about ot the present generation cai - the “dust” of theirs. * * • *-, get H en ' Gen. Boyle is endeavorin-,• = u^cr it. derson county, Kentucky, r ‘ ]->uc s2oo,ooo to aid in completing, lu vill, Henderson and Nashvme