The Orpheus C. Kerr Papers Volume Ii Part 8

"For the love of my species," says he, eagerly, "and for any little contract in the way of red breeches and spelling books that may be required for the reclaimed contrabands?"

Was this a case of purely disinterested philanthropy? Perhaps so, my boy, perhaps so; but the old swallow-tails reminded of a chap I once knew in the Sixth Ward. He was a high toned moral chap of much s.h.i.+rt-collar, with a voice that sounded like a mosquito in the bottom of a fish-horn, and a chin like a creased apple-dumpling. Years before he had married a Southern crinoline and talked about the glories of slavery in a polished and high-moral way; but as there happened just then to be a chance for him to run for alderman on the abolition ticket, he experienced a change of heart, and addressed a meeting on the evils of human bondage: "My friends," says he, patting his stomach in a heartfelt manner, "I once lived at the South and owned slaves; but never could I feel that it was right. My pastor would say to me: 'These men-slaves are black, you say; but have they not the same feelings with you, the same features--only handsomer?' I felt this to be so, my friends; I commenced to appreciate the enormity of holding human souls in bondage."

Here a susceptible venerable maiden in the audience became so overpowered by her emotions, that she placed her head in the lap of a respectable single gentleman, and fainted away.

"My friends," continued the high-toned moral chap, "I could not bear the stings of conscience; my nights were sleepless, but I slept during the day. There was I, pretending to be a Christian, yet holding men and women as chattels! Heavens himself was outraged by it, and I resolved to make a sacrifice for the sake of principle--to cease to be a slaveholder! I called my slaves together: I addressed them paternally and piously, and then I--(here the great, scalding tears rolled down the cheeks of the orator, and the audience sobbed horribly)--I bade them be good boys and girls, and then I--SOLD EVERY ONE OF THEM!"

There was a movement of the audience toward the door. Men and women went out silently from the place, exchanging covert glances of smothered agitation with each other. Only one person remained with the orator. It was an old file with a blue umbrella, who had occupied a back seat and paid breathless attention to all the performances. After the others had left the hall, he walked deliberately from his seat to where the high-toned moral chap was still standing, and gazed into the face of the latter with an expression of unmitigated wonder. He then walked twice around him; having done which he confronted him again, thumped the ferule of his umbrella on the floor, and says he: "Well!"

The old file paused an instant, and then says he: "well, I'll be dam,"

and waddled precipitately from the place.

I've often thought of it since then, my boy; and I've always wondered why it was that the solitary old file with the blue umbrella should say that he be dam.

To return to Western Virginia; I found, upon my arrival in one of the camps near Winchester, that the patriotic democratic chap was making arrangements to divide the army there into Wards, instead of regiments, in order, as he said, that the returns might come in systematically.

"For instance," says he, "suppose that in the skirmish with the Confederacy which is going on just ahead of us, we should lose--say seventy-five votes; how much easier it would be to say; the 'Fourth Ward shows a decrease since last year of seventy-five Republicans', than to say that such a regiment, of such a brigade, of such a division, has lost so and so?"

I was reflecting upon this novel and admirable way of putting it, my boy, when an orderly came tearing in, with a report of the skirmis.h.i.+ng going on.

"Ha!" says the patriotic chap to him; "how does the canvas proceed?"

"Well," says the orderly, breathlessly, "Banks' outpost has lost twenty votes in the Tenth Ward by desertions, and has thirty double-votes wounded; but I think Banks can still keep neck-and-neck with McDowell."

"You do, hey?" says the patriotic chap, in great excitement. "Then McDowell must not lend Banks a single vote. Tell him to keep his Ward Committees under cover until Banks gets through with his canvas; for if he takes part in that, and the election results in a victory over the Confederacy, Banks will get all the credit of it, and win the card in the next Nominating Convention."

So McDowell's votes didn't re-enforce Banks in the skirmish, my boy, and Banks lost much popularity by being worsted, by the Confederacy.

As soon as the firing had ceased, I went out to meet some of the returning Wards, and came plump upon the swallow-tail chap, who was agitating the negro question in a corner of the late battle-field, surrounded by fugitive contrabands.

"Friend of the human race," says I, "how now?"

"Young man," says he, hastily tying a red silk pocket-handkerchief about his head, "I am teaching these oppressed beings to spell, having extemporized a college on the very scene of their recent emanc.i.p.ation."

"How far have the collegians progressed?" says I.

"They have got," says he, "to their a-b, abs. Thus; a-b, ab; o-abo; l-i li, aboli; t-i-o-n shun--abolition."

Shameful to relate, my boy, the swallow-tailed chap had no sooner said this, than a cavalry ward came charging helter-skelter, right through the college, tumbling the faculty into the mud, and bruising several soph.o.m.ore graduates. Simultaneously, the patriotic democratic chap appeared on the scene, and insisted upon it that the contrabands should be immediately returned to the Southern Confederacy, as this is a white man's war. "Otherwise," says he, cholerically, "future reconciliation and reconstruction will be impossible."

Fearful that I should become confused a little if I remained there any longer, my boy, I at once retired from the place, in company with two sick votes, who were going home on furlough, and reached this city again in good order.

Almost the first fellow-being I met on my return was a seedy and earnest chap from New York, who was worth about a quarter in ready money, and had come to Was.h.i.+ngton post-haste to pledge the Empire State's last dollar, and last drop of blood for the vigorous prosecution of the war.

"See here, my self-denying Brutus," says I, as we took Richmond together at the bar, "who commissioned you to pledge so much as all that?"

"To tell the truth," says the seedy chap, confidentially, "it's all I've got left to pledge. I pledged my pinchbeck chronometer for three dollars," says he, sadly, "just before I left New York; and I'm trying this pledge on speculation."

I have sometimes feared, my boy, that our Uncle Samuel's concern is turning into a p.a.w.nbroking establishment on a large scale, where they make advances on everything tangible and intangible, except Richmond, my boy--except Richmond.

Yours, with a presentiment, ORPHEUS C. KERR.

LETTER LVII.

SUGGESTING MENTAL RELAXATION FOR A TIME, AND INTRODUCING A FAMILIAR SKETCH OF THE WAR-STRICKEN DRAMA IN THE RURAL DISTRICTS.

WAs.h.i.+NGTON, D. C., July 23d, 1862.

Yesterday morning, my boy, I refreshed myself by a lounge across Long Bridge to the fields about Arlington Heights, where blooming Nature still has verdant spots untrampled by the iron heel of strategic war.

How pleasant is it, my boy, to escape occasionally from the society of Congressmen and brigadiers, and take a lazy sprawl in the fragrant fields. It is the philosopher's way of enjoying Summer's

DOLCE FAR NIENTE.

I.

Still as a fly in amber, hangs the world In a transparent sphere of golden hours, With not enough of life in all the air To stir the shadows or to move the flowers; And in the halo broods the angel Sleep, Wooed from the bosom of the midnight deep By her sweet sister Silence, wed to Noon.

II.

Held in a soft suspense of summer light, The generous fields with all their bloom of wealth Bask in a dream of Plenty for the years, And breathe the languor of untroubled Health.

Without a ripple stands the yellow wheat, Like the Broad Seal of G.o.d upon the sheet Where Labor's signature appeareth soon.

III.

As printed staves of thankful Nature's hymn, The fence of rails a soothing grace devotes, With clinging vines for ba.s.s and treble cleffs And wrens and robins here and there for notes; Spread out in bars, at equal distance met, As though the whole bright summer scene were set To the unuttered melody of Rest!

IV.

Along the hill in light voluptuous wrapt The daisy droops amid the staring gra.s.s, And on the plain the rose and lily wait For Flora's whispers, that no longer pa.s.s; While in the shade the violet of blue Finds in the stillness reigning nature through, That which her gentle modesty loves best.

V.

The mill-wheel motionless o'ershades the pool, In whose frail crystal cups its circle dips; The stream, slow curling, wanders in the sun And drains his kisses with its silver lips; The birch canoe upon its shadow lies, The pike's last bubble on the water dies, The water lily sleeps upon her gla.s.s.

VI.

Here let me linger, in that waking sleep Whose dreams are all untinged with haunting dread Of Morning's finger on the eyelids pressed, To rouse the soul and leave the vision dead.

And while deep sunk in this soft ecstasy I count the pulse of Heaven dreamily, Let all life's bitterness behind me pa.s.s!

VII.

How still each leaf of my oak canopy, That holds a forest syllable at heart, Yet cannot stir enough in all its veins To give the murmured woodland sentence start!