Part 11 (1/2)
A WORD FROM AN OLD MAN
”Mr. Editor:
”Less than a century ago I was traveling through this enchanted region and accidentally heard that it was commencement week at the seminary. I went. My venerable appearance seemed to command respect and I received many attentions. I presented my snowy head and patriarchal beard at the doors of the sacred inst.i.tution and was admitted. I heard all the cla.s.ses, primary, secondary, tertiary, et cetera. All went merry as a marriage bell. Thursday was the great day. I made vast preparation. I rose early, dressed with much care. I affectionately pressed the hands of my two landlords and left. When I arrived at the seminary I saw at a glance that it was a place where true merit was appreciated. I was invited to a seat among the dignitaries, but declined. I am a modest man, I always was. I recognized the benign Princ.i.p.als of the school. You can find no better principles in the states than in Ontario Female Seminary. After the report of the committee a very lovely young lady arose and saluted us in Latin. I looked very wise, I always do. So did everybody. We all understood it. As she proceeded, I thought the grand old Roman tongue had never sounded so musically and when she p.r.o.nounced the decree, 'Richmond delenda est,' we all hoped it might be prophetic.
Then followed the essays of the other young ladies and then every one waited anxiously for 'The Last Time.' At last it came. The story was beautifully told, the adieux were tenderly spoken. We saw the withered flowers of early years scattered along the academic ways, and the golden fruit of scholarly culture ripening in the gardens of the future.
Enchanted by the sorrowful eloquence, bewildered by the melancholy brilliancy, I sent a rosebud to the charming valedictorian and wandered out into the grounds. I went to the concert in the evening and was pleased and delighted. So was everybody. I shall return next year unless the gout carries me off. I hope I shall hear just such beautiful music, see just such beautiful faces and dine at the same excellent hotel.
Senex.”
Anna closed her valedictory with these words:
”May we meet at one gate when all's over; The ways they are many and wide, And seldom are two ways the same; Side by side may we stand At the same little door when all's done.
The ways they are many, The end it is one.”
_July_ 10.--We have had word of the death of Spencer F. Lincoln. One more brave soldier sacrificed.
_August._--The New York State S. S. Convention was held in Buffalo and among others f.a.n.n.y g.a.y.l.o.r.d, Mary Field and myself attended. We had a fine time and were entertained at the home of Mr. and Mrs. s.e.xton. Her mother is living with her, a dear old lady who was Judge At.w.a.ter's daughter and used to go to school to Grandfather Beals. We went with other delegates on an excursion to Niagara Falls and went into the express office at the R. R. station to see Grant Schley, who is express agent there. He said it seemed good to see so many home faces.
_September_ 1.--My war letters come from Georgetown Hospital now. Mr.
Noah T. Clarke is very anxious and sends telegrams to Andrew Chesebro every day to go and see his brother.
_September_ 30.--To-day the ”Benjamin” of the family reached home under the care of Dr. J. Byron Hayes, who was sent to Was.h.i.+ngton after him. I went over to Mr. Noah T. Clarke's to see him and found him just a shadow of his former self. However, ”hope springs eternal in the human breast”
and he says he knows he will soon be well again. This is his thirtieth birthday and it is glorious that he can spend it at home.
_October_ 1.--Mr. Noah T. Clarke accompanied his brother to-day to the old home in Naples and found two other soldier brothers, William and Joseph, had just arrived on leave of absence from the army so the mother's heart sang ”Praise G.o.d from whom all blessings flow.” The fourth brother has also returned to his home in Illinois, disabled.
_November._--They are holding Union Revival Services in town now. One evangelist from out of town said he would call personally at the homes and ask if all were Christians. Anna told Grandmother if he came here she should tell him about her. Grandmother said we must each give an account for ourselves. Anna said she should tell him about her little Grandmother anyway. We saw him coming up the walk about 11 a.m. and Anna went to the door and asked him in. They sat down in the parlor and he remarked about the pleasant weather and Canandaigua such a beautiful town and the people so cultured. She said yes, she found the town every way desirable and the people pleasant, though she had heard it remarked that strangers found it hard to get acquainted and that you had to have a residence above the R. R. track and give a satisfactory answer as to who your Grandfather was, before admittance was granted to the best society. He said he had been kindly received everywhere. She said ”everybody likes ministers.” (He was quite handsome and young.) He asked her how long she had lived here and she told him nearly all of her brief existence! She said if he had asked her how old she was she would have told him she was so young that Will Adams last May was appointed her guardian. He asked how many there were in the family and she said her Grandmother, her sister and herself. He said, ”They are Christians, I suppose.” ”Yes,” she said, ”my sister is a S. S. teacher and my Grandmother was born a Christian, about 80 years ago.” ”Indeed,” he said. ”I would like to see her.” Anna said she would have to be excused as she seldom saw company. When he arose to go he said, ”My dear young lady, I trust that you are a Christian.” ”Mercy yes,” she said, ”years ago.” He said he was very glad and hoped she would let her light s.h.i.+ne.
She said that was what she was always doing--that the other night at a revival meeting she sang every verse of every hymn and came home feeling as though she had herself personally rescued by hand at least fifty ”from sin and the grave.” He smiled approvingly and bade her good bye.
She told Grandmother she presumed he would say ”he had not found so great faith, no not in Israel.”
We have Teachers' meetings now and Mrs. George Wilson leads and instructs us on the Sunday School lesson for the following Sunday. We met at Mrs. Worthington's this evening. I think Mrs. Wilson knows Barnes' notes, Cruden's Concordance, the Westminster Catechism and the Bible from beginning to end.
1865
_March_ 5.--I have just read President Lincoln's second inaugural address. It only takes five minutes to read it but, oh, how much it contains.
_March_ 20.--Hardly a day pa.s.ses that we do not hear news of Union victories. Every one predicts that the war is nearly at an end.
_March_ 29.--An officer arrived here from the front yesterday and he said that, on Sat.u.r.day morning, shortly after the battle commenced which resulted so gloriously for the Union in front of Petersburg, President Lincoln, accompanied by General Grant and staff, started for the battlefield, and reached there in time to witness the close of the contest and the bringing in of the prisoners. His presence was immediately recognized and created the most intense enthusiasm. He afterwards rode over the battlefield, listened to the report of General Parke to General Grant, and added his thanks for the great service rendered in checking the onslaught of the rebels and in capturing so many of their number. I read this morning the order of Secretary Stanton for the flag raising on Fort Sumter. It reads thus: ”War department, Adjutant General's office, Was.h.i.+ngton, March 27th, 1865, General Orders No. 50. Ordered, first: That at the hour of noon, on the 14th day of April, 1865, Brevet Major General Anderson will raise and plant upon the ruins of Fort Sumter, in Charleston Harbor, the same U. S. Flag which floated over the battlements of this fort during the rebel a.s.sault, and which was lowered and saluted by him and the small force of his command when the works were evacuated on the 14th day of April, 1861. Second, That the flag, when raised be saluted by 100 guns from Fort Sumter and by a national salute from every fort and rebel battery that fired upon Fort Sumter. Third, That suitable ceremonies be had upon the occasion, under the direction of Major-General William T. Sherman, whose military operations compelled the rebels to evacuate Charleston, or, in his absence, under the charge of Major-General Q. A. Gillmore, commanding the department. Among the ceremonies will be the delivery of a public address by the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher. Fourth, That the naval forces at Charleston and their Commander on that station be invited to partic.i.p.ate in the ceremonies of the occasion. By order of the President of the United States. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War.”
_April,_ 1865.--What a month this has been. On the 6th of April Governor Fenton issued this proclamation: ”Richmond has fallen. The wicked men who governed the so-called Confederate States have fled their capital, shorn of their power and influence. The rebel armies have been defeated, broken and scattered. Victory everywhere attends our banners and our armies, and we are rapidly moving to the closing scenes of the war.
Through the self-sacrifice and heroic devotion of our soldiers, the life of the republic has been saved and the American Union preserved. I, Reuben E. Fenton, Governor of the State of New York, do designate Friday, the 14th of April, the day appointed for the ceremony of raising the United States flag on Fort Sumter, as a day of Thanksgiving, prayer and praise to Almighty G.o.d, for the signal blessings we have received at His hands.”
_Sat.u.r.day, April_ 8.--The cannon has fired a salute of thirty-six guns to celebrate the fall of Richmond. This evening the streets were thronged with men, women and children all acting crazy as if they had not the remotest idea where they were or what they were doing. At.w.a.ter block was beautifully lighted and the band was playing in front of it.
On the square they fired guns, and bonfires were lighted in the streets.
Gov. Clark's house was lighted from the very garret and they had a transparency in front, with ”Richmond” on it, which Fred Thompson made.
We didn't even light ”our other candle,” for Grandmother said she preferred to keep Sat.u.r.day night and pity and pray for the poor suffering, wounded soldiers, who are so apt to be forgotten in the hour of victory.
_Sunday Evening, April_ 9.--There were great crowds at church this morning. Dr. Daggett's text was from Prov. 18: 10: ”The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” It was a very fine sermon. They sang hymns relating to our country and Dr.