for want of tenants and help to
cultivate it, stock and products confiscated. Many and earnest were the
conferences held by the Colonel and his unfortunate neighbors, to devise
ways and means to recuperate their lost fortunes. After each conference
with his friends the Colonel would wend his way homeward to confer with
his good wife, who was a most sensible and therefore a lovable woman.

When the Colonel was most despondent the wife was most buoyant, cheering
him as best she could. After the Colonel had given vent to his feelings,
recounting for the hundredth time his helplessness in the face of the
oppressive laws rigidly enforced by the carpet-bag officers; after he
had delivered himself of a tirade against those who were responsible for
the condition of affairs, the good wife said: "Colonel, I know if the
Christian people of the North were aware of the sufferings of our
people, we would get relief. I pity you in your troubles and do hope we
may see a way to help ourselves. We are out of corn, the meal is almost
gone and we have very little bacon left. Our children should be in
school but I cannot bear to send them with the toes out of their shoes
and their shabby clothes."

The Colonel would compress his lips, cussing every Yankee on earth. He
would find his way to the country store to while away another day in
useless conference with his neighbors. The same persons met daily and
dispersed nightly to carry their woes to their homes. Time and again
Colonel Charlotte informed the patient little wife that he was without
hope.

"Don't give up," encouraged the wife, "I know it looks dark but it is
always darkest before dawn; let us look toward the east and pray for
light. I know something will come to us, but for my part, I would not
care. I can stand it, but the children, poor innocents, should not be
made to suffer; no shoes or clothes fit to go to school or church in.
The winter is coming on and our provisions are scant. I worry only on
account of the children. Colonel, do the best you can; that is all
mortal can do, the Lord will do the rest."

The Colonel left his fireside early the next morning resolved to find
something to relieve the wants of his family. Returning home later than
usual he was in a towering rage. The good wife was alarmed.

"Why, Colonel, what has disturbed you so?"

"Wife, I'm mad clar through and if Captain Barbour warn't an old friend
of the family, I declar' to God I'd assaulted him toda