Show J r r rS S Ir Wt y UNCLE BILL t Uncle Bills Bill's old home in Georgia was in the path of Shermans Sherman's s march that that is why he came to Texas after after after af af- ter the war to begin a new life N New New w life New country new scenes new but I found him living over again the struggle for the Lost Cause and dispelling dispelling dispelling ing the gloom only with remembrances remembrances remembrances brances of bellum ante-bellum days While I was on my way to the Gulf one winter I became curiously interested in Uncle Bill through a curt note he wrote me He said that no one bred north of Mason and Dixons Dixon's had crossed his threshold threshold thresh thresh- old since the war but as I was near kin and of southern parentage he wanted to entertain me And would I kindly remember that he hated the Yankees though it was thirty years since the war I found that in his presence I was not likely to forget the fact He told me stories of the war and the fire of his blac eyes eves the emphatic jerk of J his grey head and his animated r j I gestures made what he said sive I could easily understand it all from his view point So it was not long before he won my sympathy sympathy sympathy sym sym- pathy and I his confidence One day he called me to his den which he always kept locket locked As I entered the room he left it I was glad he did so otherwise I should have felt guilty of scrutinizing the raiment of the dead in the presence of the mourners Upon one wall was a tattered rebel flag under which hung an old gray un uniform form Defeated but not conquered it plainly said On another wall hung the faithful old flintlock flintlock- some pictures of Gen Lee and of the home in Georgia This was all except except except ex ex- one chair and some books books I I Iwas was overcome and with my face buried in the flag which so many of my people had followed I implored God to take the bitterness from their souls and to heal the wounds in their hearts Shortly after I left for the Gulf It was that winter 1898 that the thel Maine was destroyed War with Spain was declared before I reached Uncle Bills Bill's on my return trip I foun found him greatly interested in national national national na na- affairs His enmity toward Yankees was shifted to the Spaniards Spaniards Span Span- s His only son enlisted and marched away under Old Glory L I with his fathers father's parting command however to shoot any Yankee who dared mention the Lost Cause Before I left the plantation Uncle Bill sent me to the den again The Stars and Stripes had replaced the stars and bars My fly prayer was answered i |