The Southern Cross | Page 4

I were just coming to look for you.
Mrs. S. Did you and Bev go to the mill?
Fair. Yes, to get the meal; and 'twas such fun! I rode on Tony. And if
you could have seen old Cupid when we got back; he thought of course
we'd take old Jack.
[She laughs.
Col. S. Dear little girl, what would we do without you? It's hard for us
to see you do the work meant for the slaves. You go to mill and help
them cook and work and sew; and if you and Charlotte ever grieve or
worry--why, we don't find it out.
Fair. Oh, you're praising us too much. We girls can't fight; I sometimes
wish we could. But we can work, and when that work's for General
Morgan, there's nothing that's too hard for us to do.
Mrs. S. We seem to give so little to the cause; we have so little left,

only our work. That's such a comfort to feel we can do something.
When the fighting's near, and all night long we hear the musketry and
cannon, and when the thought comes that you and George are going to
the front, it seems more than we can bear. I fix a light out there on the
front porch, and wonder how the fighting's going on. Bev always stands
out by the gate and listens for the sound of firing coming near. 'Tis hard
to keep him then, he wants so terribly to fight with you and George.
But through those nights that come so often to us now we have our
work, and all night long we sit and sew and knit and listen. Oh, then the
work's a comfort to feel and know we're doing it for you.
Col. S. And we out there, who fight, are called the heroes.
Fair. Father, must you go to-morrow? The wound can't quite be well.
Stay for a few more days. Why, I feel as though I'd hardly seen you for
a moment.
Mrs. S. (who has quietly taken his hand in both her own during Fair's
last speech). To-morrow, dear, and we should thank God he can go. But
let's think of to-night; to-morrow's not here yet, and we have still
to-night.
Fair (rising, starts to the house). I'll go and look for Bev and Charlotte
and bring them here.
[Exit into house.
Mrs. S. (softly, with a great effort). To-morrow--it must be then!
Col. S. To-morrow. (A pause). Yes, then I must go. Word came to us
that Morgan's camp was moving on this way, and as we fight in battles
there, so must you here. Perhaps before so very long I'll come again,
and bring the boys home, too. Why, George is Morgan's right hand man.
They say when Morgan wants a man of special courage, he always calls
on George. When you think of all the trust that Morgan puts in him, it
ought to make us glad we have our boy to give him.
Mrs. S. Yes, glad; I am glad, Phillip. I'm proud of every way we help

the South. And what of Gordon Cabell and Carter Hillary? Are they
with Morgan, too?
Col. S. They're Morgan's scouts. They, with five other men, have saved
the army more than once. They know the roads for miles and miles.
Sometimes they are away for weeks, and then they turn up with some
news that means the life of Morgan's army.
Mrs. S. (looking up). But Phil, the sun has almost set, the dew is falling:
we'd best go in. You musn't take a cold and on the last day here.
[They rise.
Col. S. We'll walk down through the garden; we must go there.
Mrs. S. I left that for the last. I knew you wanted to go down to--the
grave.
Col. S. (quiet for a moment, then with an effort). He loved this home,
didn't he, mother?
Mrs. S. Yes, he was very happy here. That tree near by the gate--the
one we call "Phil's tree"--is the place I love best now.
[She takes his hand and quietly they exit (Right) by gate leading to
graveyard.
[Enter from the house Aunt Marthy with a small bell in in her hand.
She looks about as though to ring the bell. Stops, as she glances toward
the graveyard.
Aunt M. Dey's down dar by Mars Phil's grave. I know'd dey'd go dar
las' thing, fo' de come in fo' de night. 'Pears like Mistis got ter go dar
every evenin' 'bout sunset. 'Pears like hit comfort her mightily, arter she
set dar fer a while by de grave and smove down the grass wid her hands
and spred out de fresh flowers she bring him. It seems like she happier
den she bin