PART 1 CHAPTER 8

8
August 1861. From Mary.
Dear Tom,
I take my pen in hand this morning to write to you a few lines, as the mail stage will
come soon.
We are well at present but hear that you are laid up in the Staunton hospital with
measles¹. We finally learned about it from letters Sam wrote home. Not one letter came
from you for about three weeks, and we were sick with worry. I forced myself to
search the newspaper casualty list after Manassas, while my hands trembled so I
could barely read the type.
What a relief not to find you there! But then your name was never mentioned in any
letter that came to the neighborhood, and it was not until day before yesterday we got
the news. Ma was especially uneasy. You know she always expects the unspeakable. I
suppose you thought it best not to let us know, but please promise never to do that
again. Truth is always better than uncertainty². But enough of the measles—I hope that
you’re soon finished with them for good. I reckon when Tish had them, and Ma and Pa
expected us to come down with them next, you never dreamed that you’d catch them
as a soldier. Ma says if your eyes are sore from the measles and it impedes³ writing,
send a message home by someone else.
Shortly after, she shared the most grievous news.
Tom, the very worst things are happening to folks around here. It seems like every
day someone in the neighborhood takes sick and dies. The Roysters’ little Tilly,
Robert, Edward, and Sam were all four taken by the pox last week. Ma called on Mrs.
Royster to offer solace⁴ for the death of her four little ones, then came home and wept
for hours. The substitute minister at New Jerusalem says he has never preached as
many final services for children and old folks, at least two a week. He says he thinks
as many perish at home as on the battlefield. There are so many new tombstones in the
graveyard⁵, Mr. Bailey, the stonecutter, says he can hardly keep up with demand.
And do you remember Mrs. Whidbey? Both her baby boy and husband died shortly
after she returned from Frystown, where she nursed her youngest sister Polly
Crawford who was down with the fever. Her nephew Peter was home from soldiering
for a visit with his mother but was not up to the task.
And I heard the most sorrowful news about William Rosen, from over toward
Leonardtown. His wife, mother, father, three children, and his brother have all died
within the month. It was a blessing⁶ that he was home on furlough when they passed
away. Ma says the Angel of Death is overworked in these times and believes these
terrible losses at home are part of the Lord’s mysterious doings.
I don’t rightly know what to think, but we are doing our utmost—keeping out of
dampness, drafts, and the like. Folks stay to themselves, venturing out only when
necessary, and will barter⁷ anything for a little eucalyptus⁸ oil to sprinkle on cloths held
to their noses when they do go forth⁹. It takes a funeral these days to get them to
church.
Ever your loyal sister, Mary
Even before our first battle in Manassas, sick soldiers streamed by the multitudes down the
Valley to the Staunton hospital. It was no wonder so many fell ill. We all tented for weeks near
creeks¹⁰ where we washed our filthy¹¹ bodies and clothes and then drank the scummy water. Tens
of thousands of men urinated and defecated nearby daily. Our First Lieutenant¹² Baylor, whose
Lexington family Ma and Pa knew, died of sickness in the early days—without seeing one
serious fight.
August 1861. From Mary.
Dear Tom,
Beards is coming your way soon. He has enlisted¹³, and he stopped by the house on
Monday before he left for the train. He wanted to tell Ma and Pa that he’d keep eye on
you. And that he’d be sure that you got home safe soon. Pa was grinding at the mill
and Tish was visiting Aunt Ellen, so Ma and I invited him into the parlor¹⁴. I think he is
the handsomest man in the county, but in his uniform, I expect he may be the best
looking in the state of Virginia. Except for you, of course! Don’t get a swollen¹⁵ head
over that compliment.
Ma went to the kitchen because Mrs. Lucas came by to purchase some eggs, and
Beards and I were left alone, awkwardly avoiding each other’s glance. “We . . . I will
miss you, Jeremy,” I finally said. I confess, tears came to my eyes at the idea of him
going away. It has been so lonely around here without you, and then to have Beards
gone as well was too much. When he spied my wet cheeks, he reached out for my hand
so tenderly. It was the first time. “Will you promise to write regularly, Mary?” he
asked. He looked down, embarrassed to meet my eyes. “I’ve grown so accustomed to
seeing you when I’m visiting Tom. I’ll miss you terribly.” He said leaving Bethel and
me behind would be the hardest thing he’d ever done. That those many times he came
to see you, he was also hoping to see me. To say such, he must have thought he was
going off to die!
I told him, “I had no idea. But for some time now, I’ve dreamed you would like me
as much as I like you. Of course, I’ll write.” His cheeks flushed bright red, and then he
asked if we might be sweethearts when the war is over. My mouth dropped open with
surprise. I must have appeared a moron¹⁶, and then a rush of happiness triggered more
tears. But he didn’t care. He reached for my shoulders and then hugged me close. Of
course, I said yes. He was staring so deeply into my eyes that I was forced to reveal
my feelings. We’d just stepped apart when Ma came back into the room. She looked
quizzically at our flushed faces, but I don’t think she suspected anything. Now you
need to take special care of Beards for me. He’s the sweetest, most thoughtful boy I’ll
ever know. I tell you, Tom, I’ve never felt like this before—not knowing whether to be
sad or happy.
While I’ve discovered a sweetheart, Ma and Pa have lost good friends. Mr. and
Mrs. Hogshead, outright¹⁷ opponents to secession, won’t speak to the Lucas’ or the
Beards, and Mr. Hogshead won’t even tip his hat for Ma and me. The Callistons are
just as bad. Reverend McIntyre, who has shocked much of our congregation by
preaching abolition¹⁸ from the pulpit for the past month, has packed up his wife and
children and headed north to stay with relatives in Pennsylvania. The priory sits
forlorn and empty these days without the McIntyres. There’s a call out for a new
preacher, but I don’t expect anyone will answer it soon.
Please remind Beards to let me know how things are going with him. I promised to
write him regularly, but he needs to hold up his end of the bargain too.
Your loyal sister, Mary

1 measles   

n.麻疹，风疹，包虫病，痧子

参考例句：

• The doctor is quite definite about Tom having measles.医生十分肯定汤姆得了麻疹。
• The doctor told her to watch out for symptoms of measles.医生叫她注意麻疹出现的症状。

2 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

3 impedes   

阻碍，妨碍，阻止( impede的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• High packing density greatly impedes the cooling of the array. 高存贮密度很不利于阵列的散热。
• The inflexibility of the country's labor market seriously impedes its economic recovery. 该国劳工市场缺乏灵活性，这严重阻碍了它的经济恢复。

4 solace   

n.安慰；v.使快乐；vt.安慰(物)，缓和

参考例句：

• They sought solace in religion from the harshness of their everyday lives.他们日常生活很艰难，就在宗教中寻求安慰。
• His acting career took a nosedive and he turned to drink for solace.演艺事业突然一落千丈，他便借酒浇愁。

5 graveyard   

n.坟场

参考例句：

• All the town was drifting toward the graveyard.全镇的人都象流水似地向那坟场涌过去。
• Living next to a graveyard would give me the creeps.居住在墓地旁边会使我毛骨悚然。

6 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

7 barter   

n.物物交换，以货易货，实物交易

参考例句：

• Chickens,goats and rabbits were offered for barter at the bazaar.在集市上，鸡、山羊和兔子被摆出来作物物交换之用。
• They have arranged food imports on a barter basis.他们以易货贸易的方式安排食品进口。

8 eucalyptus   

n.桉树，桉属植物

参考例句：

• Eucalyptus oil is good for easing muscular aches and pains.桉树油可以很好地缓解肌肉的疼痛。
• The birds rustled in the eucalyptus trees.鸟在桉树弄出沙沙的响声。

9 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

10 creeks   

n.小湾( creek的名词复数 )；小港；小河；小溪

参考例句：

• The prospect lies between two creeks. 矿区位于两条溪流之间。 来自辞典例句
• There was the excitement of fishing in country creeks with my grandpa on cloudy days. 有在阴雨天和姥爷一起到乡村河湾钓鱼的喜悦。 来自辞典例句

11 filthy   

adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的

参考例句：

• The whole river has been fouled up with filthy waste from factories.整条河都被工厂的污秽废物污染了。
• You really should throw out that filthy old sofa and get a new one.你真的应该扔掉那张肮脏的旧沙发，然后再去买张新的。

12 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

13 enlisted   

adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持）

参考例句：

• enlisted men and women 男兵和女兵
• He enlisted with the air force to fight against the enemy. 他应募加入空军对敌作战。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

14 parlor   

n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅

参考例句：

• She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
• Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店？

15 swollen   

adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀

参考例句：

• Her legs had got swollen from standing up all day.因为整天站着，她的双腿已经肿了。
• A mosquito had bitten her and her arm had swollen up.蚊子叮了她，她的手臂肿起来了。

16 moron   

n.极蠢之人，低能儿

参考例句：

• I used to think that Gordon was a moron.我曾以为戈登是个白痴。
• He's an absolute moron!他纯粹是个傻子！

17 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

18 abolition   

n.废除，取消

参考例句：

• They declared for the abolition of slavery.他们声明赞成废除奴隶制度。
• The abolition of the monarchy was part of their price.废除君主制是他们的其中一部分条件。