My story of the war: a woman's narrative of four years personal experience as nurse in the Union army, and in relief work at home, in hospitals, camps, and at the front, during the war of the rebellion . ear dem call me way,I see de golden city, an de eberlastin day! And then the whole congregation rose to their feet,,and with a mighty rush of melody, and an astonish-ing enthusiasm, joined in the inspiring chorus: — Oh, Im gwine home to glory — wont yer go along wid me,Whar de blessed angels beckon, an de Lor my Saviour be ? The leader was a good improvisatore as well as^singer, and long after
My story of the war: a woman's narrative of four years personal experience as nurse in the Union army, and in relief work at home, in hospitals, camps, and at the front, during the war of the rebellion . ear dem call me way,I see de golden city, an de eberlastin day! And then the whole congregation rose to their feet,,and with a mighty rush of melody, and an astonish-ing enthusiasm, joined in the inspiring chorus: — Oh, Im gwine home to glory — wont yer go along wid me,Whar de blessed angels beckon, an de Lor my Saviour be ? The leader was a good improvisatore as well as^singer, and long after the stock of ready-made verseswas exhausted, he went on and on, adding impromptuand rough rhymes, and the congregation came in,promptly and with ever-rising enthusiasm, with theoft-repeated chorus. All sang with closed eyes,thus shutting out all external impressions, and aban-doned themselves to the ecstasy of the hour. Theleader gesticulated violently, swinging his armsaround his head, uplifting his hands, and claspingthem tightly and pointing into space; while his com-panions swayed slowly to and fro, beating time tothe music with their feet. At last the swaying became wild and dizzy gyra-. SCENE OF WILD EXCITEMENT. 265 tions, which were interspersed with quick, convulsiveleaps from the floor. Accompanying all this was ageneral hand-shaking, in which we white peoplewere included. One powerful Maryland womannearly toppled me from the elevated and precariousseat which I had selected, the better to look downon the congregation, so fervent was her hand-clasp-ing. All of us were glad when this exercise wasended, for our hands ached. After this followed a prayer. Never have I hearda prayer of more pathos and earnestness. It ap-pealed to God, as Infinite Justice, and with confi-dence that the wrongs of the slave would be re-dressed. You know, O Lor King, said the kneelingsupplicant, how many a time weve been hongry,and had noffin to eat,— how weve worked all dayand night in d
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Keywords: ., bookauthorlive, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectflags
