The Heart of Times

   The Heart of Times

Suzanne Marsh

Valentine’s Day 1863

“Whoa Mangus” Captain Jed Smith yelled. He jumped off the large bay; ran quickly into the front room of his plantation on the Mississippi. “Lorena, oh my darling, where are you?”

The soft sweet voice of his young wife replied:

“I am in the sitting room. Why are you here, I thought you were off chasing those damn

Yankees.”

“I brought you a Valentine’s Day gift. It could be our last one together. That damn Yankee

General Grant is slowly but surely securing Vicksburg. I will send word if you are

going to have to go to my sister Anne’s home in Vicksburg. You will be safe there.”

Lorena, gasped, she wanted to stay here in her own home. He handed her a small wooden box, their initials intertwined.

“This is for you darling. Keep it close to you and keep me close to your heart.”

He dashed out of the house, mounting his big bay as he rode toward Vicksburg. Lorena, knew then that was the last time she would ever see Jed again in this life.

Valentine’s Day 2021

Jake Smith was looking for a small box to put a diamond ring into for his wife Jessie. The ring had set him back three thousand dollars, all he needed was a small box. The attic was for all intense and purposes the way his great grandparents had left it. There were still holes in the masonry where mine balls had pocked the walls during siege at Vicksburg. Jack wondered around the attic looking for a small box. There were several old travel trunks weathered with age; maybe one of them contained a box he could use. There were silk dresses in the fashion of the 1860’s; then he found the Confederate Captain’s uniform, with a golden sash. Wrapped in the sash was a small wooden box, with hand carved initials interwined. He opened the box, there was a small woven heart. He could almost see the tears of the young woman who received this. Then he realized that it had to have been Lorena Smith, her husband was a Captain in the Confederate Army; killed in action at Vicksburg. It must have been his last Valentine’s Day gift to her. He felt like an interloper thinking of using the box for a gift to his wife Jessie. He felt a strange overwhelming sense of de ja vue as he held the wooden box in his hand. He glanced around the attic, then spotted a portrait of a beautiful dark haired young woman with dancing blue eyes. There was only one person that could be Lorena Smith, Jed Smith’s beloved wife. Looking at the heart shaped wooden box in his hand he thought it would be a fitting tribute to his ancestors. He knew Jessie would appreciate the gesture.

The heart shaped wooden box; a tribute to Jed’s love for Lorena would be very special to Jessie. The three carat diamond ring he had purchased fit perfectly on top of the woven heart. This would be such a special Valentine’s Day. Five years ago he had asked Jessie to marry him; now he could finally afford to give her a diamond engagement ring of his choosing. He was excited; he hoped she would like the ring. When he placed it in the box he could have sworn that it twinkled more than usual. He pushed the thought out of his head.

He thought that as long as he was up here; perhaps he should go through the other portmantua , that one looked as if it belonged to a woman. He opened up the dry leather hasp, pulled open the top. There were what appeared to be old love letters. Could these be the ones that Lorena and Jed had sent to each other? Maybe they were of historical significance; if they were he would gladly donate them to the historical society. He was still thinking about the letters when he noted a water stained letter at the bottom of the pile. The pile of letters was neatly tied with a pink satin ribbon. The water stained letter appeared to be the very last one written. He wanted to read it, but once again he had the feeling of being an interloper.

He decided to read the letter, get to know this ancestor who had owned the plantation and house. What kind of a person was? Did they have slaves? He then decided he would share all the letters with Jessie except for the water stained one. That one, something told him was a private letter to Lorena.

Jack opened the water stained envelope; he began to read:

“My darling girl,

I sit here in my tent, awaiting whatever fate has to offer me. Grant is at City Point;

Not more than ten miles. Lorena, take Mammy and go to Vicksburg. We are on

the verge of starvation here. We have been eating our horses as of late. I will

come to you as soon as I am able. Please go to Vicksburg now Lorena.

I will love you forever.”

Jed

Jack put the letter down, not an overly sentimental person, he could feel tears welling up in his eyes. There was no way he could share this letter with Jessie. There was one more letter addressed to Lorena Smith. He opened that one. Tears once again welled in his eyes as he read:

“Dear Lorena,

It is with deepest regret that I send you this letter. Captain Jedidiah Smith was killed

this morning by a sniper’s bullet. As he lay dying in my arms he asked me to tell you

he would see you once again on heaven’s shore. If there is anything that I can personally do

please feel free to call on me.

General John Pemberton CSA

The sorrow that Jack felt at that point was for Lorena. He could not imagine life without Jessie. He put the letters back into a different box. He took the engraved box with the intertwined letters. He placed the diamond once again tenderly in it.

Later that day he took Jessie out to dinner; there in front of family and friends he placed the diamond ring on her hand. He glanced up at the portrait of Lorena, it was almost as if it were smiling.