MISS SUSAN C. HOOPER.

QUIET home-existence up to the close, or rather beginning of

the war-for "quiet" was hardly to be found in Richmond during the time the "City on the James" was capital of the Confederate States was that of Susan C. Hooper.

Miss Hooper's father, on the death of his wife and an infant daughter, which occurred shortly after the second birthday of the subject of this article, discontinued housekeeping, and the subsequent life of father and daughter was spent as boarders in the home of one or another of their kindred. Says the lady:

"My earliest distinct recollection is of a character rather different, I opine, from that of most girls. I could not have numbered more than three or four years, at farthest, when our city had the honor of a visit from the Sage of Marshfield. Reared in the Slashes of Hanover, familiar with the scenes of Clay's early life, and bred in the same school of politics, it was always a marvel to me that Harry of the West was not my father's favorite leader. But, no; it was Webster, from the colder latitude and granite hills of New England Well, my father could not permit so golden an opportunity of his child's seeing his political idol to pass unimproved; so, girl, almost baby as I was, he hurried me down to the honorable gentleman's reception on the portico of the old Powhatan, then a leading hotel, held me in his arms above the heads of the populace, that in after years I might boast of having heard Webster, the immortal. My impressions of that hour were a source of infinite amusement to my father to the day of his death. Mr. Webster was welcomed by James Lyons, Esq., a prominent member of the Richmond Bar, afterward a representative of that district in the Confederate Congress; and I, after an impartial hearing of both speeches, boldly avowed the opinion that Mr. Lyons was the greater orator of the two, in my infantile judgment. It may have been the elegance and grace of our fellow-citizen, or his sonorous, Ciceronian periods, or perhaps both united, as compared with the stout, portly figure and short, pithy sentences of the New-Englander, as my dím, shadowy remembrance now paints him, which captivated my childish fancy; but there was evidently something in his manner, or appearance, or rhetoric, which indelibly stamped itself upon my mind, and made Mr. Lyons, for a long period, my beau ideal of an orator."

The childhood of Miss Hooper was passed with her maternal grandmother, a woman of strong and well-cultivated mind for the anterevolutionary period. Politics was her forte. She was never quite so near the climax of happiness as when she could engage a Democrat in controversy, and overthrow (as she conceived) some of his pet theories, by a womanly thrust, or an apt quotation from the Sage of Ashland, her paragon of statesmanship. Who can aver that these surroundings had no influence in shaping the habits of thought and manner of writing of Miss Hooper?

Miss Hooper's father made her, his only one, a companion from infancy; taught her to read at an early age, years before she was old enough to go to school; interested himself in her childish pleasures and pursuits. Mr. Hooper was a man of sound judgment and superior practical sense, and was always very ambitious for his daughter.

In her childhood, authorship had been Miss Hooper's hobby; but emancipated from the restraints of the school-room, for several years she had no ambition beyond present enjoyment. It is to Reviews, of which department of literature she is particularly fond, that Miss Hooper is indebted for most of her knowledge of authors, never having had access to a library.

Her first article was published in the "Religious Herald," Richmond, under the nom de plume of "Adrienne," which she still retains. Her first story was published in a literary weekly of Richmond, and was much complimented by the editress; since which time she has contributed to Southern and Northern literary journals. During the war, “Adrienne" was one of the most prominent contributors to the "Magnolia Weekly," Richmond. Her novelettes were lacking in vivacity, and the characters were similar. "Ashes of Roses we consider her cleverest novelette; some of the scenes being not only lifelike, but capitally delineated. Her best productions will shortly be given to the public.

Shortly before the close of the war, Mr. Hooper died; and with the downfall of the Confederacy, her property was all swept away; and single-handed, this true Christian woman prepared to contend with the "cold charities of the world in the battle of life.”

A Virginian by birth, having ever resided within the borders of the "mother of States," Miss Hooper is proud of the "Old Dominion," and clings to her, " desolated," as she rejoiced in her "pomp and beauty." She converses fluently and elegantly. As a correspondent, Miss

Hooper is to be praised; her letters are natural and interesting, an index of the character of the writer.

In the writings of Miss Hooper, the defects are those that are inherent in her nature and surroundings. Having never travelled or mingled in "society," so called, her novelettes are necessarily plain, unvarnished records of home-life in the middle class of society; in which, perhaps, the religious element predominates too strongly for the mass of readers. We think Miss Hooper has erred in too little following Longfellow's suggestion, "to look into her heart and write." Miss Hooper is at this time (1871) an assistant teacher in the Richmond Female Institute.

THE OCCUPATION OF RICHMOND.

I do not believe there ever was a more panic-stricken woman than I, the first day, and, indeed, the first week of the occupation of Richmond by the Federal troops; but, upon present reflection, I admit that the causes for alarm existed more in my imagination than in reality.

Sunday was the loveliest of April days, the morning as quiet as any within four years; and worshippers wended their way to church as peacefully as if "wars and rumors of wars" were mere abstractions. In the afternoon, there were whisperings of evacuation; and, toward evening, elongated visages, the constant whistle of locomotives, and fugitive inhabitants, betokened some unusual commotion; but I remembered the gun-boat panic in '62, and persistently refused to credit the evidence of my senses. Such was my confidence in the success of our cause, that it was not until eleven o'clock that night, when it was positively asserted that our pickets were to be withdrawn two hours thereafter, that I began to realize the situation. That slumber visited not my eyes you will readily believe; but it is too much for your credulity to believe that hope was still inspired by my reflections upon the numerous miraculous interpositions of Providence in behalf of God's chosen people in ancient times, particularly the deliverance of Hezekiah from the hosts of Sennacherib; and I fondly dreamed, even then, that the enemy would never be permitted to enter our "beautiful, sevenhilled city." This delusion was dispelled about dawn by an explosion which shook the house to its very foundation, and I sprang up, exclaiming to my room-mate, "Oh, L, the Yankees are shelling us!" and shortly after, there was another report more terrific still, which fully convinced me that the enemy had opened a bombardment. These reports we soon ascertained to be from the destruction of the "Patrick Henry," at the Rockets, and the powder magazine, almost in our immediate vicinity; and were but the beginning of the explosions, which were continued throughout the morning at

the armory and the arsenal. About sunrise, the mob, who had been sacking the stores all night, completed their work by firing the houses they had rifled. The brooding wing of the destroying angel seemed to hover over us in the dense clouds of smoke which obscured the sun, and made almost a twilight darkness at midday. The fire raged furiously all day, and by night at least one-half of the business portion of the city was in ashes.

About eight o'clock in the morning, in the midst of the consternation about the conflagration, there was a general stampede of the pillagers from "down town," fleeing before the enemy. As everything was remarkably quiet, except in the burning district, and I expected they would enter with "a great flourish of trumpets," I pronounced it all a hoax, until one of our neighbors assured me "he had seen the Yankees on the Square." My first view of them was about ten o'clock, when two regiments of fine-looking, soldierly fellows, whom, but for their splendid uniforms, I might have imagined some of our own brave boys, advanced up the street with a firm, steady tread, and a dignified, martial air. I confess, until then, anxiety for. my personal safety had absorbed every other feeling; but when I descried through the closed blinds the "stars and stripes" waving in the Confederate capital, I burst into tears.

The first freshet of my grief having subsided, I became tolerably composed; but, in the afternoon, was again precipitated into a panic by the approach of a colored brigade, who rushed pellmell past our residence, singing, shouting, yelling, firing, the white officers not even endeavoring to restrain them. We anticipated such scenes that night as marked the occupation of Columbia, S. C.; and as these black fiends were encamped only two squares beyond us, we apprehended danger to our neighborhood from their proximity. However, everything passed off quietly, and we scarcely heard a footfall on the street after nightfall.

"Our friends, the enemy," (to quote the polite language of the late Mr. Daniel, of the “ Examiner," who fortunately died the week before the evacuation,) have preserved very good order ever since their occupation. There have been some irregularities and depredations in the vicinity of the camps, particularly before the removal of the negro troops; but, as far as possible, they have been promptly punished. Indeed, ma chère, I thought I never knew what gratitude was until the first week of the Federal rule here: every hour we were protected from violence seemed a miracle of grace. The authorities and the soldiery, in the main, have pursued a conciliatory course toward our citizens, and have carefully refrained from any exultation over a fallen foe. At church they are exceedingly respectful and devotional; they have been particularly courteous to ladies; don't even glance at us in the street, except to move aside to allow us to pass. ....

An amusing incident occurred not long since on Franklin Street, the fashionable promenade of the city. A belle, in meeting a Federal officer, doubled her veil; but just as he passed, a gust of wind drifted it at his feet.

He picked it up and presented it very gallantly, meanwhile concealing his face with his hat—a suitable reproof for her silly affectation.

Another incident, more interesting still, as showing the temper of the people: Last week, several young ladies, at the passport office, while awaiting their passports, entered into a cheerful conversation, but carefully abstaining from any allusion to the Yankees or the state of the country. An officer in the crowd appeared interested in their discourse, and presently made a casual inquiry. He was answered civilly, but coldly; but, not regarding his repulse, he pursued his interrogatories on indifferent topics. Finding he could elicit no reference to politics or the war, he pertly asked: “Well, what do you think of the success of your Confederacy now?" "Sir,” replied one of the girls, "with God nothing is impossible; and I believe with his assistance we shall yet achieve our independence; for we are assured that whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth.'" Her questioner, crest-fallen and abashed, hung his head, and was soon lost in the crowd.

We are allowed considerable latitude of speech, of which we are not slow to avail ourselves. Treasonable utterances are not tolerated in the pulpit; but some of our ministers, even in conversation with the Federals, “use great plainness of speech," with perfect impunity. . . . .

On the 29th of April, an order was promulgated by General Halleck, to take effect on the 1st of May, that no minister would be allowed to perform a marriage ceremony without having taken the oath, and the parties contracting marriage should also be required to take the oath. Two of our wealthy young ladies of the beau monde were engaged to be married to a pair of North Carolina officers the first week in May; but, upon the appearance of this order, the parties "out-heroded Herod," by being united in Hymen's silken tie on Sunday morning, April 30th-Rev. Dr. Burrows, of the First Baptist Church, officiating. It is said there were at least fifty marriages in Richmond that day.