The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1856-12-11
sntle1rrra'ting q Skrtrbts,
Ihs Wasfior WaiSsn.

ming ofthe war, Serjeant Jasper, of fMarion'
brigade, had the good fortune to save th,
life of a young, beautiful, and dark.eyed ere
ole girl, called Sally st. Clair. Her suscep
t'ble nature was overcome with gratitude tc
her preserver, and this soon ripened into &
passion of love, of the most deep and feryen
kind. She lavished upon him the whole
wealth of her affections, and the whole depths
| of 3 passion nurtured by southern sun
When he was celled upon to Join the ranks
Of his country's defenders, the prospect O
their separation almost maddened her.
Their parting came but scarcely was she
lett alone, ere her romantic nature prompted
the means of their reunion. Once resolved
no consideration of danger could danper
her spirit, and no thought of consequences
could move her purpose. She severed her
long and jetty ringlets, and provided herself
with male attire. In these she robed her
self and set forth to follow the fortunes Of
her lover.
A smooth-face, beautiful and delicate
stripping appeared among the hardy, rough
and giant frames who composed the corps
to winch Jasper belonged. The contrast be
tween the STRIPPING an! :.:ese men. in their
uncouth garbs. their massive faces, en-
Drowned and discolored by sun and pain,
was indeed striking. But none were more
eager for the battle, or so Indifferent to ia.
tigue, as the fair-faced boy. 1t was found
that his energy Of character, resolution and
courage, amply supplied his hack of phys
ique. None ever suspected bin to be a wo-
man. Not even Jasper himself, although
she was often by his side, penetrated her dis.
guise. ,...st'i
The romance Of her situation increased
thesfervor of her passion. It was her de
tight to reflect that, unknown to him, she
was by his side TO watch over him in the
hour Of danger. She fed her passion upon
him in the hour of slumber; lowering near
him when stealing through the swamp and
thicket, and being always ready to avert
danger from his head. -"
But gradually there stole melancholy
presentiment over the poor girls mind. She
had been tortured with hopes deferred; the
war Was prolonged, and tile prospect of be.
ing restored to him grew more and more
uncertain. But now she felt that lIer dream
OF happiness could never be realized. She
became convinced that death was about to
snatch her away from his side: bu. she
prayed that she might die, and he never
knew to what length the violence of her
passion had led her.
1t was on an eve before battle. The
camp had sunk into repose. The watch
fires were burning low, and only the slow
tread Of sentinels fell upon the profound ST.
lence Of the night air, as they moved
Though the dark shadows Of the forest
Stretched upon the ground, with no other
conch than a blanket, reposed the war-like
form of Jasper. Climbing vines trailed
themselves ,intoa canopy above his head,
through which the stars shoue down soft
~. The faint flicker from the expiring en-
bers of fire, fell athwart upon his coun.
tenance, and Gnged the cheek Of one who
bent over bis conch. II was the smooth ia
eed STRIPPING. She bent low. down, as If to
listen to his dreams, or to breathe into his
soul pleasant visions Of love and happiness
But tears trace themselves down the fair
ones cheek, and fall silently and rapidly up.
A mysterious voice has told her that the
hour Of parting has come: that tomorrow
her destiny Is consumated. There is one
last, long, lingering look, and then the un.
happy maiden is seen to tear herself away
from the spot, to weep out her sorrow in
privacy.
Fierce and terrible is the conflict that on
the morrow RACES on that spot. Foremost
in that battle is the intrepid Jasper. and
ever by his side fights the stripping warrior
often, during the heat and smoke, beams
suddenly upon the eyes of Jasper the mel
ancholy face Of the maiden. In the thick.
est Of the fight. surrounded by enemies, the
lovers light side By side. Suddenly lance
is levolled at the breast of Jasper; but swift
ter than the lance is Sally St. Clair. There
IS wild cry, and at the feet of Jasper sinks
the maiden, with the. life blood gushing
from her White bosom, which has been
thrown as sdie!d, before his breast He
heeds not now the din, nor the danger o.
the conflict; but down by the side OF the
Idying boy he kneels. Then, for the frs,
time, does he learn the stripping is bis love
that often by, the camp fire, and. in. the
swamp, she has been by his side; that the
dim visions in his slumber Of an, angeLfacs
lowering over him, had indeed been true
| In the midst Of the battle, with her lover BY
her side, and, the barb in her bosom, thu
heroic maiden diesI 40 4 ~ IS -
4 Her name, her sex, and her noble devo
ton, soon became known through the corps
There was q fearful group gathered around
|lher grave. there was not one Of these hardy