The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1868-08-29

one SPEAK ana, turning around, she saw an
officer standing near. eyes. ].
Touching his hat respectfully, ho said,
"Will you be kind enough to tell INC the name
of the soldier have just left 2"
A. III is name is Willis" answered Kate, briefly.
"Do You know wherc ho is from ~ again
kasked the officer.
eyes, from Mississippi" replied Kate, in
freezing tones, desiring to end all further ques-
tioning.
"The boys have been in somo mischief,
see" he said, looking around. ave find it
impossible to prevent it, I assure you. T re-
gret very much, that your house shonld have
been searched and things done in this man.
ner"
spray mako apologics-we were fully
prepared for it. The example set by your
brave General is only carried ont by his 5raucr
subordinatcs. You, 1 suppose, will carry of
some relic too,--a relic taken from the rebel
Generals house" Kate spoke bitterly, and
rapidly.
II have never touched one article of value,
never sought for relic to carry home.
These are relics for my family" said he, touch
ing his pistols.
Kate left him, and sought her mother.
CHAPTER w.
The scene Of dcsolation and ruin was fear
full in L.. When tho railroad was torn up,
then began the burning Of the town. The
unoccupied houses were first burned, and then
tho warehouses The flames soon became un-
manageable. Fires were bursting out in all di-
rectious. Helpless women and frightened
children were turned out in the bittcr cold
night air, and not allowed to save even n
blanket. Madison square, Court House square
and College square, .%eTe on fire at once. : All
night long the flames ragged everything with
in their reach was swept away. The old brick
: Court House alone seemed to escape the des-
tructiye element: as it leaped from hotise to
house. A Yankee General seeing the old
Jhouse staading, SO grim and dark, determined
to let it share the common fate. He ordered
ten shells TO- sbo placed in It, and ii to be then
fred. The tire burned slowly, but alas! too
surely. "A deafening roar shook the town, aud
sent echo far out into the surrounding forests
The Court House was blown to pieces, and lay
like some ruined, helpless giant, hide5as in its
prostvation.a Tho ruin Of L. was nearly com
plcte only few suburban residences were
left; and, doubtless, they, too, would be sacri-
feed before morning. Sherman had carried
out his threat ;-scarccly 'sa dog kennel" re-
mained in the town. Ruin and woe. desola.
ton and misery were seen on every hand.
The homes, so recently abodcs Of peace and
comfort, wero now sn,ouldering piles of ashes.
The helpless little ones left destitutc,-tho
wives made widows,-will rise to sink the
"Arn,y Of the Cumberland" and it's General
deep down,in tho pit of infamy.
And now let us return to Kate, the weeping,
heart-strickon mourncr, who sits amid the DESC
lation aud ruin of her once lovely homo The
fire he'd not passed over the "Retreat," Gene
rai nayrnond's barns, gia-houscs and outbuild-
ings were still to be burned; aud now, they
have commenced to burn them. A crowd Of
soldiers gathered about the residence, to sec
the frightened faces of the mother and daugh-
tor, who had come out to watch the progress of
the fire, and were standing on the piazza
Mrs. Raymond was pale, and q cold, stony look
had settled on her face. A defiant light
flashed from Katc's eyes, as she stood watch
ing the fire.
When the explosion took place in L., it
Jared the house, and caused shiver to pass
through their frames-a lurid light shot up,
and then passed away,-died out. The burn.
ing Of II was o fearful sight to Kate and her
mother. They could sec the tall flames, as
they curlcd up in mad fury, licking the dry
timbcrs with their fiery tongues then falling
back only to reach higher up. A magnificent
panorama, for to the east and south, stretched
the camp-frcs of the soldiers; while the burn
ing town lay toward the west and northwest =
grand but awful, looked that picture. Bitter,
heart breaking sobs shook Kate's frame ia
prayer for vengeance rose to her lips,-"Oh
God, let justice follow and punish the crime
of this army"
coarse, rude jest reached her car. She
remembered who were standing by her and in
moment; she turned off, drying her tears.
She would not let Yankee sec her shed tear
The fire was still burning on the promises;