The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1868-09-19

T II
hot Soss, said In this land Of
tile ,free and home tho brave, tot name. one
of tho fSouthsbgreate isstains in b tonesa Of
praise istreasop ;ibut since you are 20. truo son
Of hers IL will venture relate to you, the.
story connected with. this precious relic of
Stonewall, Jackson and. nhow,it calne into my
possession ,s4iiS;3e Gsiss44v9 sd s5asss s..t
f HSome t1honthsa ago, while visiting sthe. g.
hospital, my attention was attracted stewards
one,of thespatients twho had been brought, in,
the dayi beforeai He, was a. young man, appa-,
rently about twenty yenrs Of hge ,sapd although
almost wasted to "a skeleton, ibis broad, open
brow, delicate, high h-bIed nose, and general air
OF refinement indicated that his was mo mean
lineage. The beautiful brown eye, followed
all my motions with, such a yenrnipg, besecch-
ing expression that I was irTesistibly drawn
to his bedside Offering shim an orange to
cool his parched tongue, and seating myself
beside him, j inquired into his. condition.
evil you bathc my head, as my mother used
to do, said he, "and then talk to met is SO
long since I have heard sweet, low voice, like
yours" ~
Taking out my cologne, | did as be badc
me, talking in an encouraging, hopeful manner
meanwhile, until by degrees hc revived a lit
tic, aud told mo his history ~ = i9'lHais..'.i
"I am q virginiah," J" said he, and his wan
check flushed with pride my home is on the
banks of the Shenandoah, and I was one of
the first to answer the buglc note when our
fair Valley was invaded jackson was my
leader, and / belong to the Stonewall Brigade.
Although onlysan humble '1ieutenant l. had
rather bea private in tliclnoblc band than hold.
a generals commission in any other corps
jackson was my hero; for him would have
scaled any height, undergone amy hardship,
and since his death / have scarcely cared to
live, have by the faithful performance of my
duty to assist in winning fresh laurels for the
brigade he loved 30 we'll" He then went on
to tell me he had been taken prisoner six
months before, and, accustomed to an open
air, the confinement of q prison had under
mined his health, and the home sickness aud
dasrair. of al,opc deferrct -preyed on; his mind
until a. slow fever ensued,s which was; then
draining the strength from his youthful veins.
Of course ali this was not told, at once, but at
intervals, iin answer to my questions. Finally,
fearing the excitement would prove injurious,
l enjoined quiet and rest, bidding him good
bye, with the promise to return the next day.
For week, ut the same time every morning,
attended my Virginia boy" and my en-
trance was the signal for Frightening of the
sad hopeless eyes. Sitting by his side, with
his thin hand olasped i'll mine, he would relate
many little incidents of his campaigns with
jackson, always dwelling on the famous ex-
ploits of his ndored commander, or else pour.
fourth tide of recolloctions OF the mountain.
home,i Of the dear old father and mother whose
pride he was, the fair haired sister who so
fondly awaited his return-his horse and a
dog,'anda thousand minor details .of the sweet
Ii dearly treasured il lis heart But
shuddercd to mark how fast his life was ebb-
ing away, and wept.at tho thought of the sor-
row that would fall with crushing weight
upon that absent household
Upon the seventh day I was shocked by the
distressing change which had t,kcn place in
his appearance, that peculiar pallor and con
traction of features always the herald Of death
having settled upon his countcnance No glad
smiles grcotcd me as approached his cot, but
only faint pressure Of the hand as bent
over him. "Will you not taste this cooling
drink i have prepared for you ?1ls said.
"No, dear lady" replied lie in a faint voice,
and then continued, painfully laboring for
breath, "Savc for some one else; I am dying,
The surgeon would not tell me just now when
I asked him, but feel the death damp on my
brow. am not afraid, 'foF I am a soldier, but
sso hard to dio alone, never again to scejmy
native mountains, land feel the cool airifan my
choek-never again to hear my fathers bless
ing, or rccoiyle. my mothers good night kiss.
Will you not DO me oae more m favor write. so
my mother T.,
I asschtcd, and drawing forth paper pen and
ink, wrote as well asSmy fast dropping tears
and trembling HAND, would allows After sponk-
ing of his situation and my kindncssshe pro-
ccedcd TO send a.ifcctonate farewells TO various
members of his famly not forgetting the SER
wants whom he mentioned by name, There
was q pause, and he lay silent for some mo-
mcnts, thoIafge toars gathered III his eyes, 6ud
rolled down The wali check! Then Ijointitios to