Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-03-25
stoDeHvan jackson In RoIne-IntercstTng
incident,

| InCl1Cat,
Miss Sallie a. Brock, of Virginia, who is
now on visit to Rome, is furnishing g
series of interesting letters from the Eter.
nal City to the New York METROPOLITAN
Record. From her last letter, dated Feb
ruary 10Th, We mako the following inter
estlng extract, which will be read with
| pleasure by every admirer of that great
and good man StOnewall Jackson. After
describing her visit to the church of st.
Maria di Ava Coel, Miss Brock writes as
follows:
From the church l continued my walk
towards the palace Of Cesar, and as stood
attempting to read an inscription on tie
arch OF Septimus Severus an incident oc-
Cured which [ think we'll worth relating
at least that sent me onward with feeling
OF pride IN my heart which must have
been akin to that which many q Roman
woman has experienced at mention of GER
tain names that gave a brighton glory to
Rome.
Wishing some information, ventured q
question to friendly priest who passed
n2e. At that moment French soldier, in
the uniform OF the POntifical Zouayes, ap-
preached, and politely lifted his hat. When
the priest had given me answer, he said:
"Are you not an American lady?"
81 am" l replied.
Are you not from the States Of the
South?"
I proudly confessed my nativity in Vir-
ginia, and gratifed smile lighted up his
sunburnt visage.
Il thought so! I thought sou he ex-
claimed. u caDnot mistake the accent. I
was a soldier in the Confederate army! i
fought for the South under StoneWall Jack
son."
You may rest assured [ was not slow in
extending to him my hand, and expressing
gratitude in all the language / could at the
moment command.
The priest stood by in astonishment, not
understanding this remarkable demOnstla-
tion.
''A great man IA great man StonewaIl
Jackson was " continued the soldier,
while a shade Of the deepest sadness set
tied over his face, and he touched his hat
and passed on.
AS I looked forward to the Arch OF Sep.
tlmus Severus, and further on to that of
Titus, and still further on to that of Con
stantine, could not help thinking that in
generations vet to come some one might
stand, as did then, and ponder over an
inscription engraven upon some monument
somewhere on the soil of my own dear
mother State recording the name and deeds
of Stonewau JacksOn-not less great and
far more good than those which won for
Rome's mighty men crowns and arches,
and immortality for all future ages.
This episode of the morning almost un-
fitted me for research. I found myself as [
walked on seeing and yet scarely seeing.
In imagination I was back again in the
capital Of the Southern Confederacy, and
from every lip listened to the praises of
him whose praises so gladly leaped from
the heart Of the French soldier, and anon
I beheld long military and civic process
sion, noble hearse with nodding pIumes;
I heard the dull, dead notes of the mufIied
drum and the low wall of martial music as
IT pierced the agonized air, and L saw the
star which had given Us promise OF u na-
tiOn begin to fade, and darker aud darker
grew until 1t went out, and it was night
with us-mldnight to every hope that had
enkindled the flames on the crimson, drip
ping altar of patriotism.