The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-03-23
STONEwALL JACKSON IN ROME.
INTERESTING 1NCzDEET.

IN ASAS h&S sNN zNCaDksN4s
Miss Sallic A. Brock of Virginia, who
is now on visit to Rome, is furnishing
a series of interesting letters from the
Eternal City to the New York Mctropo-
Mon Record. From her last letter,
dated February 18th, we make tho fol-
lowing interesting extract, which will
be read with pleasure by every admirer
of that great aud good man Stonewall
Jackson. After describing her visit to
the church Of St. Maria di Ava Coeli,
Miss Brock writes as follows:
From the Church I continued my
walk towards the palace Of Caesar, and
as stood attempting to read an in
scription on the arch Of Septimus Seve.
rus an incident occurred which I 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 a. mention Of certain names
that gave brighter glory to Rome.
Wishing some information, venturel
a question to q friendly priest who
passed me- At that moment French
soldier, in tho uniform Of the Ponti6cal
Zouavcs, approached, and politely lifted
his hat. When the priest had given
me an answer, he said:
"Are you not an American lady 2"
"I am" Ircplicd.
care you not from tho States of the
South Z"
Iproudly confessed my nativity in
Virginia, and gratilied smilc GIFTED
up his sunburnt visage.
"Ithought so ""I thought sow he ex-
claimed II cannot mistake the accent. I
was q soldier in the Confederate army! I
fought for the South under Stonewall
Jackson"
You may rest assured was not
slow in extending to him my hand, and
expressing gratitude in all the language
[ could at the momcnt command.
The priest stood by in astonishment,
not understanding :hc remarkable de-
monstration.
"a great man la great man Stone
wall Jackson was!" continued the
soldier, while shade of tho deepest
sadness settled over his countenance, aud
he touched his hat and passed on.
AS / looked forward to the Arch of
Septimus Scverus, and further on to
that of Titus, aud still further on to that
of Constantine, / could not help thinking
that 10 generations yet to come some
one might stand, as [ did then, and
ponder over an an inscription engraven
upon some monument somewhere on
the soil of my own dear mother State
recording tho name and deeds
Of Stonewall JacksoD-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 tho morning almost
unified me for research. I found
myself, as walked on, seeing aud yet
scarcely seeing. In imagination was
back again 10 tho capital of the South
ern Confederacy, and from every lip
listened to the praises of him whose
praises so gladly lcapcd from the heart
of the French soldier, aud anon
beheld a long military and civic
procession, noble hearse with noddinu
plumcs; [ heard the dull dead notes oil
the muffled drum, and tho low wall o
martial music as it pierced tho agonized
air, and saw the star which had given
us promised ofa nation begin to fade
aud darker and darker grew, until i
went out, and it was night with US
midnight to every hope that had en-
kindled tho, flames on the crimson
dripping altar Of patriotism.