The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-04-15
RICHMOND,

ssYield at once shouted Jasper,
as they presented two fresh mus
kets at the unarmed guard, ''or you
die,''
The unarmed soldiers yielded,
and the prisoners were rescued
And this is the famous story OF
Jasper's Well.
! But it Is not the whole of 1t
Journeying back again into the In
terror of the country-into the
| hills, always the natural fortress OF
ireedom-Sallie St. Clair lost her
heart to the heroic rescuer of her
father and his friends
But it was no time then for mar
riage, if for love, and Jasper and
she parted without a word; he
for the active duties, the desperate
encounters, the hairbreadth escapes
of partisans life-and she to
dream of one for whom she had
conceived a passion, such. perhaps,
as is seldom found save in the warm
rich blood of Southern cline.
The cold In cline and cold in blood,
Their love can scarce deserve the name,
But hers was like the lava flood,
That boils in Etna's breast of fame.
It was about six months after
this when q STRIPPING made his way
into the depths of one of those al
most impenetrable morasses where
Marion was accustomed to take
shelter from Tarleton's Dragons,
when the latter were out in over
whelming force, and asked to be
enrolled as member of that IA
nous band
.'You, my son." replied Marion
with a smile, ''why you are not tall
enough and strong enough yet
The STRIPPING glanced Mt tho
small slight frame of the noted
partisan himself-'.1 10 not think
I should be so much smaller or
weaker than my General"
Marion laughed. Cranky and
fairly spoken, my boy-but my
business is to'lead I am the head;
but the body must have strong
arms. Look tbere!'
He pointed to his band-generally
strong, and some herculean fellows,
ready to follow the flag of Freedom
up to the cannon's mouth. "But
STILL" continued he, '.if you have
counted the cost, and think well to
stay, you shall be welcome. will
refuse no man the glory and honor
of serving his country in this des-
perate hour. Here Jasper, here is
o new recruit"
Sergeant Jasper stared at the
youths face, as if it was partly ia
miliar to him.
"I think Sergeant Jasper will
know who I am,' said the young
man in calm but musical voice
II am the twin brother of Salhe St
Clair
'Ah, 1 thought your face looked
very familiar, said Jasper. ''Come
with me-"
From that moment Jasper and
Frank st. Clair were sworn friends
and comrades. In camp, on the
march, and in the strife of battle.
where one was, there might bs
found the other.
One thing often struck Jasper as
very curious. He would waken up
at night with kind of half con-
sciousness that somebody had been
gazing earnestly into his face--and
find that young st. Clair WAS awake
beside him. Once he opened his
eyes suddenly and his young friend
was leaning over him, his face very
close to his own.
StWhat is it, Erank7"
sOh, nothing. 1 could not sleep
and was wondering how you could
sleep 80 soundly."
One day however sad end came
to all this Marion's brigade was
attacked in camp by a party of
Tarleton's s. dragons. They flew to
their arms, however, and succeeded
in beating back the assaliants.
Toward the close of the conflict,
huge dragoon suddenly spurred
his horse to where Sergeant Jasper
was standing, and with blow of
his sabre would have cleft him
through the shoulder. 1t would
have gone hardly with the Sergeant,
for he saw the danger too late
But the watchful eyes of Frank
were on his comrade, and with q
wild shrek he sprang before Jasper.
The sabre decended, and Frank
fell heavily upon the earth. He
had given his. life for his friend.
Hel Then the truth was first
made known. Il was Salie St
Clair. Consumed by the fires of
love and absence, she had cut off
her long black curis, and arrayed
herself in the garb of man. By
passing herself as her own twin
brother, she had removed the sus-
picion which otherwise migt have
been aroused in the bosom of the
man she devotedly loved
They buried her in beautiful
spot near the Santee. and the tears
wet many q bronzed and rugged
cheek as she was laid IN the grave.
As for Jasper he mournd as one
who could not be comforted.
Death for him no longer had any
terrors. At the siege of Savannah,
he was among the bravest Of the
brave. And when the color bearer
of his regiment was shot down.
Jasper seized the falling colors and
rescued them from the defiling
grasp of the enemy
But in SO doing he had received
his death wound. Little recked he
L l.