The Jasper weekly courier., 1876-12-15
A STORY OF TIE REVOLUTION.
Hsw General Marion $50, His Rifles.


the country from Charleston 10 the up
per Santoe, and in order to complet
their conquest had established a chail
of posts throughout .he State, each o
which was strongly fortified and de
Tended by good garrison. Organized
resistance 10 the British there was none
On the American side the principal ac
tors in the struggle were the men who
composed the 1amous "hght brigade
of General Marion. The favOrite Ten
devious Of Marion was at Snow Island
This is piece of high river swamp, as
it is called in the Csrolinas, and was
surrounded on three sides by water. SO
Is 20 be almost impregnable. Here
Marion had his camp. From this fast
ness be issued forth At pleasure to
range the enemy's granaries or capture
struggling party of his troops. Sc
cure in his retreat, he had no fear Of
pursuit.
Nln the City of Charleston the despot-
ism of the British was at It's height; the
proud-spiIited people of that capital
were held down by IA GRADING tyranny.
Many OF them were still open and uN-
compromising in uneir hostility TO the
English, while others, thinking they
could best serve the cause in that way,
affected a hearty submission to the con
querors, and were seemingly the most
loyal TO all King Georges subjects. Yet,
while the English saw this and con-
graduated themselves upon the good
effect II would have on the Colonists,
these very "loyalists" kept the Ameri-
can commander constantly informed of
all that passed within the British lines,
and many 4 disaster of the English was
IN this Way directly attributed TO them
One Of these persons was lady Of
fine social position and great wealth.
Indeed, there were few persons in all
Charleston over whose submission TO
the crown the British were more elated
than they were over that of Mrs. Anne
Garden. She was a young and beauti-
full widow, just twenty five, and for
several years had been the standing
toast of the beaux of the Csrolinas.
When the British took the city she was
one Of the first to ssbmit TO the King.
and since then her house had been the
favorite gathering place of the red-coat
gentry. Many of Mrs. Gardner's
friends, who were stauneh patriots TO
the last, quietly cut her acquaintance,
and shook their heads in quiet indigna.
tion when her name was mentioned.
and when they dared speak at all it
was only 10 condemn the widows
treachery. In the camp of Marion,
however, there was one cheek that
kindled with pride and not shame
when the lady's name was mentioned
and as for General Marion himself, he
could have told tales that would have
startled 1he widows Charleston friends. |
had ii been safe TO do so.
While Marion was creating so great
an excitement beyond the gates of
Charleston, Mrs Garden resolved TO |
give n ball. Preparations were made
on an extensive scale, and the loyal
element of the city was in high feather. /
The splendid mansion of the young
widow was dressed with flowers from
cellar To garret, and blazed with lights !
on the evening appointed for the as
sembly, and the band of the garrison
dis coursed sweet music TO the assembled |
crowds. The entertainment was at its
height, when the crowd Suddenly part |
ed, aud a young man came forward |
hurriedly. He was tall and splendidly |
formed, and carried himself erect. with
\ proud, martial air. He was dressed
In the uniform Of an officer of the Tory |
legion, and his general appearance was
that OF a man who had ridden far and
hard during the day. AS the young
widow saw MIN, her face flushed and
then grew deathly pale, and she sprang
forward with cry Of alarm.
What arc you doing herePn she
asked, hurriedly.
"You will see," he answered quick |
Iy, in low tone. "Only for heaven S
sake, swear black and blue to what /
may say J" Then he added calmly. and .
in 4 lower tone "You see, my dear
cousin, l have come back to my allegi-
ance.n
:" am delighted to hear it," she re-
Piled, warmly, taking the hint at once.
~ never thought your heart would
cling 10 the rebel cause
Faith, be said, laughing, "if my
heart bad clung to it, my stomach would
have driven me from il. I'm not fond |
Of starving, my fair cousin, and King
George lives well, you know. Heresf-
ter, thomas Wilson lives and dies "a
loyal man."
Colonel Watson had been standing
BY, during this conversation, watching
the couple closely. Now he stepped
FORWARD to the lady's side.
Who's this gentlemanP" he asked,
somew hat sharply. "He seems won
derfully familiar"