The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-03-09

from intrusion"
'This is Col. Gray, the friend of my
brother Walter, of whom you have heard
mamma speak so often," said Marion,
turning to Mrs. D., and introducing
the Colonel. Then, addressing Colonel
Gray, she said "Mrs. D. is the lady
of the house, and our kind hostess. You
may be able to arrange with her for ac-
commodations. I must return to man.
ma"
Col. Gray found Mrs. D. not only
willing, but only too delighted to furnish
the courteous and friendly Yankee Col.
with chamber in her house and seat
at her table. "He," she afterwards priv
ately confded to Marion, 81 do sincerely
believe to be the only real gentleman
that army contains, and as much out of
his element as righteous Lot must have
been in Sodom."
Marion returned to her mothers room,
and found her beloved patient just
awakening from refreshing sleep, and
ready to greet her child with bright
and cheerful smile. Not one word had
she heard of the terrible fracas which
had passed so near her, and had almost
proved bloody tragedy.
"Dear mamma, you look SO much bet
ter! Have you really been sleeping all
this while? I am so very glad of it |!
Just think of it, mamma, the Fedcrals
are in c.. They have come at last
and your desire to see Hubert Gray will
be gratifed in afew hours. He lodges
here to afford us his protection" Marion
spoke rapidly, trusting by the mingling
of bad and good news to break the shock
of the enemy's advent in c.. She
spoke what she considered such dreadful
tidings in calm and matter of fact voice.
The ruse succeeded admirably.
"Hubert Gray! my child, my Walters
friendw exclaimed Mrs. Haham. "Bring
him to me! Let me bless and thauk him
for his kindness to my dying boy"
In her eagerness to see her sons friend
Mrs. Maham seemed to have ignored the
presence of the dreaded and dreadful
army, and the anxious daughter found
another cause for gratitude in the renewal
of her acquaintance with Col. Gray.
"Col. Gray says the army will not trou-
bic us very long," continued Marion in
an ordinary conversational tone. eve
are truly fortunate in being provided with
guard, and in securing the Colonel as
boarder. He says he will return here in
an hour or two, and will be most happy
to renew his acquaintance with you. He
is much changed, mamma. I did not
know him until he spoke, and then re-
called the full rich tones of his voice, II
have heard the Western people are re-
markable for their full, rich voices.) He
has grown much taller, too, or appears to
be so, and the lines about his face are
stern, hard and care-worn. He has en-
tirely lost his joyous, boyish look" Thus
Marion continued TO chat and amuse her
invalid, while her heart swelled with
gratitude to Him who had sent her help
in her terrible need.
Mrs. D. having satisfied herself that
her sick friend had suffered no injury
from the noise of the soldiers, hastened
down stairs to prepare for the entertain
ment of her new guest. From room to
room she went, and what scene of con-
fusion met her sight. Feather-beds and
mattresses ripped and their contents scat
tered on the floors, bureau drawers pulled
open, chairs turned upside down, many
of them thrown out of the windows,
crockery broken, sheets, pillow-cases,
towels, &C., torn into slivers; everything
indicated that the sacred precincts of
quiet, well-kept and orderly home had
been invaded by rude, coarse men, who
were actuated by an evil spirit of wanton
malice. She rang the house Bell again
and again, but no servants answered the
Mistress call. She wentinto the kitchen,
and there like scene of disorder, waste
and destruction met her view. All of
the servants-men, women and children
had left the premises, attracted to the
the Yankee camps by "divine call" as
some really, but the majority feigned to
believe. They wildly declared the first
blast of GabriePs Trumpet had blown.
Mrs. Maham's carriage-driver alone
remained at his post, and even he seemed
doubtful whether he was acting right in
holding back when the glorious summons
had reached them of a wonderful freedom
offered to him and to all, for which no
price was to be paid by him, save the
faithlcss abandonment of his suffering
and much-loyed mistress in her hour
of sorrow. Croppo had borne the re-
proachcs of his fellow-scrvants, and had
bravely declared his resolution to stick
to his "white folks" but left alone, anxi-
ETY., irrcsolution and fidelity fought ter
rible fight in the breast of the faithful
but ignorant slave. His home at old
Berkley, the sports of his boyhood with
"Mass Harry" who was the very pride
of his heart, the whoop and halloo after
the fox and deer by the old Santee, all
came back to the poor fellows vision,
clothed in bright colors, and he deter
mined to be faithful Croppo. But, then,
again, "thcse gemmans-the Yankees
had come all the way from the Nor'ard
1o c.;,,o ,,oo. ,;orcr,,r froaf1on, ~