The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-04-06

marry you. My love Is unnaturai, un-
holy! Blood! blood the blood of kin
dred and friends! the blood of our heroic
dead forbid it! O." she continued, drea-
rily, IT have faced it, have fought it !!
this miserable love! this mad passion {! I
have not conquered, but I will not yield !
Your people have crushed usl our land
is given over to the spoilers! she has
been robbed of everything, save the
hearts of her children, and are you not
satisfed2 No, Col. Gray, mol I will
conquer. A Maham, and daughter OF
Carolina cannot wed a." She hesi-
tated, blushed painfully, and became
silent. Hubert Gray finished the SEN
tence:
"a Yankee" he said, in calm, sad
voice. ri understand your feeling per-
fectly, and expected to meet just such
opposition to my wishes. But you have
condescended to acknowledge you love
me, and, oh ! it is so much more than l
dared hope for. Dearest lady, call me
not Colonel, to you I would be simply
Hubert Gray. My laurels I cast at your
feet; to me they are worthless, if in
wearing them I lose the esteem of the
maiden I love! Believe me, dearest
Marion, I came not to Berkley in the
spirit of conqueror, expecting proud
Southern woman to throw herself into
the arms of Federal soldier. l am
ready to serve as patiently as Jacob of
old for his loved Rachel. I have come
to WOO, and will hope to win the pure
white "Lily of Santee" for my bride.
In love, man sues, woman conquers.
Grant me your friendship, and time and
opportunity to remove or soften your
bitter feelings which, alas! are but too
natural. Since political and sectional
prejudices seem to divide us, if you will
pardon my egotism I will speak of my
self. am not Radical. never have
sympathized with the extreme views of
the Republican party. In political par
lance, call myself Jeffersonian Demo-
crat, and now as earnest an advocate of
States Rights as any son of your brave
little State. When the cry of war re-
sounded through our land it was not so |;
I was then a Captain in the regular army,
and with boyish carelessness I neglected
to consider the great questions in agita-
ton, and the great principles involved.
I deem as a soldier my allegiance due
to the proud flag of my country-the
star-spangled banner of liberty. I was
stirred by this feeling of loyalty to my
colors; it was with me chivalric devo-
ton. Iremained in the Federal Army,
and having taste for military life, with
military education, was soon promo
ted. But my laurels gave me no pleas
ure. My comrades, both superiors and
subordinates, called me dashing and
brave; but their concentrations failed
to thrill my breast with joyous excite
.ment, for T realized that our victories
(which must admit paled before the
brilliancy of yours) were only yielding
the bitter fruits of desolation and sor-
row to those we had called brothers, and
who were equally with ourselves entitled
to the protection of the noble banner of
liberty for which I fought. In the long
hours of the silent night, as lay upon
the tented field, I thought of the warn
ing of our Walter: 'Ah, Hubert, what
an awakening will yours beP 1t had
come, that sad awakening, and had come
too late, I was obliged to admit. Your
people fought for the first great principles
of iberty-the right of self-government,
and not for slavery and dis-union as our
dominant party asserted. Alas, alas !
when too late, how childish, how like
mimicry in the comparison seemed my
loyalty to that flag, which in lifting it
against our brothers was shorn of half
its glory! And now, lady, is there no
hope for the penitent? Now, that your
people have been overpowered, (for con-
quered they cannot be, and slavery abol-
ished, will not our rulers restore to your
fair land her liberties, and thus heal the
wounds inflicted, and bind once more in
chords of love the children of one pa
rent?"
"Ah! will theyw said the girl pas
sionately; "and where are the evidences
Our people are oppressed by your mill
tary, and insulted by our former slaves ;
our President a prisoner, and has been
made to wear convict's chains, to graft
fy love for malicious triumph. He,
the gallant soldier who had crowned
your boasttul flag with unfading glory
on the battle-felds of Mexico! No,
Hubert, mol I grieve to say it, but we
are not one people. Between US there is
no unity-there can be no lovel"
20, say not so! Let us hope that
time and mutual forbearance may cement
again in friendship our kindred States.
Because there are among us bold, bad
men, who have by chicanery and intrigue
reached our high places, it is therefore
just to heap bitter inyectives upon all
Believe me, there are noble men and
Christian women North, who grieye for
the woes that have come upon your beau
tiful land. But they are powerless to
aid, and, dear lady, is not best, is not
gentle woman's part to exercise all wrath
full and bitter feeling?"
The young girl raised her fearful eyes