Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1893-02-02

strike q more decisive blow
aWhy didshe not encounter hin
at the saluda, when the opportuni
ty offered ~
aGen. Sumter was otwith him.
ssNor is he now =
And, I fear, will not join him
ias he SO much desires" !"
ssFor what reason n inquired
Geiger.
aHe finds no one willing to be
come bearer Of dispatches. The
country between this and sumter'l
station on the Wateree, is full Of
Ethe enemies Of >aur cause. Blood;
thirsty tories, elated by the defeat
ofour arms at Ninety-si1, who
will to a certainty murder any mar
who undertakes the journey. ]
would not go on the mission fol
my weight in gold.''
"And can no man be found te
risk his life for his country even OF
SO perilous a service ?" said the
farmer in a tone of surprise, no1
unmingled with modification.
"None. The effort to reach Sum.
ter would be fruitless. The bravest
man will hesitate to throw his life
away
"God protects those uho devote
Themselves to the good of theil
country said Geiger. eff Icould
bear the fatigue of the journey,
would not shrink from the service
an instant"
'You would commit an act Of
folly"
sNo-of true devotion to my
country" replied the farmer, warm
BY. aBut," he added, in sadden-
ed voice, "what boots it that / am
willing for the task. These feeble
limbs refuse to bear me on the
journey
Emily Geiger, the daughter,
heard all this with feelings of in
tense interest; and as she had often
said before, SO she said now, in
the SILENCE of her spirit: "Oh,
that I were a manl" But she was
isimplysa young ond tender girl,
and her patriotic heart gould only
her hands we're not able to STRIKE
"a blow for her country
eff Iwere only, q mani" MUIR
mered the young girl again and
again, as she mused on on what
she had heard, long after the neigh
Dor had departed.
In the meantime. Gen Greene,
who had heard through messengers
from Col. Lee Of the proposes
abandonment of Ninety Six, and
the division of the British and
tory forces, was making prepara.
ltionst oretrace his steps, and strike
if possible, n, decisive blow against
Lord Rawdon.. In order to make
certain of victory, it was neces.
sary TO inform Sumter of his de.
signs, and effect a junction with
him before attacking the enemy
But, thus far, no one offered tt
perform the dangerous service.
On the morning of the day upor
which the army was to commence
retracing its steps, Gen. Greene
sat in his tent lostin deep thought
Since !. taking command of th'
Southern army, he had been strug
Cling at every disadvantage with {
powerful enemy, whose disciplined
Troops were daily strengthened b.
citizens Of the country, lost t.
every feeling of true patriotism
and now, having weakened tina
enemy, he felt eager to strike
5fblow that would destroy him. But
4 with the force that he could com
mand, twas yet a doubtful ques
tion whether an engagement woul'
result in victory to the American
arms. If he could effect a juno
ton with Sumter before Lord Raw
j don reached Fridays Ferry on tn
Congaree, he had great hopes o
success. But the great difficult.
was to get messenger to Sumter
who was distant between one an
two hundred miles. While tn
General was pondering these thing
an officer entered aud said
ga young country girl is befor
the tent, and wishes to speak wit
you"
1 the General.
/no co,,n,x,,rn