Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-07-28
A PATRIOTS WIFE.

One warm morning in the spring Of
1880 Mrs. Slocumb was sitting on the
broad piazza about her home on large
plantation in South Carolina. Her hus-
band and many of his neighbors were
with Sumter, fighting for the strug-
CLING colonies, but on this beautiful
morning there were almost no signs Of
war to be seen. AS yet his plantation
had not been molested, and as Mrs. Slo-
cumb glanced at her little child playing
near her or spoke to her sister, who was
her companion, or addressed a word to
the servants there was no alarm mani
fest. But in moment the entire scene
was changed,
''There come some soldiers, said her
sister, pointing toward an officer and 20
troopers who turned out of the highway
and entered the yard.
Mrs. Slocumb made no reply, al
though her face became pale and there
was Tightening of the lips as she
watched the men, Her fears were not
allayed when she became satisfied that
the leader was none other than the hat
ed Colonel Tarleton. That short, thick
set body, dressed in gorgeous scarlet
uniform, the ford face and cruel ex-
preston, proclaimed the approaching
officer only too well. But the mistress
gave no sign of fear as she arose to lis
ten to the words of the leader, who
soon drew his horse to halt before her.
Raising his cap and bowling to his
horses neck. he said, Have | the
pleasure Of addressing the mistress of
this plantations"
:" 1t is my husbands"
"And is he herea"
.He is not -
"He is no rebel, is he?"
''No, sir. He is soldier in the army
Of his country and fighting her invad-
ers.
''He must be rebel and no friend of
his country if he fights against his
king"
''Only slaves have masters here, F." re-
piled the undaunted woman.
Tarleton's face flushed, but he made
no reply, and turning to one of his
companions, gave orders for a camp to
be made in the orchard near by. Soon
the 1.100 men in his command had
pitched their tents, and the peaceful
plantation took on the garb of war.
Returning to the piazza and again
bowling low the British colonel said:
Necessity compels his majesty IS troops
to occupy your place for time, and I
will have to make my quarters in your
house; that is, if it will not be too
great an Inconvenience to you"
my family consists at present of
only myself, my child and sister, be-
sides the servants, and we must obey
your orders.
In less than an hour the entire place
was transformed. The white tents COW
cred the lawn, horses were tied to the
high rail fences, soldiers in bright uni
forms were moving here and there. Be-
fore entering the house the British colo
mel called some Of his officers and gave
sharp orders for securing the country
within the neighborhood of 10 or 10
miles.
This sharp command was not lost up
on Mrs. Slocumb, nor was she slow to
act upon it herself, as we soon shall set.
But for the present, trying to stifls her
fears, she determined to make the best
Of the situation and avert all the danger
possible by providing for the comfort
of Tarleton and his men, and according
ly she had dinner soon ready fit for a
king, and surely far too good for such
cruel and bloodthirsty man as Tarle-
ton soon was known to be.
When the colonel and his staff were
summoned to the dining room, they sat
down to table which fairly groaned
beneath the good things heaped upon
it. It was such dinner as only the
South Carolina matrons knew how to
prepare, and the men soon became lo+
vial under its Influences "We shall haves
few sober men by morning" said CAP.
tain, "if this is the way we are to be
treated. | suppose when this little war
is over all this country will be divided
among the soldiers. Ell, colonel?'
Undoubtedly the officers will occu-
py large portions Of the country" re-
piled Tarleton.
Eyes, know just how much they
will each occupy, said Mrs. Slocumb,
unable to maintain silence longer.
"And how much will that be, mad
ann" inquired Tarleton, bowling low.
"Six feet two"
The colonel's face again flushed with
anger as he replied, Excuse me, but I
shall endeavor to have this very planta
tion made over to me as ducal seat"
II have husband, whom You seem
to forget, and can assure you he is not
the man to allow even the king himself
to have quiet seat OH his ground"
But the conversation suddenly was
interrupted by the sounds Of firing.
Some struggling scout running
away" said one Of the men, not quite
willing to leave the table.
No, sir. There are rides there. and .