Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1898-02-17
A FAMOUS STORY.

took part in that active drama has more oi
story and Of song been written. Yet h,
was Tar from being of u romantic turn
himself, for he was one of the plaincst and
most practical of mon But such fighter
Fully as much Of truth rs of poetry was
there in this bit from what was once the
star defamation of patriotic southern
schoolboys:
Our band ia few but true and tried,
Our leaGor frank and bold.
The British soldier trembles
When MariUn's name is told.
This was literally fact. Marion wGs
the terror Of the whole British army. Al
enc time the very mention of his name
put force of 200 or 300 soldiers to rout
Marion himself had on this occasion not
more than a dozen mon.
In SummC~VIlc, 5. c., lives the nearest
surviving relative of General Marion, Il
great grandricCe Mrs. Frank Fishburne
/ In her possession are many of the personal
articles and other reminders of the famous
| general. Among them Is large oil paint
| ing of Marion I'm the act of dining the
| British officer on sweet potatoes, and sweet
potatoes alone, under the shade of the
mammoth oak. This hoary monarch Of
the Carolina forests is still standing at q
spot about nine miles from Summerville
and just in the rear of Ingleside, an old
colonial home belonging to the Parker
family also distinguished in Revolutionary
annals. 1t is in fair state Of preserva.
ton, despite the ravages made upon it by
the relic hunter A Chicago Record writer
saw 1t but short time ago.
After the defeat of the American army
and the death of De Kalb, Marion turned
hp With fh. nj,
wounded tiger. No one dreamed that he
could win. The odds were desperate.
How was 1t possible to bring victory out
of such utter demoralizationp But 1t was
done, as history shows.
1t was during one of Marion's bivouacs
In the swamps Of the Santee that the Incl.
dent Of the potato dinner occurred He
was awaiting a flag Of truce from the Brit.
ish at Georgetown, SO as to make arrange.
ments with reference to the exchange of
prisoners. The bearer Of the flag was u
young British officer of note. He came to
the conference with the renowned leader,
his mind filed with the most wildly col
orcd pictures as to his appearance and sur
roundings. What, then, was his astonsh-
ment on being conducted into the presence
of n small, swarthy, thin faced man, not
only clad in homespun, but ragged home
spun at that. And instead of the mag
nificent army he had expected to see there
was comparatively but handful of rag
ged, barefooted, sun tanned men and boys
many of them only Is and 10 years old
At the close of tho conference the officer
arose to depart.
"Oh, no." said Marion Hospitality. "Do
not leave until you have had dinner. We
are about to dine. viii you not share our
dinner with usS'
The officer looked around, but saw no
preparation for n meal. Where could the
dinner be?
courteously and made room for him on
the same extended bough Of the tree where
be sat. Then to negro boy who stood
near he said:
Come, Tom, give us our dinner"
The boy rakcd from the ashes near by a
half dozen sweet potatoes roasted with
their jackets on. He pinched them to SEE
II they were done. Then. cleaning Them,
partly by blowing on them with his breath
and partly by wiping them ON the sleeve
of his shirt, he placed them upon a large
piece of bark and set them between the
general and his guest.
Tho young officer stared in astonish.
ment. Could this really be the dinner of
A.. 100.
Vne greaV hiari =, , ,.
Come sir, salu the general pleasant
~ hotihg WIN some amusement inc
aiiiiizeu expression upon tne face Oh NJ"
guest iaii TO- lou uo ho0 seem 10 pe
hungry
recovering ms manners INC young
oiilcer heipea hihsell 10 one Oh inc po'a
eoes' puo ih''ue very poor attempt Ut eat.
ing.
II lear such as TINS doesn Z tempt youl
appetite, SAID Marion again. "but IL IL
the best we have,
Suddenly, to the generals astonish
ment, the young officer broke into laugh
ter.
why what amuses you. sirF
| was thinking, general, now our mon
would look IL they had 10 sit down To such
a dinner as THIS!
| IL n