| Show A FAMOUS STORY in 0 lives the near est surviving relative 0 general marion in her possession are many of the personal articles and other reminders of abo famous general among them Is a large oil painting of marion in th act of dining the british officer on sweet potatoes and sweet potatoes niona under the shade of the mammoth oak this hoary monarch of the carolina forests Is still standing at a spot about nine miles from and just in the rear of ingleside an old colonial home belonging to the parker family also distinguished in revolutionary annals alter the defeat 0 the american army and the death of de kalb marion turned upon the enemy with the desperation pe ration of a wounded tiger no one dreamed that ho could win the odds were desperate how was it possible to bring victory ont of such utter demoralization but it was done as history shows it was during one of marions bivouacs in the swamps of the santee that the incident of the potato dinner occurred was awaiting a flag of truce from the british at georgetown as to make arrangements with reference to the exchange of prisoners the bearer of the flag was a young british officer of note he came to the conference with the renowned leader his mind filled with most vividly colored pictures as to his appearance and surroundings what then was his astonishment ment on being conducted into the presence of a small swarthy thin faced man not only clad in homespun but ragged homespun at that and instead of the magnificent army he had expected to see there was comparatively but a handful of ragged barefooted sun tanned men and boys many of them only fifteen and sixteen years old at the close of the conference the officer arose to depart oh no said marion hospitably do not leave until you have had dinner we are about to dine will you not share our dinner with the officer looked around but saw no preparation for a meal where could the dinner be sit down sir eald the general again courteously and made room tor him on the same extended bough of alio tree where he sat then to a negro boy who stood near ho eald come tom give us our dinner the boy raked from the ashes near by a halt dozen sweet potatoes roasted with their jackets on he pinched them to tee it they were done then cleaning them partly hy blowing on them with his breath and partly by wiping them on tho sleeve of his shirt he placed them upon a large piece of bark and beet them between the general and his fuesl the young officer stared in astonishment could ahls really bo tho dinner of the great marion come sir eaid the general pleasantly noting with some amusement the amazed expression upon the face of bis guest fall to you do not seem to be hungry recovering his manners the young helped himself to one of the potatoes but made a very poor attempt 1 I fear such as this tempt your appetite said marion again but it la the best we have suddenly to the generals astonishment the young officer broke into laughter why what amuses you sir 1 I was thinking general how bur men would look it they had to sit down to such a dinner as this it Is a first rate dinner indeed bald the general hungrily devouring his potato but surely general yon usually have better than this no said marion decidedly this Is about the best generally we have worse but yon get good pay pay sir pay did you well 1 that is something we dont get at all no pay and such a faro as this then in heavens name sir tor what are you fighting for what are we fighting repeated marion his byca on fire why sir tor that dearer than life itself tor alb bertyl the conversation between the young officer and colonel watson the british commander at georgetown on tho return of the former from marions camp has often beca quoted why asked colonel watson do you look so serious 1 I have cause sir what lias general marion refused to treat no sir well hag old washington defeated clinton and broken up our army not that cither what then well sir it is that I 1 have seen an american general and officers without pay and almost without clothes living on roots and drinking water and all for ll bertyl what chance have we against nich men yes what chance did time show them 0 such stuff were made the heroes of that struggle which won for us the goodly heritage wo enjoy |
