After this, a piece of dried beef was paraded, from Marion's saddle-bags, with a loaf of Indian bread and a bottle of brandy. The wealthy reader may smile at this bill of fare; but to me it was a feast indeed. For joy, like a cordial, had so raised my spirits, and reinvigorated my system, that I fed like a thresher.
I shall never forget an expression which Marion let fall during our repast, and which, as things have turned out, clearly shows what an intimate acquaintance he had with human nature.
I happened to say that I was afraid "our happy days were all gone.""Pshaw, Horry," he replied, "don't give way to such idle fears.
Our happy days are not all gone. On the contrary, the victory is still sure.
The enemy, it is true, have all the trumps in their hands, and if they had but the spirit to play a generous game, would certainly ruin us. But they have no idea of that game;but will treat the people cruelly. And that one thing will ruin them, and save America.""I pray God," said I, "it may be so."
"Well, don't be afraid," replied he, "you will assuredly see it."Having despatched our simple dinner, we mounted again and pursued our journey, but with feelings so different from what I had before this meeting, as made me more sensible than ever what a divine thing friendship is.
And well indeed it was for us that our hearts were so rich in friendship, for our pockets were as bare of gold and silver as if there were no such metals on earth. And but for carrying a knife, or a horse-fleam, or a gun-flint, we had no more use for a pocket than a Highlander has for a knee-buckle. As to hard money, we had not seen a dollar for years;and of old continental, bad as it was, we had received but little, and that little was gone away like a flash; as the reader may well suppose, when he comes to learn, that a bottle of rum would sweep fifty dollars.
And so here were two continental colonels of us, just started on a journey of several hundred miles, without a cent in pocket!
But though poor in gold, we were rich in faith. Burning patriots ourselves, we had counted on it as a certainty, that every body we met, out of reach of the British, were as fiery as we, and that the first sight of our uniforms would command smiling countenances, and hot suppers, and downy beds, and mint slings; and in short, everything that our hearts could wish. But, alas and alack the mistake!
For instead of being smiled on every where along the road as the champions of liberty, we were often grinned at as if we had been horse thieves.
In place of being hailed with benedictions, we were frequently in danger from the brick bats; and in lieu of hot dinners and suppers, we were actually on the point of starving, both we and our horses!
For in consequence of candidly telling the publicans that, "we had nothing to pay," they as candidly declared, "they had nothing to give,"and that "those that had no money had no business to travel."At length we came to the resolution to say nothing about our poverty, but, after getting such things as we wanted, to give our `due bills'.
In this we felt ourselves perfectly warranted; for we had, both of us, thank God, very sufficient estates; and besides, turning out, as we did, to fight for our country, we thought we had, even by sacred precept, a very fair claim on that country for a little food.
I remember, one evening, after dark, we reached a tavern, the owner of which at first seemed very fond of accommodating us. But as soon as a lighted wood torch had given him a glimpse of our regimentals, the rogue began to hem and ha, to tell us of a `mighty fine tavern' about five miles further on.
We begged him to recollect that it was night, and also very rainy, and as dark as pitch.
"Oh!" quoth he, "the road is mighty plain; you can't miss your way.""But consider, sir, we are strangers."
"Oh! I never liked strangers in all my life.""But, sir, we are your countrymen, American officers, going to the north for men to fight your battles.""Oh! I wants nobody to fight my battles; king George is good enough for me.""But, sir, we have travelled all day long without a mouthful for ourselves or horses."To this also the brute was preparing some fit answer, when his wife, who appeared to be a very genteel woman, with a couple of charming girls, her daughters, ran out and declared that "take us in he could, and should, that he should; and that he might as well consent at first, for they would not be said nay."Even against all this, he stood out for some time; till at length his wife reminded him, that though the British were carrying every thing before them in South Carolina, yet that Washington was still in the field, and the issue of the war unknown; and that at any rate it was good to have a friend at court.
On this he came to a pause; and at length reluctantly drawled out, "Well -- I suppose -- you must -- come -- in."I have related this story, partly to show what a savage man would be without that softening, polishing friend, a good wife.
Observing that we were wet and cold, this amiable woman and her daughters soon had kindled up for us a fine sparkling fire, to which their own sweetly smiling looks gave tenfold cheerfulness and comfort.
