The Trinity times., 1855-05-05


like single being, spring into the pas de
charge. laundering hurricane Of battle
they swoop right down on the advancing foe
with the speed Of the wind God Of heaven!
what a spectaclel With what a sublimely
terrific shock the two hostile masses of men
and horses crash togetherl Sword cangs on
sword; horse and rides sink; the sea Of com
bat surges ever them.
The Fifth cut the foe through and through;
and when their bugles sound the rally, they
disregard the signal, determined to fight till
they clear the field or die. Horse against
horse, with onset and repulse, Saxon and
Cossack, they cleave one another down,
swaying TO and frow like stormy sea.
Where is Cecil Gray? Nonder is his
plume. Watch it. 1t tosses above the thick
Of the fight, as if it were alive with glory
There, it loses itself in the smoke of pistols.
1t emerges. We lose sight of it again.
Yonder once more it flies along the field,
like some splendid bird of prey, that kills its
quarry, but stops not to devour. Swords leap
up above and about it; ether plumes nod and
sink around it; riderless horses whirl away
from il, and roll down. and surge and strug
gle and die in the overwhelming pillows Of
battle. But that plume, and the sword which
RbtH WIN ~ CEASE llSl AOA Ia tisNii
sublime career.
The wounded French Chasseur who re-
clines on his elbow here nigh us, watching
that plume, forgets his pain, and calculates,
"Cest superbel" And it is superb; it 10
glorious.
But now that plume is the dreadful centre
Of a vortex of foes. which dashes upon it, as
upon lone sail the foam capped whirlpool
| -. a, -, a., . fl..
Sabres flash up thick and fast, and chop
down into fiery brains, and cross, and thrust,
and stab, and mix in horrible turmoil Of he
roic desperation.
We close our eyes tightly, with a shudder-
| ing sickness and fantness, and when we
open them on the scene again, the Russians
are in total rout, and the gallant Fifth in ral-
| ly, with shout aud hurra. But the plume Of
Cecil Gray2 1t is gone! The prayers which
have kept going up to Heaven from the cot
tage by the Thames have not been answered.
That plume bowed to death, and went down
while we were shutting our eyes.
How gloriously he ded On the field they
found him in the evening of that day, with a
monument of slaughtered heroes piled up to
his glory And as his surviving comrades
| spa9ed him grave, and laid him to his
rest, they talked intmatingly of his herosm;
and then they spoke falteringly of one who
NO mere of that, my comradel' said he
who had been his bosom friend, in choking
voce-'There, he had taken the locket
from the neck Of the dead, clipped, with his
sword, a lock from the hero's hair, and shut
it over the miniature;-' that shall be her ii
dings.-and may--God--pity and-comfort
hell'
The big, binding tears streamed down
those stern mems checks, they filed up the
grave, breathing hard with the rush of
homes dear emotions, but speaking net ano
ther word.
4 cottage by Size Thd0es.
lnkernann has been fought, and tho news
has gone through England. In that cottage,
Minnie Gray sits sobbing and wang for
what she knows possible, and yet hopes inn
possible Weep on, Minnio---the hour is at
hand, when the blessed relief Of tears may be
denied thee.
willie, go to the town, and-and-Go!
Wilie
Willie goes he runs all the way, Tic
brings back nothing but the newspaper, filed
with latest FROM TUE CRIMEA.'
No letter, WillieP
'None.'
Sho seizcs the paper. and gropss, tear
blinded, through the long columns. But she
finds nothing. only that so many were killed
and so many were wounded, and the names
Of few great officers that were slain. The
throbbing blood almost burst from her veins.
and her eyes grow dry, as she reads printed
! letter from one of the Fifth Dragons. Bat
it says nothing of Cecil, only that the Fifth
| ht1 In al, .,sr5I
| oh my God, how can / bear this agony
of suspensep
Willie tried 20 eoothe her, but she could
| hear nothing but the sou-stiriing thunder Of
battle, see nothing through her tears, hut the
charge Of the Fifth Dragons
60 to the town, Willie, and come not back
till you have brought some word from him.
The boy went sorrowfully. Minnie Gray
watched the clock, and the road to the town,
all day and all night, and all next day till the
sun went down.
Willie was comingl The sight Of him
made her dizzy and faint. How did he walk2
! Were there tidings in his step2 Y.sl life or
DEATH lie came hurredly, while be seemed
to reel under the weight Of his heart. 1t
must be DEATH Now, God Of mercy thy
helping hand She steggers out TO meet him,
| ana pt.tpn
ANY word, Wiler
mo ,o0rd, but
She holds her BREATH and stares wildly at
him, as he draws forth the locket. lie places
it quickly In her clutching hand and turns
bis face away. She uncasps it shudderngy,
and the lock Of hair springs out, and curIs
round her finger a smothered, quiyerng
cry, stihed, choking wall Of agony that
crushed the lie out, and Minnie Gr0y fell
into her brother Wiilie's arms.
In tic little village churchyard, there IS
now a new made grave, and over it a marble
slab bearing this inscription,
In Memory
OF Cecil and Minnie Gray,
Whom Peace Married
In Life,
Whom War Welded
III Death.
Is il really in hazardous experiments, at
the end Of which we shall meet with wealth