Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1860-10-25

man.-For his brow, high sad retTesting
with the blood clotted hair way ng back from
its outline, was swolen in every vein, as
though bis soul shone from it, ere che fed
forever. Lips set, brows knit, hand hrm--
circle Of men fighting round him--he dash
81 into the Mexicans until his sw ord was we.
his arm weary with blood.
At last. with his thigb splin.ered With a
ball, he gathered his proud form to its full
/ height, and fell. His face ashy with intense
agony, nc babe his companions to leave him
there to die. That ravine should be the bed
Of his glory.
But gathering round him, guard of brests
and steeI-while two Of them bore him ten
derly aong--these men OF Kentucky fought
round their fallen hero, and. as retreatin .
step by step they launched their swords and
bayonets into the faces Of the foe, they said
with every Henry Clay"
1t was wonderful to see how that name
Lerved their arms, and called smile TO the
face of the dying hero. How it should have
made the hear. of the old man Of Ashland
throG, to have heard his name yelled as bat
/ tle-cry, down the shadows of that lonely
pass
Along the ravine, and mp the narrow path
The hero bseds as they bear him On, and
| tracks the way with his blood. Faster and
thicko. the Mexicans swarTn-they see the
circle around the fallen man, even his pale
| face uplilted rs a smile crosses its fading lin
cam ents, and like pack of wolves scenting
| the frozen traveller at the dead Of night, they
come bowling up the rocks and charge on
the devoted band with one dense mass Of bay
onets.
Up and on the light shines yonder on the
topmost rock of thetavine. 1t is the light Of the
setting sun. Old Taylor's eye is on that
rock. and there we will fight our way, and
die in the old mans sight.
1t was murderous way that path up the
steep bank Of the ravire Uttered with
dead, slippery with blood, it grew blacker
every moment with Mexicans, and the deien-
ders Of the wounded hero fell one by one, in
to the chasm yawning all around.
At last they reached the light, the swords
and bayOnets glitter in sight Of the contend
ing armies, and the bloody contest roars to-
wards the topmost rock.
Then it was that gathering up bis dying
iran.e-armed with supernatural vigor, Clay
started from the arms Of his supporters and
S'''' ''h'' 'Hs9AitNIlSi lll lHt lieUb bl
the setting sun. II was glorious sight which
he saw there, amid the rolling battle clouds,
Santa Anna'S formidable array hurled back
into ravine and gorge by TaylDr's little band.
But more glnrious thing it was that dying
man standing, for the last time, in the light
Of the sun, which shall never rise for him u
gain.
"Leaye me y he shrieked, as he fell back
on the sod must die, and will die here
Peril yonr lives no longer for me Col There
is work for you yonder.
The Mcxicans crowding on, hungry for
blood, even as he spoks, their bayonets, gs-
tening by hundreds, were leveled at the
throath OF the devoted band BY the mere
iorce Of their overwhelming numbers, they
crushed them back from thc'.side Of the dying
Clay.
Only one fingered; brave man who had
know the chiyairic soldier, and loved him
long, he stood, and covered as he was with
blood, heard those last words:
Tell my .fatter Aow Idied, and gire hin,
these pistols
Lifting his ashy face into the light, he
turn his ..cys upon his comra le's-- placed
tAe pistols In lis hands and fell back to his
death.
That comrade. with the pistols in hisgrasp,
fought his way along to the topmust rock OF
the path, aud ouly once looked back. lie
saw quiverng form canoppied by bayonets
he saw those outstretched hands graphing
with points Of steeI--he saw pale face lif-
ted once in the light and then darkness rush
ed upon the life Of young Henry Clay.