East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1860-12-20
From knickerbocker Magazine.
THE IRON FOOTSTEP.
BY THE LATE HENRY CARY.

| bluii that formed one point ol low cres
centular bay, overlooking the town and
harbor of Dominica
ain one of these barracks were quar-.
tered three officers Of the regiment, Ma
or Hamilton, Captain Gordon, aud a
third whose name | cannot at this mo
mont recall. Major Hamilton's apart
ment was in the centre. He had lost a
leg in the service and usually wore a
wooden pin, or stick, shod with iron; and
being an alert man, fond of exercise, used
to walk up and down the piazza for hours
together, stopping occasionally at Cor
don's door or window, and sometimes
looking in at that of the other officer, eX-
changing a cheerful word with them as
they sat each in his apartment, endeav-
oring to beguile the time with dressing,
reading, writing, thoughts of promotion,
of home, and OF a speedy and happy re
turn to Britain.
"The sound of the Majors step was Pc
culiar. 1t was the only blow given by
the iron ferulo at the end of his wooden
leg that was heard; for although stout
man, he trod lightly with the remaining
foot, and heavily only with the wooden
substitute, which gave forth its note at
short intervals, as he paced TO and fro,
so regularly, that there was a certain
pleasure in listening to il.
Sounds that strike the ear in this meas
ured way, affect us more than others,
The attention becomes engaged, and they
grow emphatic as we listen. The calker's
hammer-stroke, as it flies from the dock
yard of the busy port, across some placid
bay, into the green and peaceful country,
il an instance of this truth. Associated
with this measured movement of the Ma
ior, was his deep CHEEKY voice, that made
light of danger and difficulty; whether on
the field of battle, or as now, amid the
sickness, which, in mockory of the beauty
of tropical skies and scenery, was devast-
ating the colony at this melancholy Pc
riod
"This sickness proved fatal to several
officers of the regiment, and after some
time, Major Hamilton was taken down
with it. 1t was a fever attended with
delirium. The Major was confident of
recovery; and indeed, from the great
cquaninlity and happy temperament of
his patient, his physician had hopes al
most to the last. These, however, were
destined not to be realized He expired
the seventh day after he was seized, while
cndeavoring to speak to his friend Cap
tain Gordon, and was buried under arms
at sunset of the same day.
"Now it was on the second night after
this mournful event, that Gordon, hav-
ing retired to bed rather later than usual,
found himself unexpectedly awake. He
was not conscious of any distressing
thought or dream, which should have oc
csssioned this shortened slumber, and as
he commonly made but one nap of the
night, and his rest had been latterly bro
ken by the kind offices he had rendered
his comrade, he was half surprised at
finding himself awake. He touched his
repeater and found it was but little past
one o'clock. He turned on the other side,
and composed himself afresh. Thoughts
of his friend came over his heart, as his
check reached the pillow, and he said
Poor Hamilton! We'll, God have mercy
upon us ?
Gle felt at the moment that some one
near him said, 'Amcnl with much SOL
emnity. He was ciiectualy reused, and
asked, 'Who is therc?'
"There was no reply. His voice seem
ed to echo into Hamilton's late apart
mcnt, and he then remembered that the
door was open that communicated be-
tween the two rooms.
lie listened intently, but heard moth
ing save the beating of his own heart
lie said to himself. 1T is all mere i'm
agination, and again endeavored to COM
pose himself, and think of something else.
He laid his head once more upon the
pillow, and then he heard distinctly for
the first time, the Majors well-known
step. 1t was not a matter to be mis-
ken about The ferule sound, the pause
for the foot, the sound again, measured
in it's return, as if all were again in life.
lie heard il first upon the piazza, heard
it approach, pass through the door from
the piazza into the centre apartment, and
there it seemed to pause; as if the figure
of the departed were standing on the
other side Of that open door, in the room
it had so lately occupied.
Gordon rose. lie went to the window
that opened upon the piazza, and looked
out. The night was very beautiful; the
moon had gone down; the sky was of the
deepest azure, and tic low dash Of the
waves upon the rocks, at the foot Of the
bluff, was the only thing that engaged
his notice, except the extreme brig ghtness
and lucidity of a solitary star, that traced
its glittcring pathway of light toward
him, across the distant waters of the
ocean. All else was still aud rcposeful
1T is very rcmarkablep said he; Il could
have sworn | heard it'
'IIe turned toward tho door that stood
open between the two rooms. The Ma.
ior's apartment was darkened by the shut
tcrs being closed, and he could distin
guish nothing inside it. He wished tn,
door were shut, but felt repugnanoe al
the idea Of closing it; and while he stood
gazing into the dark room, the thought
of being in tho presence Of q disembodiet
spirit rose in his mind; and though brav,