Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-09-21
From the Magnolia Weekly.
The SCOUTS 3TORY.
BY C. HANCHo

BY c. RANCHO
Camps and camp fires have peculiar
effect upon many natures. ne men gath
er around one fire, and tes or listen to
strange stories "of other Gays" told by
some gifted companion, o~Which there
arc many in our glorious army. Every
man hath tale, which is--faught with
deep interest, If gou can bit tell It,;
and one of those tales, te'd around o.
campfire, by lion hearted scout, to his
no less brave, but less CONSPICUOUS com.
rades, | propose to relate One of our
party had begun to sing. i song often
touches the heart and op.ns-, wide the
vast halls of memory, q'ticstr than any
thing else. Tom Rexar wa. a fine sing
er, and many times hayc%I seen the
roughest of our brave boy. sobered and
softened down as his soft, 3snlar penc-
trating voice would hum fol j some long
forgotten song of home. p hen he be-
gan to sing, the men gathtred around
him, thus forming circle from which
many Strange story has pa sed 10 won.
derlng listening mon.
The night speak of waf chill No
ven'ber night and we were Il car /" Front
Royal" in the Blue Ridge fountains,
when that dazzling comet, :" "Stonewall
Jackson" first loomed uF before the
world, to sink in rest so so 4, . Requi-
escat en- pace Z" Brave souls nation
heart is saddened and the / srs Of her
citizen soldiery bedew your gave! .
Tom Rexar had finished song, and
had called upon somebody fef story
Our scouts had just come g, and their
guide, or leader, stood learang on his
) trusty rifle. He was as ma.'ly a speci-
men of the Southern scout s any who
have engaged in that dangerous, fascina-
ting and much needed employ nent. His
was face for study broad sad lumin-
Gus, the under jaw heavy a@k' decisive !;
his forehead was high and istellectual,
and his eyes hard, stony, r, less grey.
His manner was polite, thour not open.
He seemed 70 live within hiI....alf entire
er, he was an enigma that wiser brains
than mine tried in vain to selye. You
fell, while looking at him, that young as
he was, he lad drank deeply OF the bit
ter waters Of Marah :" but the proud,
bitter smile which occasionally distorted,
rather than lit up his features, cautioned
you not to probe the wound. He was
strong, and could bear it all without
sympathy or support, were as plainly
spoken by his thin pale lips nervously
closing over his faultless teeth, as they
could have been by his flexible voice.
His name will call James Wilks. One
of the gayest young men of our party
responded. He was telling some ligh
frivolous thing, and using the proper
names Of the parties, when I saw jim
Wilks move quickly from his listless at
titude, and raising his clenched hand
dealt the poor story-teller zone rude
buffet and no more"
We gathered around him, some Of th'
men demanding an explanation. | saw
his face for moment. shall never for
get the fierce, stern, defiant look which
rendered that face sublime for the time
| finally approached him, and laying m,
hand gently on his arm, reasoned wit
him thus, "Tefl them some kind of
story, and [ will make that suffice" II
sat down, and l gave him my canteen.-
The water seemed to sootb his blood
After few minutes he said, "-Conrades
[ owe you an explanation for my extra
ordinary conduct, and will give you on
in full. [ have led wild and royin
life for years. Tarown on the world {
tender age, with no kind hand to guid
me through the intricate paths-many (
them fatal to the unsuspecting youth
which beset the youth of our country
Can you wonder that the glittering path
Of sin was quickly followed by me.
I soon learned to value them tt
world as they should be. I became su
| picious, and learned to read men fro
that most lcgible tablet, the human fac
There is not country or people bt
tween Cape Horn and Labrador but
have seen and conversed with. Yo
!, Cavasse l have met in Central Ameri
between the Tropics, and you, Fanchar
Il [ met where summer never comes. W
not unhappy then, bat can date my m
fortunes from much later date.
at length tired of my roaming, wa
, dering, aimless life. Ny aunt, the on
, one of all my fathers family | had ey
: communicated with after his death, re
= ded in New Orleans. Ihsd often pass
? through the place, learning more of
d haunts and vice than anything else.
had studiously avoided my relatives,
. my own reasons but now I turned
tired, travel-worn footsteps to that
haven Of rest. 1t is needless 10 say t
II | raS w alcop,ad hv NV f.:1-,-o,,,or, =, sx