St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1864-03-10

Rrsy se," said Saint Pierre. with .
supp!icatory grimace. 10 not, Monsieur
Chockmare." z5'sEs ss, ,1-'@2s
'4Go on said Wicklowe, drinking again
"any adliction is preferable to this horri-
bic silence" -, ..%,.. l
A. Chookmsr's whee.y notes rang on the
night, I saw the glars Of camp-6res red
dening tho woods And sky; l hesrd the
clattSt Of biyonets 1t the hour Of guard
relief, and some Of the negro servants sing
ing sweetly soncroas choruses. The faint,
hollow roll Of distant drum blended mys-
tically With the, rustls. of, leaves overhead,
and l saw in the dimHess the cloaked Ind
stalwart sentry stridisg before the gen.
erals tent. A horse stood ,saddled in one
Of the broad gravsled Use" and I could
hear the stick, tick, tick" Of the telegraph
instrument in sibley canopy adjoining.
A month had thus transformed one Of
the pleassntest Of solitudes, and the hos
.R;a6le grounds had been trampled 6y' M
Vulnerable hoofs. There were great gaps
in the fences, and coarse peneiii.gs upon
tho walls Of the fine old mansion; The
fun niture had been broken and used U feed
Vandal cook-fres. Dseolation,; following
in the wake Of armies, had despoiled alike
the fertility of nature and the improve
ments 81 man. How soon ni.ht: setSiia-
tion affect our Northern homes ss We had
ruined these!.
"Lef, 'anant Mintl:n!"
turned toward the voice, at the reps.
titiou df my name, aad recognised tall,
~th1stit' orderly. As ! raced him, he re.
speotfully saluted, and gid: ''The gineral
n.dss ye, sir, immadi.tslyy, 1t his quarters" "
The mess btoke into loud laugh, autic-
ip.ting that some oneroas duty would de-
volve upon me. - j; go.
''There's twenty pages of report to
copy" said Bigswig. -,
I'm lend to you my lsstle eheval mon
a'*i, ".sada s4fa Saint Pierre; 'you take one
dam journey .- - ..
Hadn't ysu as Veil worry down anoth.
er smile before you got" said Wieklowc,
copiously imbibiug himself.
I replied earelessly, re6lled my pipe,
md following the sergeant across grass
plot and Though broken wicket, stood in
the presenee, # the general. He WAS seat
cd at pine table, covered with maps, dia
grams. manuscripts. AND thstsndis threw
an imperfect light upon his handsom,
bronzed face, and broad. prominent fore
h-ad,' . A trunk, harked with his initials
| and small iron bedstead, with two camp
stools, and q short wooden bench, compris
cd his furniture; but there was pictur,
-of ne Madonna, which never left him
suspended from nail, in tie rear tent pole
This picture had survived all mutations -
He had carried it in the Mexican w,r
when but lieutenant. 1t had hung in tn
halls of the Montezumas, when, ::emPloyet
at clerk duties therein. Al Fort Yuma
the Siberia Of military stations, ~ ha'
kept it in his quarters for five monotonou
years; and when appointed . colone.
early in the civil war, he had brought thf
picture across four thousand miles Of plai,
and prairie. ..
''Sit down, Lieutenant Mintlin !" he sal
courtly; and as took one Of the chairs
he resumed his writing. l looked At tn
richly quilted saddle that lay at his feet
1t the splendidly mounted sword thrown
carelessly across his bed, At tho bolster
and silver plated pistols beneath his rubbe
pillow. studied the angles and fulnesse
Of ,Re fine indurated form, and tn
severe". aud wrinkled countenanc
before me: and from the starred shoulder
bars and :silyered beard of this hero of
score u. battles, my eyes wandered magnet
fically tc!a6e pensive, melancholy pictur
Of the Nadonna-his companion in triumph
reverses, trial and promotion. l trust tha
every sotarer carries some such pictur
through histjourneyings. Ny own M.don
n. was III Pshnsylvst4h -"
''Lieuten.nt," saie he, in his quick ners
Gus manner, looking me directly; in tn
eyes, 'yout horse is fresh andbsddled!"
looked through the opening of the ten
At the sharp beat'of hoofs, and beheld m
pony, led by my cwn servant.s:' :.
II would not trouble yG6l till # 1i
necessary, but gave you part Of the even
ing with your friends. There is your horse
here is sealed envelope. You are to rid
with oil speed to Rappahannock." .-f~.
| A little leap Of my heart, and = sigh
tremor Of my lips; followed the announce
ment Of ibis ill-omened name. s2 49,.
81 m.y'.4.y,'' continued the general, il
lde curt senstndeps WY, ''sines com
monty take my ADDS into my eonf,deno,
th4t this paper contains the details Of =,
order for IN immediate advance. You Or
to ride direct to ehe quarters Of General H.
TO-, deliver ths envelope, and return "a
night with his receipt and reply: ~
! bowed silently, and turned to 80.
"stop!" said. he again. i ..1t il sish
o'clock; You must deliver the message b
eleven. I shall not retire tonight. Yo
will be back ct three ,'.>,, II
''1t is : long and stony way" said he's
itatingly, '.and forty miles can scarcely b