Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1865-01-04

was IN Tie yard grooming fathers old
war horse which he had been compelled
TO 60 with father through all his campaigns
TO take charge of for the fiery and proud
old fellow would never let anybody but
master, the Colonel, and his son Israel
mount or come near him, though he now
got So much tanned down by old age that
he would behave quite decentiy with me
or any body. l WAS in the. house with
mother, who happened to be unusually
downcast that day, and was brooding
over our family embarrassments, and had
just been saying:
No, no, Seth, can never pay, nor,
with our means hardly begin to pay this
dreadful mortgage. And as / hear it is
about to be foreclosed, we must now soon
be driven from our pleasant home, whers
we have lived so long, and, until your
fathers death. SO happily. My husband,
the Colonel, fought as well as the bravest
of them, and did all he could, uand moro
than his part, for the good cause, they all
are willing TO allow and I know very
well that he wore himself out in the SER
vice, and was thus brought to a prema-
tu-e grave. And yet here is his family
almost on the verge of beggary.
Tears here started in Mothers eyes.
which so touched me that rose and went
and looked out of the window when, to
my surprise, 1 saw entering the yard two
well mounted strange gentlemen, whom,
from something about their general ap-
pearance, l took to be old military Off
GERS of pretty high rank-or at least ono
of them, who was large and had a very
commanding look. Having significantly
beckoned mother TO my side, she eagerly
gazed out at the new comers a moment
in silence, when she suddenly gave start.
and, with an excited air, exclaimed:
Seth just take notice of that nohls
looking one! Why he looks ever So
much like the picture I once saw Of
But no; that surely can't be -
well, at any rate, mother, be must
be man of some consequence for, see,
brother Israel, who acts as if he knew
him, is swinging his hat from his head
clear away at arms length. and bowling
lower than he would TO king! Israel
is quite too stitf-necked to do that for any
common man. But they are beginning TO
talk, will just open the door here littls
and perhaps we can hear what they ars
saying"
I did so, and the first words I distin-
guished were those of the parsonage who
had so attracted our attention, and who,
addressing my brother, and pointing TO
the horse, by the side of which he was
standing, asked:
" Is not that the horse Colonel Warner
used TO ride in the wari''
"It is, Excellency," replied Israel.
again bowling low and very respectfully.
[" All yes, thought so,'' resumed tho
former, turning to his companion or at
t0chc, and pointing to the old war steed
with that interest with which he was
known ever to regard fine horses. 81
thought it could be no other Just glancs
at his leading points-shapely head,
arched neck, deep chest, launches and
limbs. l have seen Colonel Warner ri
ding him on parade, when / noted him an
rare animal, and that the horse and
rider, taken together-for Warner was a
model of figure, and several inches
taller than / am-made q military ap-
pearance second in the Continental army.
But my business is with your mother, my
young friend, and will now. if you will
take charge of my horse few minutes
90 in at once to see her,
Hearing this announcement, mother
and l hastily retreated to our former
seats, and, with the curiosity and excite
ment with what we had witnessed natu-
rally raised in us, silently awaited the
entry of the expected visitors. We had
been thus seated but two or three min
utes before he came in, and, bowling era-
ciously TO my mother, said:
81 take this to be Mistress Warner.
the widow of my esteemed friend the
late Colonel Warner, of the Continental
army ?"
60 1t is sir" she replied tremulously.
Will you permit ME TO introduce nv
self to you, madame 2" he resumed, with
that winning sort of dignity had noticed
in him from the first; q am General
Washington. And after arrived i'm this
section of the country, few days ego. I
made-and hope You will pardon mo
the liberty took with your private affairs
Il made some inquiries about you and
the situation of your family; when learn
ing, to my deep regret, that your lata
husband. in consequence Of his long con-
tinued absence from his home and busi-
ness. while in the service of his country,
and his subsequent shattered health, re-
suting from the hardships of war, lefs