Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-09-01

James Radstock, who marched cheerfully to
tho spot where his watch was to DO kept,
thinking in his heart that he should in man
ner stand sentry oyor his beloved also. Tho
temptation to look up ut the window, and if
possible discover, from the Pickering shadows
on the blinds, what Jane Irvine was doing
also, perhaps, with the latent hopo that lie
might see window open, and smile from
her como down TO him through tho summer
night, induced him to extend Ris walk bcyond
tho regular beat which the national service for
the safety of tho institution demanded, and
more than once he had advanced ns far as Mrs
Howard's door, and had then rctraced his
steps to advance again and again with the same
horo.
But no Jane was to be seen only a shadow
on the blind, which might or might not, be
hers. Backwards and forwards no walked,
till tho night grew dark, and on sudden he
stopped and fell lifclcss, apparently, on the
pavement him, touching his boot, had
rolled that ball of fire
There he lay, and by-and-by there he was
aceA, scnselcss md mutionlcss on the pave
ncnt. Drunk said passcr by, and moved
| carclcssly on. Drunk on duty" said the
corporal of his regiment, as he found him
thare; "l ahouldnot have thought it Of james,
though, don't know steadicr fellow. But
that's no good nov, Drunk on dnty, and so
drunk, too" he said, as tho men with him
tried to raise thdr comrale, who ley in their
arms like sack; "this won't be passed over
in hurry. Take him home, men," he con
tinued "wo must report him in tae morn.
ing"
| Next morning Jane, recovered so far az to
| be able to speak, but he seemed to have lost
his senses, for NIL he could say was, {" We secn
lit touched me-
| "Seen what, lad ?" asked the soldier who
WAS bringing him some brcakfa "your own
| ghost?"
That ball of fire it touched me-"
" Fire water, | expect it was. And il GER
ta'nly touched you, or you touched it; for you
were as drunk Il. you could be, last night"
| No, no" James answered, "I was not
drunk. | tell you saw it as plain as | see
you now"
:" No doubt you did, my good fellow-lots
shall die; it touched me here" he went
on, pointing to his foot
You've got into scapc, anyhow" his
sympathising friend answered 'but don't
know about dying"
must die within the month Oh, poor
Jane, poor Jane -
@ can't make you out, unless you're drunk
still but why you should be so bent on dy-
ing, can't see"
81 saw it, flames went on. at came
straight towards me- and touched ny foot, and
| then vanished. OH I. 80 horrible. I must
J die, KNOW IL,
Never fear, man" said the other; "you'rc
little cracked, do believe; but here's your
breakfast, and you had better cat it, it may do
you good"
d Poor james ! his trial came on, aud the
eyidcncc-went to prove that he was drunk on
duty. He persisted in every word Of his sto-
ry, that he had seen great ball Of fire, that
1t had rolled along the pavement toward him,
had passed over his boot, and then vanished.
Never in the cross Questioning did lie vary a
hairs breadth from this statement, adding
that after that lie was totally unconscious of
anything till he found himself the next morn
ing in the lookup Of his barracks, on. az he
was told, charge Of drunkenness All thi,
he maintained, but who would believe such an
unnatural story on the strength Of his unsu y.
! ported word On a sudden there was : men
ton Of new witness In the prisoners favor,
ana Mt. l'am Howard appeared, and gave
such clear eyidaucc Of the appearance of t}t.
osli OF lire, further explaining that it might
well have passed out OF his door to the feot Of
the sentry, who had extended his beat TO that
distance for the reason VIC have described, that
the whole face of tbs charge against him
changed, and by comparing notes ss to the
time at which these appearances had been
| mace to both parties, y y 80 evident that the
statement O? the soldier was wholly true, and
he was fnlly acquitted
After ehe tris! Mr. Howard joined James
70 congratulate him on his escape, which was
unquestionaby very narrow one. James
expressed his gratitude to him for having
stepped in in time to save his cbaracter-be.
yond Tint he hid neither care nor hone.
Why" asked Mr. Howard, surprised at
tho continued gloom which oppressed the poor
man, instead Of tho continued checrfulness
which he exnoated him 20 feel nj the raanll &c