The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-12-24

| hole i know what for. Surely do not
need coffin as long as that which lies neal
where soon shall lie In the brief space OF
time consumed 10 walking TO the spot where
stand tile firing party, O thousand thoughts
and memories sweep through my brain. All
| the VOWS forgot aud promises broken; tho
faults rising to the bulk of mountains; the
good deeds shrinking from the range Of vision.
Again, In thought, am under the rlddy folds
| OF the nQg of the South. Again l see the
sabres flash. I hear the ring of STEEL The
enemy break, and flee in confusion through
the tangled woods. Charlie rides by my side.
as we often rode before. could swear that
| heard. in the distance, The SOUND OF norses
hoofs.
They wanted to tie my hands and bandage
my eyes-Lhat | could not bear. The first
warm rays osthe sun were shining on my
head; drank in the glorious light Of Heaven.
Icouid de, JInot Il, bonds like Jelon !!
They were twenty. was alone, all alone.
The officer in comnaud-he who shot poor
| Charlie down-surlily granted my request.
The firing party was formed. and the rifle b lr-
rels gilstcncd in the sun. l feared nothing.
hoped nothing, but instnctively q prayer
| would rise to my lips. With quickcned pulse |
waited. These last moments are as centuries 0t
pain. Once more thought heard the clat.
tcring rattle OF hoois. Then the word READY
| Il held my breath. AIM my thought, An
| ME, Is OF God and thee. The officer opened
| his lips for the last time -.
There is wild cheer and Il score OF norse-
| men, pistol in hand, clad in the beloved grey,
dash into tile yard. 1t was now man To man,
and no fayors asked, and In less time than 1t
takes to tell the tale, the Yankees were ingt-
tives or prisoners. One man lay in The broad
| lrht: tho officer who commanded the firing
party was shot to death. And it seemed all q
dream TO me, until | heard SultGn's proud
o,l m
and sweet Annie's voice wlllspered-savcd ct
last
All the new comers were splendidly mount
ed each of them wore n brace OF army reVol-
ycrs One OF them was addressed as Major.
He rode noble black horse, and the bright
keen face. Tie 1.-the form, the cool decision ol
his l-w brief words, The hat with It's sweeping
Iealher-all marked him as the lar-fAnlcd
Mosby. Longratulaling Inc heartily upon my
narrow escape, he told me that Annie liad
stolen away at night on my horse, and had
warned him OF my danger, when he had hasli-
" gathered Il handful of men together, aud nr-
rived In the nick OF time.
There was no time 10 lose. All the horse.
foot and dragons in l.eesburg would soon Ee
alter us. One Of the captured horses was m;l'lc
ready for Annie. mounted Sultan, anu, alter
hasty visit TO Charlie Fcrnon's grave, We
moved towards Uppervlllc: Annie deci'i-
ed 10 remain with SOME friends In The
I.llray Valley. There left her and returned
to headquarters. No blame attached TO me.
but learned afterwards that 1t had succeeded
In delivering that momentons dispatch. the
campaign of 1861 would not have been fought.
CONCLUSION.
More than two years had elapsed. The war
was over. had been hit twice or thrice, but
had no reason TO complain. Charlie Vernon
lay in Hollywood where wreaihes OF I'M
nto,4clles and garlands Outright summer flowers
carcss his modest tomb. And the girl whom
he loved so madly? Well, rs the husband liz
the vile is, and she's mated 10 clown!
As for myself, | have given up I'LL hetorodoX
notions, and my dearwtn, who is looking over
NE as write, grllmhllng because don't write
more plainly says that one modest paragraph
from the Richmond Dislmtch. which size has
carefully preserved, tells Tic sequel OF my lle:
On the lst instsnt, at ST. PaurS Church. Rich.
m0ud, by the Rev. nr. MinE!"erodc, Captain :. z.
Beverley. late G. S. ~, 10 Miss Annie Lyle OF F;.'l'
qncr County. va.