The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-08-31
VOLUME

the dense foliage ola large beech which
stood on the opposite bank and leaned
over the stream at the base of the cliff.
From limb to limb I bounded, you
would imagine, with far greater veloc-
ity than comfort-for while the saliva
ton ofmy life was undoubtedly due to
those limbs, my own limbs and body
were one vast confusion. The lower
limbs of the beech, You are aware, are
usually near the ground therefore my
fall in the Clear" as bridge men say,
was almost a trifle. The stream be-
meath the tree was something over
waist deep, and afforded me an excel
lent spot to light upon. Gaining my
feet in the water (more from instinct or
accident than design, I grasped a
drift-log, and steadiod myself until I
recovered consciousness and strength
sufficient to wade ashore
Though almost ineapacitated for
travel, I at once started in what
thought a northwester]y direction, de-
termined to reach Kentucky as soon as
possible. travelled all that night, the
whole Of next day, and until about IL
o'clock the following night, when I
came upon what l afterwards learned
to be the Cumberland river. With my
characteristic luck, I soon found skitf
Tor a " dug-out," as the people up there
call it. }, in which I made my way down
to Burksville, little town OH the riv-
err, where took boat for Louisville,
and thence by rail and stage to my
home in Virginia.
Near the close of the late war, while
Oh business tour through Kentucky,
l stopped one afternoon at a little town
in the central part of the State. had
scarcely registered my name at the
hotel when DR.. c., an old schoolmate
whom had not seen for number of
years, hearing Of my arrival, called to
sec me, and, after short chat concern
ing our younger and better days, invi-
ted me to ride with him out to IL SOL
diers' hospital in the outskirts of the
village, of which he had charge.
While waiting tor the doctor, who
had gone upstairs to see a Lieutenant
who was lying very low, I concluded
that would "walk the wards" as they
say in medical parlance. I had gone
but short distance down a side aisle
of the room when my eyes fell upon
what seemed to be the wreck of once
noble manhood. His form was wasted
by disease, and his countenance was
the picture of care and solicitude. !
sat down by the bedside and asked
him if there was anything that I could
do in the way of relief.
ono, my FRIEND" said tho poor fell
low, lifting his hallow eyes up into
mine;" "it is mental and not bodily
comfort that long for now" and then
tossing his head upon his pillow, he
exclaimed, ooh the past! the dark and
terrible past"
The latter sentence, uttered in solil-
oquy and anguish clearly portrayed
the nature of his mental agony-thert
was burden upon his soul that he was
| unable to bear.
, sForget the dark and terrible past,
said l, "and fix your thoughts upon tht
dark and terrible future"
III thank you, young man, for YOU
kindly advice. But how can forge
that which haunts me by day and b,
D night 2"
"Tell NEIL replied, "what it i
that haunts you by night, and l vii
teach you how to forget it."
Raising himself upon his elbow, Ii
: took hold OF my hand, and, with tear
/, of gratitude dripping from his cheek
t lie began:
a "Your humane and disintereste,
0 kindness has wholly disarmed me O
! fear. I will tell you now the score
1 agony have so long endured, and as1
your prayers in my behalf. ha
0 scarcely reached my majority, when
becoming tired of my, old home, ant
being possessed of a wayward and ad
vcnturous spirit, l sought the highwa
: in the desolate region of Southwestern
: Virginia, and there, for upwards 9
g two years, in company with four noto
u freebooters from North Carolina, I le
the life of an outlaw. I haven't til
strength to relate to you all of GU
g deeds of shame. There is one, how
:. ever, moro dreadful to mo than all til
B rest, as it was the only instance j
which, with my own hands, I took tn
II life of fellow-creature. One storm
= night there came to our den. whic
8 stood upon the top of an almost insul
c mountable height, a young ma1 VIII
had lost his way, and who mistook til
o light which shone through our doc
u for a isherman's torch. When th