Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1871-11-21
A Wonderful Man,
GENERAL JOHN 3. MAGRUDER.

der in rude Texas grave, over which therO
is no monument. The grass was growing
about it in the early SUMMER, aud there were
some flowers there, withered aud faded, scat.
tered by wonan's hand. A vOt1ry at the
shrine of usture and finished diplomat n, the
court OF Venus, it was fitting that there should
be ldrgessc of green growing grasses aud love
flowers II roses are the tear drops of angles,
as the beautiful Arab belief puts forth poetry,
then is this owly mound haIlowed spot, and
needs not the culptuTel stone, tho ireIted col.
umn, tho ivy and the obClsk.
Nagruder was wonderful man. lie stood
six feet four inches in height and had form
men envcd aud women adOred. Ills nerves
were all iron. Foreign travel and comprc.
heuSive culture had given to his wit rest
that was always crisp and sparkling. lie neg.
er Iacreased. To the sting of a repartee ho
uddCd tho honey Of the clover He could
flight all day aud dance oil night In the
morning glass Of braudy and strong cigar
renewed his strength aud caused tho cup Of
his youth to run over with the precious wine
OF health ind high spirits. lie loved mag
pifcent uniforms, magnificent riders aud mag
uiGcent women.
Gifted and graceful in conversation, he YVES
a pet iu the L0m'Oir and logician in the bar.
racks. lie had studied French in Paris,
ltllian 10 Rome, aud Spanish iu the Halls Of
the Moutczumas The sabre exercises hc
learned from Turk. His hOrseuuuship was
Of the English kind, that is t. say, not grace.
tu but impossible to be surpassed for FIRM RI
ding and endurance. lie wrote little love
songs that we're set to music, one Of them,
"lmogene," had in it the plaintive melody ofu
lover uud the sad rythm Of burial bugles.
In the Crmea he astonshed the French OF.
fccrs By sleeping at the front with the chas.
sours under fire. In Mexico he sent back to
the archbishopa lady's perlurncd glove he mad
found in his palace when the city was won.
and with it uOte whi,h read: at is pretty
enough . have belonged to Queen. Would
she hpye Fardoncd me If | hni appropriated
il, 2" As the archbishop sent him the nest
day basket Of delicious wine, it is supposed
that the fair owner OF the glove must have
looked Ienicurly upon the handsome American
soldier. Later, aud he was riding with Gen.
Scott down the long street Of latnrbide.-.
Gen. Garnett Joined them and M.gradcr drew
little back for his superiors to confer to-
gettcr. A white puff Of smoke cnred out
from en open windOw,u sudden report followed
speedly, and Garnet aud horse fell hard and
bloody. An ounce ball. intended !or Scott,
had broken Garnett's thigh, aud killed his
charger. Fearing another fire, Magruder gal
Ioted to tie side Of lis chief and covered
hi, body with hi: own. The old mans eyes
never dropped. nor his voice changed IN in-
lonation. ''Ilow long will it take you t, bat.
ter down tha, house" he spoke curtly to
I.ieuteusnt Magrudcr, pointin. with sweep
of his finger to the nearest, and from which
the bullet cume. "An hour by the watch.
geueraI." "Then open fire at point,blank
range, and leave MT one stone upon another"
II was done uud well done, aud those who
saw Magruder sooncs, afterwards noticed that
he had anctbcr bar on Iii. epaulc,tCs had
been made cuP,aiu Wnr was his element,
the biyouac his delight, aud the battle his
perfect happiness. Besides, prodical, fash.
ionable, fooiishly brave sometimes n spend.
thrift, generous, true friend and sIaunch
oOmradc, the surrender at Apromattox made
him al aged uan 10 his prime, mud vrinkIed
his features. which had before resisted all the
attacks of time.
One who wandered far and long with him
in other lands, in sweet sunshinCy weather,
relates how, from Vera Cruz to the ChapultO
nee he went with Mugruder all over the bat