Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-01-08
ALIAA GAzETTE& & VIRGINIA ADVERTISER
THE DEAD ALIVE.

THE DEAD ALIVE.
4 singular circumstance was related IN our
hearing few days ago, which at the risk OF
marrirg we shall endeavOr to repeat. James
II. Frankliu, of Selma, noble aud gallant
young Euglishman, was during the war, SER
geant 10 the 'Governor's Guards'-a compa-
nv of the fourth Alabama regiment. At the
first battle Of Manassas, franklin, who was
barefooted, fell behind his own command and
Joined North Carolina regiment. lie luqulr-
ed the name Of the company to which be found
himself temporarily attached aud was surprised
to fnd that it, too, was called the Governor
Guards A few moments later the clash OF
conflict came and Franklin, always cool and COL
lec,ed, singled out an officer whom he saw 10
the front and fired ON him. The officer fell. but
in falling be was observed to throw away let.
ter which, when the enemy fled few moments
later, Fraukliu put himself at some trouble to
recover. He found it to be letter from
Young lady, aud, in the generosity OF his heart,
sent to bis brother-in-law at Mobile, to be re-
turned TO the writer Now this letter contain
ed one or two rather broad illusions, aud the
brother-in-law on reading it determined to show
it to the editor of the Mobile Register, who
took copy, published it, and commented quite
freely upon the iodelicacy manifested by a
young lady in writing such things to young
gentleman. This copyof the Register found its
way to the young lady, where the local Journals
published both letter and comments. When
Erauklin passed over the body Of the officer he
appeared to be 10 the throes of death. He was
living on his face, the blood gushing from his
wouudsaud every short, ,convulsive gasp, to which
his frame quivered, appeared to be his last. His
arms we're exteDded-his form apparently limp
and liieess-his whole appearance indca
ting speedy dissolution. With sigh
Of regret Franklin passed on; and all
through the rest Of the war the memory of
that bleeding officer haunted his imagination.
1t was the only man of all the legions he had
faced, whom he knew that he had killed.
Iu his letter to his brother-in-law he men
toned the fac, that he had killed this officer,
and the Mobile Register, in its comments on
the iady's letter, stated the same fact. The
war wore on to a close. Peace came, and
Frauklo returned to the city of Selma, where
he is still located. 4 year or more ago friend
Of his who had been to New Orleans called up
on hun at his place Of business and delivered
Franklin card which he said was sent to him
by friend 10 New Orleans. Franklin looked
call any acuuaiutanceship with the Individual
whose naue it bore. Turning it curousIy and
scrutinizngy over, his cheeks blanched and his
heart sunk as he read the following
'The man whom you killed at the first bat
tie Of Manassas invites you TO discuss the mat
ter over bottle of champagne should you ever
visit New Orleans u
So his only known victim was 20 victim alter
ALL and great weight was lifted from his
mind. In the course of the conversation that
eusued be learned that bis friend had met the
former officer iu New Orleans, who finding that
he was from Selma inquired after Franklin
with the result already known. The officer
stated that he was carried to Confederate hos
pital and so skilfully treated that be recovered.
but you may tell Franklin, said be, that
he ruined my prospects with the lady In ques.
ton, because alter that publication she would
have nothing more to do with me- Besides,
was aud am, cripple from his wound, and
even now feel it iu my lungs whenever |
cough" The singular feature of this incident
is that one so long accounted dead should, of
all Others be the only man in the country to
seud his foe an invitation so very decidedly
uughost-like. .-Mont9Omery (Alu.) Advertiser
Tue RHINE,-Uulike most great rivers, the
hill or mountain scenery of the Rhine, after it
dcbouches from the Alps, comes after the val
ley, Instead of before. You journey for days
down the river, through great plains and val
lcys before you come to hill big enough to
hold castle to any great advantage. Your
first castle of consequence sits upon a hill side
among the grape-viues, just opposite Bingeu.
lou look at this, but do not like it. 1t is an
imposture. You gaze at it carefully with your
glass from the deck of the steamer that steals
slowly and cautiously down the river through
the rocks, and you see that it has been repair
ed You have suspicion that it is put there,
or is at least carefully preserved for foolish
tourists like yourself to look at; and then you
return and look at 'Bngen on the Rhine. A
dull place; and you do not feel SO deep a sym
pa!hy as you did for the poor soldier boy who
died in Algiers, for you know how little he lost
In never seeing Bingen any more.
Another turn in the crooked lager beer look
lng river another castle. Another turn, and
another. Then two three Opera-glasses are
ln demand, sketch books, aud everybody Is
busy for au hour. The thing then begins to
lose its interest. for you can not keep track OF
them all, and you wish there we're not any
more on all the rushing river. But still the
castles continue. Sometimes they come right
up to the bank and sit down on bluff fifty or
hundred feet above you. Then, again, they
sit indistucty back, and certainly the better
for it. Que old Teuton built his castle 90 an
island IN the river This, 1t is said, was for the
purpose of taking toll. But whatever this old
fellow may have taken, it is safe to say he did
not make half so much out of the whole world
as the Germans are now making out of Amerl-
can tourists who 20 there to gaze upon these
sorry old piles of stones. Letter from Ger
many.