The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-11-05

ING tear fell on it. She looked full of
astonishment at me, for | hurried from
her presence.
The same evening, [ asked for leave;
which was granted the more freely, as
our regiment was soon to change quar-
ters. ] left, and have not seen Laura
since.
''Now tell me, nephew, did not the
grays bring sorrow and grief to me?"
''But tell me. f3r heavens sake, why
did you fy?'
'.Do you think Laura would ever
have consented to be my wife after
that proof Of awkwardness, needless
ness and Stupidity" asked the general,
with a frown Of Indignation on his
brow,
:sBut let it pass he continued,
Gwen at sixty years. ] am not too
old to feel pain in The remembrance.
But wartime came on, and | still had
my Ali; he bore mczsaftly out of many
fight, and helped me Is these trifies,
and the old man pointed to his power
ful chest, which was nearly covered
with decorations!
at was on Monday, | think when
we fought a hard fight; of course | was
leading MY meni maybe | yentured
too far; the fact is, | was surrounded.
A blow fell on my right arm and dis
abled it; a second on my head, and |
fell forward ON the neck Of my horse.
[ only saw that the soldier who dealt
the blow rode a beautiful gray
grasped my Ais name and betame in
sensible-but the noble animal, feeling
that something was the matter with
his master, reared and plunged through
the ranks that were spinging to seize
me from my horse and make nie a prls-
oner; he brought me to my own men,
who had rushed to my rescue, and they
afterwards told me Of Ais heroic
achievement. | was obliged to leave
the field of honor before the end Of
the war; this grieved me more than l
can tell; for the first time / cursed that
gipsy and all her kin, for was it not
again a groy that brought on his back
i'll luck to me2'
One more fatti | was colonel then,
when ] got news that my father was on
his death-bed, and begged nte hasten to
his side. ] took post-horses.. The
estate Of father was a two days drive
from the town where we were quar-
tered. | hoped to be in time by tray
cling night and day: | could already
see my native mountains, over which
the rising moon was casting its silver
light, when the horse suddenly took
fright at some shadow, and off they
went, upsetting the coach, which was
dashed to pieces. | contrived to dis
entangIe myself. What stood snOrting
before me? -Four grays, which had
been put on at the last station!
"Without word | walked on to the
next station, got a horse and galloped
off. / had lost full four hours by the
accident. [ was in time to receive my
mother fainting in my arms-my father
had, that moment expired.
The general rose; and with. huge
strides paced the room; at last he
before his nephew and said:
"The crotchet gra5S bringing i'll
luck to me, | have long ago put odt Of
my head; the more so, as | have been
told that the beautiful Laura would
have become my wife i'll spite of my
awkwardness, or because Of it-who-
ever understood a woman?"
But [ never take the white chess
men!"
''WeI, nephew, you are going to
EIIcn's now"
''Yes uncle" /
"Well, then, | will accompany you"
''This is gloriousl"- cried his nephew
him, adding:
sit is MY crochet that all goes well
if you are near me"
The general pressed his hand, and as
it had grown rather late by that tale Of
by-goncs, they hurried away together: |
Three weeks later the general had no |
objections to be driven to church by |
grays, to put the hand Of sweet Ellen
Wilson in his nephew's- although he |
used afterwards to say they had still |
brought i'll luck to him, having had to
give, while still living, his whole for
tune to his dearly loved nephew.
And when, two years later, the old |
Incles had the joy to hold a son Of his
nephew on his knees, what was the first
present he made him?
A rocking hOrse-a gray.