The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1880-03-25
[Temple Bari
THE SEALED LETTER i.
IN FOUR CHAPTERS.
CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER |.
The great road from Paris to Bel
gium is both long and dull, stretching
away mile after mile in a perfectly
straight line through a hldeous coun-
try of yellow mud, without trees OF
hedges, and nearly perfectly fat. Yet
in this uninteresting country, when |
was on horseback and alone, [ met
! with an adventure which | have never
since forgotten. It was as long ago
as the year 1915, when the scarcely
unexpected return of the great empe-
ror from Elba had led to a plentiful
exodus of those who had attached
themselves to the fortunes Of King
Louis XVIII, more especially those
who, like myself, had been in attend
ance upon the person of the king.
My horse had cast shoe, and [ had
thus fallen little in the rear Of my
comrades, whose white cloaks and
crimson uniforms were easily discerni-
bic through the binding rain Oh the
horizon in front; whilst behind ME the
lancers of Bonaparte, with their tri-
colored pennons, hoyered in the rear,
following us step by step, with the
evident intention Of seeing US over the
frontier. [ was but little more than
a lad, but | had tolerable horse un-
der me-. and a plentiful supply of
money in my pockets; and although
the rain came down without ceasing,
and | was wet through and covered
with mud, l kept up my spirits by
singing one of the popular songs of
the day, whilst [ watched tie rain
trickling over my new gold epaulets.
At last my horse began to droop his
head, and, like him, my spirits sobered
down, and [ began for the first time to
ask myself where | was going. | had
not the faintest notion, but [ did not
trouble myself much on that score, for
my squadron was in front, and in fol-
lowing my comrades | was but doing
my duty-a more than sufficient rea-
son to my not very troublesome con-
science. Insensibly, however, [ began
analyzing this curious feeling of abne-
CATION of self, which is at the bottom
of all sense of duty, more especially as
it might affect a soldier, and | specu-
lated freely upon the disagreeable po-
sitions [ might find myself placed in
when duty and obedience pointed in
one direction, and ones own feelings
in the other.
The pouring rain, the dismal coun-
try, the endless road, were not likely
to give the most cheerful tone to my
cogitations, and [ was but too glad Of
the break afforded by the sudden ap-
pearance Of a black object crawling
along the yellow road at the distance
of something like mile and half,
and which was evidently under the
control of some human being or other,
who would at least put an end to my
dreary tete-a-tete. | reined in my
horse to examine the object more care
fully, and soon made out that it con-
sisted of small covered cart drawn by
some animal, which, from the zigzag
mode of progression adopted, was evi-
IDENTIFY even more tired and depressed
than the horse I was riding The
poor animal seemed as pleased at the
prospect of companionship as [ was,
and willingly responding to my efforts
to make him mend his pace, [ was
soon enabled to see that [ was fast
approaching a small spring cart, over
which black tarpaulin was stretched
by means Of three ribs Of wood, re-
sembling a sort of cradle on wheels,
whilst the tired mule who dragged it
YEARLY along was guided by a man
holding the reins in his hands as he
trudged stoutly by its side. [ had
plenty of time to make my observa-
tions as | ranged up alongside Of my
future companion, who was a tall,
athletic man of some fifty years of
age, with thick white mus staches, and
the slight stoop in the shoulders which
is the unmistakable sign of the old in
fantry officer who has long carried
the knapsack. He Wore the uniform
and epaulets of a major, under a small,
blue and rather threadbare cloak, and
he had the weather. beaten look on his
face which is so common among men
who have seen a good deal of rough
service in the field. As | approached
him he gave me quick glance from
under his shaggy eyebrows, and slow
ly drawing loaded musket from the
little cart, he cooked it, whilst placing
himself on the other side of the mule,
which was thus unconsciously trans
formed into rampant. Seeing the
white cockade, | contented myself
with drawing aside my cloak so as to
show my uniform, and he at once re-
placed the musket in the cart, saying,
with a backward gesture Of his
thumb
''Ah! that makes all the difference.
[ took you for one of those fellows
who are following us behind there.
Would you like a drinl1?"
GLADLY" said |, approaching him
eagerly; ''for it's more than ten hours
since anything but rain water has
passed my lips
He had very prettily engraved CO.
Goa nut with a silver top slung round