Louisiana capitolian., 1880-04-03
A LEGEND.

Leu every llItu, NONIdu dHA C'iiu
whose bosom contains u heart read
the following exquisite legend from
the Macon Telegraph. 1t is many
years since American literature had
anything contributed to it which
contained more ofgenuinc pathos and
stinging sarcasm:
The city is quiet again. Grant has
departed. The crowd that met to
celebrate the "Coming of Arthur"
has dispersed, and the only figure in
sight as passed down Broad street
last night was the marble Confrderates
upon the monument, four generals on
the corners of it, and perched above,
on the shaft, our old friend, the
private. 1t had not been ield-day
for Contrds, and, not feeling in a
mood for slumber, went over to keep
them company awhile. Sitting down
on the terrace, | fell to musing on the
day, and the silent man who SO lately
had held the destncs of our country
in his grasp. How long sat there
can not tell, but it mast have been
some time, as busy memory w0ve
many il scene into the moonlight
around me. Suddenly, however, ]
heard a slight cough, seemingly
above me, yet when glanced upward
only the white marble met my gaze
the four generals and the private
high above, with rigid face and limbs
and eyes set straight ahead. Think
ing | had been mistaken, | resumed
my revery, only to be disturbedagain
by Il distinct "ahem !" long drawn
out. This time | arose and made a
craeful survey Of the spot. No living
body met my view, and | was about
to resume my seat when the sound
was repeated. Glancing upward |
remarked in jest tothe private. "This
night air appears to choke you, my
friend ?" Looking down at me, to my
astonishment, he replied distinctly,
"No! am used to it. Slept round
the hills of Virginia four or five years,
aud don't mind it the least" l could
only stare at him in silence. Presently
he asked
"Been in town all day ~
eyes, I stammcrcd, "bcen here
all day"
"Sccn Grant ?"
"Oh, yes saw him distinctly.
Looks a little more bloated, perhaps,
than when | saw him last, but the
same old Grant. Have you seen him?"
eyes; he came along this way.
Heard him ask what | was up there
for, but nobody seemed to know, and
lcan't exactly recollect myself. They
ought to have put an interrogation
point over me, and then the people
would know was q cOnundrum."
This joke appeared to tickele the
gentleman exceedingly, for he
chucklcd away for a minute and a
half over it. did not laugh. The
point of the joke was probably blunt
ed in the fall, as / could not sec it.
After he had laughed all the fun out
Of his reflections, he said:
81 think it a downright shame, they
didn't give me q chance to whoop
with the patriots to-day, little fore
thought, a little invention on the part
of the council, and the day would
have passed off with the utmost eclat.
l wanted awfully to cheer; tried to
work my right handn to my hat, but
it was no use, couldn't bulge it, and
my cap is .jammed down as light as
blazes; couldn't say a word, and was
afraid to smile, because | knew how
shostly ! would look. Here I've stood
all day, a sort OF Banquo's ghost at
the reception, and | would have as
sisted so willingly; would cheerfulIy
have submitted to being pawDed for
funds enough to have gotten up ban
quet. But no, everybody was too busy
to notice me. Too busy too busy "
| felt right sorry for the fellow, and,
to break the silence that followed his
declaration, remarked:
"Thenyou are an admirer of Grant,"
"Admirer? Well, l should smile.
Why, slept out on the ground for
years, eating hard tack, wearing old
clothes, aud drinking mud and water,
just to be near him. Those were good
old days, however, and full of fun.
Yon see Grant and his boys would
come down to our quarters now and
then, and we would get up the live
liest entertainment You ever saw.
Sometimes fellows would get killed
and wounded, but that didn't make
any difference. We ware nhlirnd f0