The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-09-17
THE MAJORS GHOST.

It was the twelfth annual dinner of
tho club, and tho colonel, the major, the
captain and myself were seated around O
table loaded with wine and fruit. We
were the, remainder of our club, which
originally contained all tho officers of
our regiment who had survived the war.
At first there . fifteen of us, but the
hardships and uunds of these four bit
ter years had taken tho others away.
Every year there was one plate less, and
we began to look Oh our final dissolution.
But we four who had met tho previous
year, gladly drained glass to tho dis
comfort Of the broken spell.
It had not been our fate to have the
fame of victory without toll, for ours
had been fighting regiment. Dangers
shared together had strengthened the
bond of friendship, and these yearly
meetings were rich in stories of old
times-stories of daring, or of the kind
ness of some who had gone to eternal
rest. None of us were old men. The
colonel was just forty, the major was
thirty-five, and the captain was thirty
three, and six years his junior. We
were all married. except the major, and
it was wonder to lis that he was not
married, for the major was just the man
who could have made good and true
woman's life bright and joyous.
Handsome, brave, generous, de-
ightful talher, an author Of no common
merit, and possessed OF a fortune ample
enough to make the worlds comforts
and luxuries accessible, the ma jor was
much sought in society and was ever
ready to respond to the call. But while
attentive to all women with whom he
was thrown in contact he was noted for
the impartiaity with which he bestowed
these attentions. We knew that he
could easily carry off desirable prize,
but he never made the attempt.
AS our knowledge of his character had
shown us his chivalrous devotion to
women, and as we knew that during our
acquaintance he had mover had prefer
ence for any special one, we were puz-
sled to know why this was 80. We had
made him the point of subtle attacks
regarding the matter, but the Major was
q good strategist, and he turned the
flank Of every forward movement we
essayed in this direction, diverting our
talk into other channels, until at last we
had dropped the matter as one that
might touch OH q sorrow of which we
knew nothing. The talk had beon lively
all through the evening, centreing about
"reminiscences Of jovial times during
raid we had made, which had been pro-
lifio Of amusing gsadventure.
The Major had shown at his best, and
we had listened to his humorous nara
tive with keen delight. So tho dinner
had passed and the dessert was before
lis, the servants had been dismissed and
cigars were lit. Then one Of those un-
accountable silences that como to such
assemblages foil upon us, and wo puffed
away ut our cigars and said nothing,
until the 3tillnoss grew strangely weird
and powerful.
Suddenly the Major stopped smoking,
and, looking at each of lis in turn, said,
"You have often wondered why T am
not married, and now I will tell YOU"
cit is not long story, but it may be
of interest to you, and rs we ore NIL that
is left, I have thought that the secret
should be shared between u ...
"When tho war came + ust
graduated from the college, ,.., gu
know, enlisted as o private. /, }.., no
oasy mattor for mo to do this but / felt
1t to bo my duty. I was young, strong,
and able to fight. had means to make
tho life of soldier as comfortable rs it
could be made, and whilo my mind
longed for literary and peaceful scenes,
still felt that T owed my country a
duty. It was but short time after
enlisted when we wero ordered South.
The regiment, as you know, had hard
work and plenty Of it, but my part was
rs well rewarded rs T could wish, for 7
was soon advanced to the command of
my company. "*
"You romembor the time when We
went south of tho Rappahannock, and
were quartered in this queer little vii
lage, where oven though we were foes,
the people treated lis 80 kindly? You
must also remember the large house
back Of the village, the one that crowned
the hill on whose sides were 80 many
orchards? Well, had boon but day
in the village whom I found out that it
was the native place of Harry Wayne,
my college chum, and also, that the
house on the hill was his homo.
"For few days I refrained from call