Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1883-09-29
TIE BATTLE OF ARDMORE,
BEING A GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF A FIERCE
DOMESTIC WAR.

The sunshine never kissed a lovelier
lay nor blessed tiiref scene. All the
and, and the sky and the clouds were
clad in the beauty of June. The lanes
we're fringed with emerald the round
Hycd daisies beepel out from the billowy
iclds Of grass, and daintier wild flowers
# the woods nestled like gems in the
velvct moss. Down in the tnrnduws the
Dutterctlps cleaned like buttons of gold.
Over the low hills the soft winds whis-
pered to the leaves about nthcr SIAM
mcrs, and down through the shadowy
woods the little brook laughed and sung
and babbled like child playing by it.
self. Here and there cottage nestled
amUng the trees. The distant calls Of
children came ripping across the fields.
The long road wound away, yellow aud
quiet, until it turned oae OF sight beyo' d
the little church with its aIcwy WITS
and slender spire.
How qnie, and peaceful all the world
lay before the -,:ndow Of my prison that
lay in June Far away the note of
a meadow-lark came, and was heard no
more. Now and then the whistle of
robin at times the twitter Of blue
bird. It was such All afternoon as you
would wish to endure forever. White
| winged peace smiled in the sunshine,
and -alg with the zephyrs and the
brook, and the far-away calls and
scarcely heard laughter of the children
| playing somewhere unseen. It's music
is the crown of the lays beauty and
tranquility.
THE BUGLE CALL.
Clear, mellow, distant, four or five
notes of bugle ring out over the low
hills, and come cchoipg down the forest
aisles. How my heart leaped at the
sound Of the bugle call ! How my blood
went surging through my veins like
tide Of lava Out of my prison window
[ look with straining eyes. In the flut
tering leaves / can see no glitter Of bay
onets. l listen, but down the road or
across the meadow l can hear not the
rumble of a battery hurrying into posi-
ton. How silent is all this And yet
not silent enough. l want the wind to
hush, and the leaves to keep still, and
TIE brook to stifle its babble and laugh
ter / am listening for football, the
cracking of twic, the mufiled tramp Of
column of men stealing through the
woods under leafy cover. | am listening
for the neigh of !; horse, clatter OF
rvthmic hoof-lcats. n ringing carbine-
shot. L, ering out of the window of nv
pn4v cell. | am li>tening-e since
that first bugle- call came winding over
the hill have been stening-for sterner
music than the robins note and the
wood brooks murmur
"Malch -
There it is at last? I can see nothing
from this window. The voice comes
ike far-awav echo of the bugle-a boy
,sh voice. softened into music by the day
and the distance. | picture to myseli
he fair haired Lieutenant who com
maids the skirmishers. All those DAYS
made men Of the boys; the school bo,
,ought beside the veteran. and the Ad
;utnIt Of % messed with the Colonel O
10. Will the line never come in my
sight?
Halt -
Silence again. ana once more the hn
Gle calls down the. unseen line. Now
can hear the tramp of fee, amid all iii.
. terrible hush al preparation. All al'on
, Leihe tide Of battle will sweep save
, MY where can see Il: and I-penned
. /. this PRISON like Gagged rat, with ring
, tug huSle AMI cianking saber calling IT,
!. 1nt. shouting my name in words tha
! burn and ring and ring again and ! an
here.
THE MARCHING HOSTS.
March -
Away of the tap Of a drum. the fam
dsEn. fam. casiencing the step of tbs
marching column. Nearer Il comes, an
further away II sweeps, :ain,s into quie
II last
Tramp. tramp. tramp. Muiled. We
'lss!1.ct, ard stepping nearer with ever,
teot-iall. Their they come" shout
: ,ome one. hold nv breath; / pres.