Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-06-05

one of those bills, but now we think he pro-
duces about one a week. The denomina-
tions are fifties, tWenties and tens, and they
are turned into the treasury for redemption
from all parts of the union.
BEHIND THE EARTHWORKS.
All! it was one of the prettiest June days
even Virginia ever saw. There was such
a mellow sunshine that every flower and
blossom turned its face to be kissed, and
there was such happy, peaceful look down
across the fields toYards the James river
that men forgot SaE fsnoment that war ex-
listed. In the trees overhead the robins
called to each other and once a blue bird
alighted on the wheel of a field piece which
had it's shining brass muzzle thrust through
the embrasure ready to send it's shrieking
shell whenever hand pulled the lock
string.
There were a thousand of us down behind
the earthworks, and we were so quiet that
the voice of the colonel reached the last
man on the flanks as he cautioned us: my
lads, we are going to hold this position
against the whole army!"
See thin line of men-skirmishers to
the number of fifty-suddenly break cover
from the woods half mile away and ad-
vance upon us. They skulk, they dodge
they drop down and suddenly rise again
advance as stealthily as Indians intent upon
surprising a hamlet. Bah! Fifty men
against one thousand! No it is not that.
The octopus is in the woods-these skirm-
ishers are the long arms he is reaching out
to feel us-to uncover our position-to as
certain our strength.
"Puff Pufw
1t is the fire of the skirmishers. You
know where the watch dog is by his growl.
| n fn the bpaGt
tray his retreat. Zip! Zip How the bull
lets sing as they 60 over our heads! There
is dead silence behind the works. We
breathe faster and harder-We clutch our
guns with tighter grip, but we are silent.
To kill an octopus you must strike at the
body. Sever his arms and they will grow
again.
"Steady, lads, and wait for the word !!
says the colonel.
There is no excitement among us. hear
the man on my right shut his teeth with a
gritting sound, and the one on my left is
breathing like weary man in profound
slumber. If 1 should look up and down
across the fields and over the heads of the
skirmshers. The grandest sight of the
world is to see the octopus of war leave his
lair and come forth thirsting for human
blood.
An. mere uC I1lS lcclclS lttFC
failed to uncover us, but he can judge for
; himself that such short line of works can
not conceal more than a full regiment. He
does not know that our right flank rests on
q swamp and our left on an impossible
ravine, While our front offers no shelter even
for rabbit. Look! the sight is worth ten
years of your life! A full brigade pours out
of the woods and forms for the charge.
Regiments and companies swing into posi-
/ Sly ishn
double their fire, a general gallops along
the front of the brigade, as If to see that
every foot is on line with its neighbor.
Now they get the word to advance and at
the same instant our field pieces open fire.
The cruel shell are striking plumb into the
front rank and tearing men to pieces by the
half dozen but as the smoke lifts we find
the Octopus marching on with steady move
ment He will demand drop for drop-and
more! Ha! The shrek of shell has chang
ed to the whistle of grape and canister, and
the men at the guns are working; as If IT. the
fate of nations depended upon them. The
smoke drops down in great cloud, and one
cannot see beyond his bayonet. Now it is
rent and shattered, and it lifts and floats
away in great pieces and fragments.
"NoW ladS-and fire lOW?"
The Octopus has been aggered-Wound-
ed-halted-but here he comes again, right
in front of me see face and form which
I select as a target. could kill him now,
but grimly wait for him to come nearer.
He is pale with excitement and as the man
at his left is struck down, my target loses
the steady step of the line. But only for an
instant. Now he is not over forty feet
away, and the fire of musketry has checked
the advance. My weapon points straight
at him. am looking right into his eyes.
l note his brown curls, his high forehead
the white teeth shut tight together in his
excitement. He is not over twenty years
old. He has mother whose poor old heart
will almost break tomorrow. He has Sis
ters who will refuse to be comforted for long
months. And such fair-faced boy must
have a sweetheart whose very soul will cry
out in anguish at the news of his death.
of the check has confused him. He looks to
the right and left, and then into my eyes.
He is standing almost alone. AS our eyes
meet he sees murder in mine, and read an
appeal for mercy in his. The result of a
battle does not hinge upon the life of cor
poral. The war will not be over the sooner
for his death. But take deliberate aim
at his breast, and press the trigger, and
even before feel the shock of the discharge
I see the red blood spray out from the hor-
rible wound, and he falls back with shrek
| upOll
The Octupus is beaten back. I 60 over
the woods and find my target. Those
brown curls are damp with death-the fair
face as white as snOW-the ground soaked
with blood so precious that every drop will
call for hundred tears from women's eyes.
The blue eyes are wide open, the lips are
parted, and as l bend over him it seems as
if his voice came back for an instant to whis-
per the exclamation: Murderer!
And that was war! That was one of the
acts which helped to make a victory for
thousands to shout over-for flags to ripple
for rockets to ascend-for children to cheer
and women to bless high Heaven M.
Quad, IN Detroit Free Press.
ANCIENT MUsIC.-The Egyptian flute
was only cows horn with three or four
holes in it, and their harp or Tyre had only
three strings. The Grecian Tyre had only
seven strings and was very small, being held
in one hand. The Jewish trumpets that
made the walls Of Jericho fall were only
rams horns their flute was the same as the
Egyptian they had no other instrumental
music but by percussion, of which the great
est boast was the psaltery, a small triangular
harp, or Tyre with wire strigs, and struck
with an ;ron poodla or ctirly thair pl hut