The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-04-04
Select Story.
THE DEAD MARCH.

From Household Words.
The roll of the mufied drum, the wall
of the Dead March, and the slow, measured
tramp of many feet vibrated the balmy
August air, and, even while they spoke of
DEATH brought life into the usually silent
street.
A rabble of idle youths and children
followed the long procession as it moved
slowly by, while women's faces appeared at
almost every window In an upper bed
room of one of the houses two persons were
sitting. The elder one was a very old lady,
whoIlay back in large arm chair, apparently
asleep. The other was young girl, who
was sitting on the floor playing with kit
ten.
When the sound of music made itself
heard the girl looked up and listened. She
glanced anxiously at her companion, and,
after a moments thought, put down the
kitten, rose, and, softly crossing the room,
proceeded to close the window as noiselessly
as possible. Inspite, however, of her care,
her movements reused the old lady, who
looked round and said
"What is the matter, child p
Il was trying to close the window, Aunt
Hester" the child answered; II was afraid
the noise would wake you.
Aunt Hester made no reply, but suddenly
sat up and listened intently, raising her
hand to enforce silence on her niece.
"Ah yes. It is-it is I" she said at last,
clasnino her withered hands. while her
sunken eyes glowed with an emotion that,
for moment, recalled look of youth to
her pale, old, wrinkled face. "Don't shut
the window, Lila. l love to hear it. The
Dead March in Saul-the Dead March in
Saul p
Her trembling voice died away in sigh;
the flush on her cheek faded, but she con-
tinued to lean forward and listen eagerly.
Lila looked at her with a curiosity which
was only restrained by respect from finding
vent in questions.
"Give me your arm, Lila, and hel p me
to the window" her aunt said, as the
sounds came nearer.
Lila ran to her, elped her to rise,
guided her feeble steps across the room,
and continued to support her as they stood
at the window looking down on the melan-
choly procession that was passing below.
Lilla's eyes wandered from the gun-car-
riage, on which the coffin lay, covered with
flag, and surmounted by shake, sword
belt and sword, to the long files Of sol
diers, who marched, with reversed arms
and solemn step, behind, while their officers
walked with lowered sword points behind
them, till, in her youthful impatience of
sorrow, she grew tired Of the tokens of
death, and her attention was attracted and
retained by handsome, fair-haired lad
who looked the very personi6cation Of life.
The unstained freshness of his scarlet coat
the untarnished gloss of his gold lace, the
uncrumpled width of his woven crimson
sash, all indicated the newly Joined sub
altern-an indication which was fully borne
out by the conscious pride of his demeanor
and the involuntary side glances he threw
around in search Of admiration, even while
he conscientiously tried to compose his
bright, mobile face into what he deemed
an expression suitable to the solemn pageant
in which he was, for the first time, per
haps, bearing part
His wandering glances met Lilla's limo
Gently admiring gaze, and the two young
creatures, who were little more than child
ren, moved by some electric current of sym
pathy that was engendered by their common
want of harmony with the scene, exchanged
something that was as near a smile as the
proprieties permitted Then the boy held
his head little higher, and grasped his
sword a little more proudly. But the girl
suddenly touched with vague sense of the
fneness of the line between life and death
heard, for the first time, the wall in tn,
music, and was seized with an undefneC
feeling of sadness, which comes so readily
though so transiently, to the young, anc
which
Is not akin to pain,
And resembles sorrow only
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