The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-04-22

slaughter to him who sleeps or wakes
on the battle field, after all. Vaguely
he knew enough OF what must have
been done that day to know that many
a heart had been left more heavy than
his, with youth and hope in it, had any
right TO be. There were women in En-
gland and France who would never
hear their lovers hearts beat again.
There were children whose ~sly wealth
would be the boast that their father 8
were brave men. Even the revelry Of
the night, that contrasted with the peal
of the bugle or the sentry's solemn
"All's well, had its pathos: "Let us
eat and drink, for tomorrow we die"--
or, il not we, then gallant comrade or
gallant foe. Yes, there was something
strangely solemn in the air. There was
Patience waiting his coming home; he
had made Legs Croft safe to old Tom,
unless the Preston's were fools. "All's
well''-all must and shall be well. Was
not despair itself a kind of doubtingp
and what should he think of Patience
il she were to doubt or to despair ,'
And so, while sentinel stars set their
watch in the sky" he placed his ringed
hand upon his heart, and dreamed of
home. And SO, that lovely night,
dreamed many man who was never
to see home again. For eight hundred
Englishmen and thousand French
mon were but the pioneers in the game
of Death which was about to be played.
When he woke, the firing of last
night seemed to be still in his ears. But
it was nothing of the kind; it was the
firing Of this morning. And, still on
the left, the attack had been already
renewed. Once more the regiments
doomed to hold the center of the line
stood waiting and waiting on that never
ending parade. When does the British
soldier not grumble-or the British
farmer, or the true Briton, whoever he
beP There was grumbling enough then,
deep, though, by reason of discipline,
not loud. But presently the din died
away. Was the battle oyerP So it
seemed.
"None of us can say we haven't
smelled powder" said one wag.
"Half breakfast to fight on; seems
to me we ought to have none at all, "
said another.
And with such small wit, and much
smaller criticism, passed the hours, till
unspeakable WEAKNESS was scarce to be
borne.
But all at once was seen new thing.
Not two, but three French columns ad-
vanced across the plain; and well-nigh
at the same moment an aide-de-camp
galloped up to Colonel Rayleigh, who
was in command-Stephen's friend the
Major had met his bullet on the Douro,
and that right bravely. After few
quick words, the aide galloped on.
"My lads" said the Colonel, "our
times come. They're on us now. Only
one thing-hold your fire till the word
and then-fire low."
Stephens heart did beat as the French
column came on at the double quick till
he could distinguish faces and till the
bayonets cleaned so near that child
might strike them with a stone. It
looked as though in another moment
it would be hand TO hand, and, by some
quick and subtitle sympathy, he knew
how every man there was feeling the
long suspense had made his sudden on
set a relief, like a storm Of rain after
an August noon. Both to right and left
the rattle Of musketry was lost in a
great roar. Would the word never come?
"Firer' 1t came.
II was strange and wonderful TO see
how the advancing column reeled and
swayed like wheat under hail. Many
fell; the front rank stumbled back and
threw confusion into the rear
"Well done, my ladsr' cried the
Colonel spurring his horse forward.
"Bayonets-Chargew
[To BE CONTINUED