The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1889-05-01
A STRANGE DISCOVERY.
AN OLD SOLDIERS STORY.

w 10 az lto iuli1 anu ouCNt llCll1 uISl-
low light upon the snow encrusted
earth, that sparkled and shone like
diamonds. The wind blew perfect
gales, and coming from the hilltops
with rush, saluted my cheeks with
an icy, chilling kiss, and then fed
shrieking down into the valley. 1t
was bitter night, and my blood
seemed TO so freeze in my VEINS that
my heart at times would actually
stand still. 1t was weird hour,
the long, ice-clad limbs of the leaf
less trees, wrought most strange and
startling figures on the moonlit
ground, coming and going. Ever
and anon the melancholy voice of
some affrighted bird would break
upon my hearing with an awful dis
tinctness. Then the howl of the
wolf would be borne vibrating to my
ear, most dismal sound. 1t was
but few minutes after midnight
that most ghostly of all hours in n
soldiers watch. sit was such
night as this, that poor Jack Downey
Disappeared" said to myself, and
then with shudder at the recolec-
ton of the poor fellow, l added,
Goods mercy on him." and quick
cned considerably my pacing. L
was then a private in Company A,
the regiment stationed at Fort G
and was this night the sentry on
Post No. 16, that girted in its beat,
the entire frontage of the forest
opening. A dismal place even when
the sun was the brightest, but at
night place that caused fellows
heart to sink at the thought of stop
ping there, the two lonely hours of
the watch.
1t was just two weeks since the
sudden and unaccountable disap-
pearance of Jack Downey, cor
poral in our company. Jack was as
cheerful and as whole-souled fell
low as could be met in long days
march. Popular and true, one would
never suppose that such man
could have an enemy: yet he dis
appeared, and the eager securing of
the entire surrounding failed to dis
close any clew of his whereabouts.
He had been paid off that day, and
it was at first supposed he had yield
ed to the demon of drink, and would
be found in some of the friendly re-
sorts. Every place within miles was
visited, but no one knew anything
about him. All that we could gather
was, that he had gone on leave in
company with Sergeant Jones, but
the sergeant, on being questioned
stated that they had parted at the
Cannon Ball." famous resort OF
the boys, and he was corroborated by
the landlord. Finally we abandoned
all farther search, and on the expir-
alton of ten days, the genial Jack
Downey was officially declared a
deserter, and a reward posted fol
his capture. There was more than
one sad heart when he was so de-
clared, for a true soldier would
rather see his companion dead thar
his name marked with the terrible
Cd"
Somehow, that night, / could not
for the life of me, get rid of the
thought of poor Jack. Do what
would, direct my thoughts as best ]
could, they would of surety drift
back to the same melancholy sub.
ject. At times the shadows would
so shape them, that l would think
saw him standing before me, anG
make me, with shudder, turn
away, then again would / fancy thai
the winds mournfully whispered hi:
name. The thought of the poor
fellow so grew upon me, that | be
came also frantic, and if ever s
hardened sinner repeated the pray
ers of his childhood, / repeated
those of mine that the terribl,
hauntings might leave me. Kinc
heaven at last seemed to have heard
my prayer, for | grew more com
posed, and with a lighter heart
started to walk rapidly down tn,
road.
On reaching the lower end,
stood leaning on my musket, gazing
vacantly across the snow covered
waste that interviewed between mt
and the woods. / had not remained
in that position long when l wa
startled by what appeared to be thu
figure of a man, coming from tn,
woods towards me. In an instan
| was in readiness to receive him
and anxiously awaited his approach
On, on he came, steadily and noise
lessly. When about thirty pace
off l brought my piece TO charge
and, in frozen, husky voice, crieC
out, "Who comes there!" No an
swer. The figure unheedingly con
tinued to come on. "Who comes
therc?" | again cried, but in /,
louder voice and with more deter
mination. Still without answering
! the figure approached. Astonishet
and not q little terrified, L gazet
eagerly upon the intruder, and notec
that he wore the uniform of a cor
poral in our own service. Whel
about five PAGES from me he halted
and the moonlight falling directl'
on his face, | saw, as / am a Twin,
man, / saw the features of Jacl