The Irish standard., 1889-05-25

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"I've got a lettah for massa, dat am ALL"
and the negro handed the Colonel bit Of
folded paper. II promised 10 bring it to
you, massa, and I've done it,"
Opening it, Colonel Mason was astounded
to find the brief note in the handwriting OF
his betrothed. Ii read:
"DEAR LUXE: II Heaven has spared you,
aud good fortune should permit you to receive
this come to us at once. Albert is badly
wounded. Colonel Morgan is also here, NOR
tally wounded, ] fear. Blackhawk. whom Z
accidentally met, Will guide you. L1LL1E.''
Tenderly folding the note he thrust it
into his pocket next his heart and turning
to Blacllhavk said:
"Car YOU take me to the house?''
eyes, sab"
elbow far is it?"
"'Bout six miles, sab, may be seven"
"Did you walk or ride?'
s'W allzed, nassa; couldn't find hoss.''
"Well, BlackhaWk, we must get horses to
ride back.''
At this moment the door OF the tent was
aarkened by the appearance Of white
haired soldier, who had a bandage abonthis
head and one arm in @ sling.
"Whar ye gwine, Kernels" he asked, with
the familiarity Of a friend
'Ishall leave camp for a short time, Tom"
II jist came ter tell We, Kernel, thas
Max III grumble no more"
"What !-dead?"
"Yes, Kernel, jist breathed his last
ttI{ow is Ned Cotton?''
sF'jrst rate, I reckon; the doctor TUX his
leg of ter day and thinks ho'll live, bat
Ned's almost t,1chered out
ssDid you lind Bill Snowy
eyes, m buried him.
Colonel Mason bowed his head, and for a
moment was lost in painful thought Then,
with a sigh, he said:
ssTon, am the only ons OF the origin al
five who escaped unframed. 1t is sad, but
it is the fortunes Of war"
'sKernel, I've follered ye through thick n
thin; I've fit every time at yer side, IN I'm
sorry can't go WIZ you this time. Sumthin'
might happen, We know"
s'No, no. Tom; stay with your dead friend
and see him decently buried, nurse Ned un-
til he is able to go home. There is no dam
ger, for the enemy are all out Of the inme-
date neighborhood. A wounded friend has
sent for me, and / must 60"
The wounded veteran Of the "Hornet's
Nest could make no answer. These eyes
that had long been dry grew moist with
tears, and wringing his Colonel's hand he
said:
"Ehey're all gone but you am nue., Kernel,
n next it III be old Tom. But J. won't kick.
Goodbye"
Luke left him and with his guide mounted
The horses he had ordered, and they began
the1r journey. On every side of tic road
little mounds Of fresh earth marked the
last resting place Of some brave soldier,
who wore either the blue Or gray.
ct, nr,fI,
aud South a lesson. They learned that
Ii ere were men CT metal On both sides.
They were brothers of the same family and
equally brave.
Luke could not repress g sAudder when
the groans of some dying wretch in che
brush at the roadside reached his ears.
Affair off in the wood could be seen torches
moving about. They seemed the lights Of
ghouls or ghosts who lowered over the field
If the slain. There still remained many
dead yet in the woods who had to be gath
cred up, and those lights belonged to the
searchers of the slain. The forest, which
but q few days before had been the scene Of
such d pandenlonium, was now silent as the
Tomb The intense darkness, broken only
here aud there by the ghonlish-like lights
that fitted about: seemed to cast en- ap-
palling gloom over the battlefield, magnify
ng instead of decreasing it's horrors.
care you acquainted with this country2"
Colonel Mason asked Blackhawk as they
passed beyond the outlying pickets.
eyes 1nassa, has been all ODER it many
time. Vars ago 1 lived fur q week in
desc woods"
SIN the woods. Were you runaways''
ssDon' talk 'boutdat, ulassa: it am all over
aow''
"Blackhawk, won't you explain that mys-
terry to me, at which you have intiraated
time and again? Who are you? Who am /?
For feel that you have my past history
locked up in your breast.'
ST will tole yo' soon, massa, but not now;
no time now.'' After q few moments ST.
fence Luke said:
Blackhawls, where were you during the
battle?"
ssRight in It, massa. from fust to last.
fought all dc time and ! kill UNI; eber SO
many" The chuckle Of infinite satisfaction
which followed this sent q thrill of horror
through Luke's frame, and ne almost
loathed the cold blooded, beartless African.
In order to change the subject he asked:
sDd you see Lille Nef?''
eyes, massa; saw Miss Lille on dc
berry fust day OBJ de fight. She came to IL
house villa all OS 1OlhS uuu 1dA I'LL: OIL L
was dar to shoot rebels. By N by some
rebs came in wild her bruNder N she made
me hide my gun. De shootin' could be heerd
down heah, an all lowed as dar war aw-
full big fight ergoin' on. Massa Albert war
in heap o. trouble bout dat secesh gal,
Elsie Morgan, who couldn't be found, but
by N by she came wild her father-an' I
wush I'd my gun t. kill :urn, but promise
N;oe J;11ie vron,t IN + won't Den 6ar war
alot ob soft talk n kissin' tween Miss Elsie
n Massa Albert IN he go away wild all de
sojers to fight an both O. de missus foller
to take keer of de wounded.
81 got my gun an went to de woods ter
fight, and tspeat two days shootin' men 1
hated. I didn't know zactlv Which'0
whipped. when I meets de leetle Missus
Elsie comm fur dis chile She say fur
me to come to lone cabin in de woods an
1 go dar wid her. Iknowed it, cos it war de
cabin stayed in many, many vars