The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-08-28

up to taunt me with this mystery. Out
with 1t, man or devil, whichever you are;
tell me what you wantp'
"pve got lettah for massa, dat am all,n
and the negro handed the Colonel bit Of
folded paper. II promised to bring 1t to
you, Dlassa, and I've done it.n
Opening it, Colonel Mason was astounded
to find the brief note In the handwriting Of
his betrothed. II read: -t.sirs ea le
"DEAR LUKE: II Heaven has spared you,
and 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 /
accidentally met, will guide you. LILLE"
Tenderly folding the note he thrust 1t
into his pocket next his heart, and turning
TO Blackhawk said:
"Can you take me to the housei"
"Yes, sah.r
SHOW far is itl"
"'Bout ak miles, sab, may be seven"
"Did you walk or ridei"
"Wallied, masSA; couldn't find boss"
"Well, Blackhawk, we must get horses to
ride back"
At this moment the door OF the tent was
darkened by the appearance OF white
haired soldier, who had q baudage about his
head and one arm in sling.
"Whar ye gwine, Kernelf" he asked, with
the familiarity Of friend.
II shall leave camp for short time, Tom "
II jist came ter tell ye, Kernel, that
Max IL grumble no more"
"What l-deadp
"Yes, Kernel, jist breathed his last"
"How Is Fed CottonP'
"First rate, reckon; the doctor TUX his
Nei's almost tuckered out"
"Did you find Bill Snowi"
''Yes, N buried him"
Colonel Mason bowed his head, and for
moment was lost in painful thought. Then,
with q sigh, he said:
"Tom, l am the only one Of the original
five who escaped unharmed. II Is sad, but
it Is the fortunes of war" a
"Kernel, I've follered ye through thick n
thin; I've At every time at yer side, n I'm
sorry can't go WI you this time. Sumthin'
might happen, ye know"
"No, no, Tom; stay with your dead friend
and see him decently buried, nurse Ned un-
Ill he is able TO 20 home. There Is no dan
ger, for the enemy are all out Of the imme-
diate neighborhood. A wounded friend has
sent for me, and must 60"
The wounded veteran Of the "Hornet's
Nest" could make no answer. Those eyes
that had long been dry grew moist with
tears, and wringing his Colonel's hand he
said:
"They're all gone but you an me, Kernel,
n next 1t III be old Tom. But I won't Kick.
Goodbye"
Luke left him and with his guide mounted
the horses he had ordered, and they began
their journey. On every side Of the road
little mounds Of fresh earth marked the
last resting.place Of some bravo soldier,
who wore either the blue or gray.
Shilohs stubborn fight taught both North
and South q lesson. They learned that
there were men Of metal on both sides.
They were brothers Of the same family and
equally brave.
Luke could not repress o shudder when
the groans Of some dying wretch in the
brush at the roadside reached his ears.
Afar OF in the wood could be seen torches
moving about. They seemed the lights Of
ghouls or ghosts who hovered over the field
Of the slain. There still remained many
dead yet in the woods who had 10 be gath
cred up, and those lights belonged TO the
searchers Of the slain. The forest, which
but few days before had been the scene Of
such pandemonium, was now silent as the
,omh The intense darkness, broken only
mere and there by the ghoulish-like lights
that fitted about, seemed 10 cast an ap-
palling gloom over the battlefield, magnify
ing instead Of decreasing its horrors
"Are you acquainted with this countryi'
Colonel Mason asked Blackhawk as they
passed beyond the outlying pickets.
"Yes, massa, has been all ober Il many
o time. Vars ago lived fur q week in
desc woods"
"In the woods. Were you runawayir
"Don' talk bout dat, rnassa; 1t am all over
now"
Blackhawk, won't you explain that mys-
terry TO me, at which you have intimated
time and again. Who are youi Who am II
For l feel that you have my past history
locked up In your breast"
"Iwill tole yo' soon, massa, but not now;
no time now" After few moments 81.
lence Luke said:
"BlackhawE, where wersyOu during the
"Right in u, massa. from fust 10 last.
fought all de time and kill um; eber 80
many" The chucltle Of infinite satisfaction
which followed this sent thrill Of horror
through Luke's frame, and he almost
loathed the cold-blooded, heartless African.
In order TO change the subject he asked:
ibid you see Lille Nefl"
"Yes, massa; / saw Miss Lille on de
berry fust day OBJ de fight. She came to
house wha all dc folks dun ran on, an
was dar 10 shoot rebels. By n BY some
rebs came In wild her brudder n she made
me hide my gun. De shootin' could be heerd
down heah, an all lowed as dar war a 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 y kill 'um, but promise
Miss Lille won't, N won't Den dar war
alot OBJ soft talk N ldssin' tween Miss Elsie
n Massa Albert n he 20 away wild all dc
sojers 10 fight an both o dc missus foIler
TO take keer Of de wounded.
81 got my gun an went to de woods ter
fight, and spent two days 4 shootin' men
hated. ] didn't know zactly which'd
whipped, when ] meets dc lcetle Missus
Elsie comm fur dis chile. Che say fur
me 10 come 10 . lone cabin In co woods an
20 dar wid her. Iknowed if. COS Il war ds