The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1889-05-03

Paul knelt by his side, raised his
head tenderly and rested it on his
knee. The nan closed his eyes
for moment, then opened them
and fixed them on Paul's irighten
ed face.
ooh, SIR gasped Paul family,
''iS there anything | can do for
vouW
Nothing, nothing" murmured
the man. "It's all over with me
now,n and he pointed TO the wound
IN his forehead,
"Let me run to The house and get
something for you or have them
bring you up home on a wagon"
pleaded Paul, as he wiped away
The blood with his handkerchief.
mo, no; let me die here-l
haven't long to live" he gasped.
''But the Yankees will soon return
and they will find my dispatches
ON me. They are important ones
and had to be delivered by 10 TO.
night, or else-we would lose the
battle tomorrow"
"Couldn't they be sent, sir 2"
queried Paul anxious TO relieve
him.
There's no one to take them-at
least, no one / could trust," MUIR
INJURED the soldier. "And besides,
the distance is over thirty miles
and The Yankees are before US on
the road"
A bright thought struck Paul.
II will take them, sir" he said
quickly. "Io whom are they TO be
delivered W
"Colonel Raynor, Forty-lhird
Virginia Cavalry, at Rockville.
But could you really undertake
such a ride-thirty-five miles in
four hours ?" and The dying soldier
looked anxiously at Paul.
"Yes, sir, | promise you | will do
it," answered Paul braveIy.
The man pointed to his vest
pocket. Paul drew out from 1t a
blood stained packet Of dispatches.
The man was very near the end
now. With a grateful smile at the
young face bending over HIM, he
whispered family:
"Thank you, oh thank you-you
will save the men. Tell them why
{ could not come. Send my watch
f to my mother, whose address is on
this letter. Tell them how died
and bury me here-here."
I The eyes closed, the hands drop
ped, the head fell back. and the
brave courier lay dead by the road
: side. Paul spread the cavalry
cloak over the still form, thrust
the dispatches in his pocket, sprang
on the waiting charger and started
down the road.
1t was now about 6 o'clock. II
he wished to keep his promise he
had no time to lose. Should he go
home first, it would be a great de-
lay and perhaps they would not let
him go at all. So he determined
to start Immediately, He called a
/ negro man who stood in fie d
, near by, telling him TO run to the
house and inform the family oi
what had happened, and have the
: soldiers body cared for immedi'
ately. Thea touching the fiery
: horse with his heels, he dashed of
) down The road.
The horse, a blOoded animal with
arching neck, slender limbs, plung.
ed forward if stung and swept OH
} at hard galIop. Down the road
r they clattered, past the farm, over
, the wooden bridge, then out into
b. the level road once more. 1t was
growing dark rapidly. Low in the
east were great banks of dark
I clouds through which the light
nings flashed, and in the distance
2 could be heard the low rumble OI
l thunder.
f They neared a dark forest thai
! loomed up before them.
. Paul was brave boy, but he
could not help glancing anxiously
l at the deep shadows of the woods
q at the tall trees fitting by aud list
e ening 10 the dismal echoes hi
/ horse S footballs awoke. Suddenly
r there came flash of lightning anC
d tall oak, shivered from top Il
t bottom, fell across the pathway
n AT The same time loud clap o
i thunder shook the ground anC
4 died away in low revefberation
D over the distant mountains.
n Paul's horse reared on it
e launches, paralyZed with fear
d then, trembling in every limb
e witha wild neigh of terror, it mad
a hying leap over the proslrat
d tree and darted down the roa'
? with flying feet
Is Paul knew his danger, but wa
% accustomed to riding, and he clun
q To The saddle with his head ben
d forward on the horses neck. i
v keep the horse slrals .ht in the roa
l. was hIs object, and each mOmen
Il bore them nearer 10 their desiina
lion.
,e The dispatches must be deliver
d ed in time; they were OF vital IN
porlance 10 the army, and the bo
n was a true Southerner AT hear
ID ready 10 die for his country. II
er would do his duty; no one shoul
is ever say he was coward.
es Suddenly the rain began TO pot
IA IN torrents, making a blindin
or sheet of water. The lighinln
Id flashes lit the wild scene from tim
le to time, and boom on boom Of lou'
ly rumbling thunder echoed anon