Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-04-24

and good fortune should permit you to receive this, come to us at once. Albert is badly wounded. Colonel Morgan Is also here, mor- tally wounded fear. Blackhawk, whom I accidentally met. will guide you LILIIE."
 Tenderly folding the note he thrust it into his pocket next his heart, and turning to Blackhawk said
 "Can you take me to the houser'
 "Yes, sah."
 "How far is it?"
 ''Bout six miles, sah, may be seven."
 'Did you walk or ride?''
 "W alked, massa; couldn't find hoss."
 Well, Blackhawk, we must get horses to ride back"
 At this moment the door ot the tent was darkened by the appearance of white haired soldier, who had bandage about his head and one arm in sling.
 "Whar ye gwine, Kernel?" he asked, with the familiarity of friend.
 II shall leave camp for short time, Tom"
 1T jist came ter tell ye, Kernel, that Max I'll grumble no more."
 "What !-dead"
 "Yes, Kernel, jist breathed his last"
 "How is Ned Cotton2"
 'First rate, reckon; the doctor tux his leg off ter day and thinks he'll live, but Ned's almost tuckered out"
 'Did you lind Bill Snowa"
 'Yes, n buried him''
 Colonel Mason bowed his head, and for a moment was lost in painful thought. Then, with sigh, he said:
 "Tom, am the only one of the origin al five who escaped unharmed. It is sad, but 1t is the fortunes of war.'
 "Kernel, I've follered ye through thick n thin; I've it every time at yer side, n Pm 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- sil he is able to go 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 I must go.'
 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 Coloners hand he said:
 They're all gone but you an me, Kernel, n next it I'll be old Tom. But won't kick. Good-bye.''
 Luke left him and with his guide mounted the horses he had ordered, and they began thelr journey. On every side of the road little mounds of fresh earth marked the last resting place of some brave soldier, who wore either the blue or gray.
 Shiloh's stubborn fight taught both North and South 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 a shudder when the groans of some dying wretch in the brush at the roadside reached his ears.
 Afar off in the wood could be seen torches moving about. They seemed the lights of ghouls or ghosts who lowered over the field of 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 few days before had been the scene of such pandemonium, was now silent as the tomb. The intense darkness, broken only here and there by the ghoulish-like lights that fitted about, seemed to cast an ap- palling gloom over the le-field, magnify ing instead of decreasing it's horrors.
 "Are you acquainted with this country?" Colonel Mason asked Blackhawk as they passed beyond the outlying pickets.
 "Yes, massa, has been all ober it many time. Vars ago lived fur a week in desc woods"
 "In the woods. Were you a runaway?"
 "Don' talk bout dat, massa; it am all over now"
 Blackhawk, won't you explain that mys- tery to me, at which you have intimated time and again? Who are you2 Who am II For feel that you have my past history 1OCheu up III your DredSu.'
 "I will tole yo' soon, massa, but not now; no time now" After few moments si- lence Luke said:
 " Blackhawk, where were you during the battle?"
 "Right in t, massa, from fust to last. fought all de time and kill um; eber so many" The chuckle of infinite satisfaction which followed thls sent a thrill of horror through Luke's frame, and he almost loathed the cold-b -blooded, heartless African. In order to change the subject he asked:
 "Did you see Lillie Neff?" "Yes, massa; I saw Miss Lillie on de berry fust day ob de fight. She came to house wha' all de folks dun ran of, an was dar to shoot rebels. By n by some l rebs came in wid her brudder n she made me hide my gun. De shootin' could be heerd down heah, an' all lowed as dar war 8 ayv full big fight ergoin' on. Massa Albert war in a heap O trouble bout dat secesh gal, Elsie Morgan, who couldn't be found, but by n by she came wid her father-an'l wush I'd my gun t kill 'um, but I promis, Miss Lillie won't, n won't. Den dar wal alot ob soft talk n kissin' tween Miss Elsie n Massa Albert n he go away wid all ds sojers to fight an' both O de missus follel 1 to take keer of de wounded. "I got my gun an went to de woods te, | fight, and spent two days shootin' men hated. I didn't know zactly which't | whipped, when I meets de leetle Missu, l Elsie comin fur dis chile. She say flu. 1 me to come to a lone cabin in de woods an l I go dar wid her. Iknowed 1t, cos it war d, cabin Istayed in many, many y'ars ago. pe l To be continued. l LIES HOTEL, | C%-nDA