The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-05-18

grew, and set off towards this column of ,
smoke
By the spot where the road crossed noted |
that many men and horses had lately passed !
hereby to westward, and, by their footmarks,
at great speed A little farther and | came
on broken musket flung against the hedge,
with nauseous mess of blood and sandy hairs
about the stock of it; and just beyond was a
dead horse, his legs sticking up like bent poles
across the road. Twas here that my blood
went cold on sudden, to hear dismal groan-
ing not far ahead | stood still, holding my
breath, and then ran forward again.
The road took twist that led me face to
face with a small whitewashed cottage,
sneared with black stains of burning For
seemingly it had been fired i'll one or two
places, only the flames had died out; and
from the back, where some outbuildings yet
smoldered, rose the smoke that / spied. But
what brought me to a stand was to see the
doorway all cracked and charred, and across
it soldier stretched-a green coated rebel
and quite dead. His face lay among the
burned ruins of the door, that had wofully
singed his beard and hair. A stain of blood
ran across the doorstone and into the road.
l was gazing upon him and shuddering,
when again heard the groans They issued
from the upper chamber of tho cottage l
stepped over the dead soldier and mounted
the ladder that led upstairs.
The upper room was but loft In it We're
two beds, whereof one was empty. On the
edge of the other sat up "a boy 16 OF there
abouts, stark naked and moaning miserably.
With one hand he seemed trying to cover a
big wound that gaped in his chest; the other,
as my head rose over the ladder, he stretched
out with all the fingers spread. And this
was his last effort. AS l stumbled up, his
fingers closed in a spasm of pain; his hands
dropped, and the body tumbled back on the
bed, where it lay with the legs dangling.
The poor lad must have been stabbed as he
lay asleep. For by the bedside found his
clothes neatly folded and without q speck of
blood. They were clean, though coarse;
SO thinking they would serve for Della,
took them, albeit with some scruples at rob-
bling the dead, and, covering the body with a
sheet, made my way downstairs.
Here on high shelf at the foot of the lad
der, discovered couple of loaves and some
milk and also, lying hard by, pair of shep-
herds shears which | took also, having a
purpose for them. By this time, being sick
enough of the place, l was glad to make all
speed back to Della
She was still waiting among the lea1ess
alders, and clapped her hands to see the two
loaves under my arm.
Said |, finging down the clothes, and
munching at my share Of the bread:
Here is the boys suit that you wished for"
''Oh, dearl It's not very choice one" Her
face fell.
GAN the better for escaping notice."
| "But-but like to be noticedln
Nevertheless, when breakfast was done, she
consented to try on the clothes. l left her ey-
ing them doubtfully, and strolled away by
! the rivers bank. In while her voice called
! TO me:
sob, Jack-they do not fit at ALL"
why, it's admirablsl' said l. returning
and scanning her. Now this was lie; but
she took me more than ever, so pretty and
comical she looked in the dress.
"And l cannot walk bit in themI' she
pouted, strutting up and down.
''Swing your arms more, and let them hang
looser"
"And my hair. Oh, Jack, have such
beautiful hair
at must come Off" said I, pulling the
shears out of my pocket.
'And look at these huge boots!"
Indeed, this was the main trouble, for
knew they would hurt her in walking; yet
she made more fuss over her hair, and only
gave in when scolded her roundly. So
took the shears and clipped the chestnut curls,
one by one, while she cried for vexation; and
took occasion of her tears to smuggle the
longest lock inside my doublet
But an hour after she was laughing again
and had learned to cock the poor country
lads cap rakishly over one eye; and by even
ing was walking with q swagger and longing
q know to meet with folks. For, to spare
her the sight of the ruined cottage, l haC
taken her round through the fields and by
every by path that seemed to lead westward
Twas safer to journey thus; and all the way
she practiced q mans carriage Sld airs, ant
how to wink and whistle and swing a stick
And once, when she left one of her shoes in
wet ditch, she said "DamnI" as natural a
life; and then
We jumped over hedge, plump into al
outpost of rebels, as they sat munching theil
supper.
They were six in all, and must have beer
sitting like MICE for all know of it is this
had climbed the hedge first and was help
ing Della over, when out of the ground, as i
seemed, a voice shrieked: !-th
kings men are on us!n and then, my foo
slipping, down went on to the shoulders o
a thick set man, and well nigh broke his necl
as he turned to look up at me-
!. At first, the whole six were for running,
believe. But seeing only lad stretched Oh
his face, and second on the hedge the,
thought better of it. Before l could scram
BILE up, one pair of hands was screwed abou
,, my neck, another at my heels, and in a trio
there we were pinioned.
Search the Malignant" cried one. "Ques
f ton himl" called out another; and forthwith
| began long interrogatory concerning tn
o movements of his majestys troops, iron
t which, indeed, learned much concerning
the late encounter, but, of course, could an
Y swer nought. Twas only natural the
s should interpret this silence for obstinacy.
| "March 'em off to Capt Stubbs!'
+ "Halloa" shouted peck marked troope
that had his hand thrust in on my breast
i "bring the lantern close here. What's this9
Twas, alasi the kings letter; and bit m
;. Lip while they clustered round, turning th
i lanterns yellow glare upon the superscriI
4 ton.
q We were marched down the road for
il mile or more, till we heard loud bawline
# as Of man in much bodily pain, and 500
IS came to small village, where, under tay
It ern lamp, by the door, was man perche
Il up on tub, and shouting forth portions {
r the Scripture to some twenty or more gree
i coats assembled round. Our conductor pushe
is past these, and entered the tavern. Alta doc
to the left in the passage he halted. anc
ia knocking once, thrust us inside.
If The room was bare ard lit very dimly b
r two tallow candles. set in bottles. Betwee