Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-06-20


incessant through tho trees, and, mingling
with it, q multitude of dull shouts and out
cries. At first was minded 10 run after the
man and woman, but, on second thought, re-
solved to see the danger before hiding from it,
The trees in a short while grew sparser,
and between the stems l marked a rudy
light glowing, and then / came out % an
open space upon the hillside, with dip of
earth In front, and beyond long ridge OF
pines standing up black, because Of red
glare behind them, and saw that this came
not from any setting sun, but was the light
of a confagration.
The glare danced and quivered In the sky
as | crossed the hollow. 1t made even Delia's
white cheek seem rosy. Up amid the pines |
clambered, and along the ridge to where it
broke off in a steep declivity. And, lol in a
minute | locked down, as 'twere into the in
fernal pit.
There was a whole town burning below,
and in the streets men were fighting, as could
be told by their shouts and the rattle and
blaze Of musketry, for a garment Of smoke
lay over all and hid them. Only the turmoil
beat up as from furnace, and the flames Of
burning matches, and quick jets Of firearms
like lightning in thunder cloud. Great
sparks floated past us and over the trees at
our back A hot blast breathed on our
cheeks. Now and then you might hear a hui
man Shrek distinct amid the din, and this
spoke terribly to the heart.
Now the town was Marlborough, and the
attacking force q body Of royal troops sent
from Oxford to GUST the garrison Of the par
lament, which they did this same night, with
great slaughter, driving the rebels out of the
place and back on the road TO Bristol. Had
we guessed this, much i'll luck had been
l
whether friends or foes were getting the bet
ter. So Della being by this time recovered
lttel we determined to pass the night in
the woods and on the morrow to give the
place wide berth.
Retreating, then, TO the hollow chat lay on
the lee side of the ridge, away from the north
windj, l gathered pile of great stones and
spread my cloak thereover for Della. To
sleep was impossible, even with the will for
it. For the tumult and fighting went on and
only died out about an hour before dawn;
and once or twice we were troubled TO hear
the sound of people running on the ridge
above. So we sat and talked in low voices
till dawn, and grew more desperately hum
gered than ever.
With the chill Of daybreat we started,
meaning to get quit Of the neighborhood be-
fore any eSpied us, and fetched a compass to
the south without another look at Marlbor-
| ough. At the end Of two hours, turning
northwest again, came to some water
meadows beside tiny river the Kennel, aa
| thinli), and saw, some way beyond, a high
road that crossed to our side only the bridge
was now broken down, and, farther yet, a
thick smoke curling up; but whence tits
came | could not see. Now we had bsen
avoiding all roads this morning and hiding
at every sound Of footsteps But hunger was
making US bold. / babe Della crouch down
| by the streams bank, where many alders
| 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 a great speed. A little farther and came
on broken musllet flung against the hedge,
with a 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 a sudden, to hear dismal Groan-
ing not far ahead. l stood still, holding nay
breath, and then ran forward again.
The road took a twist that led me face to
face with u small whitewashed cottage,
smeared with black stains Of burning For
seemingly it had been fired in one or two
from the back, where some outbuildings yet
snoldered, rose the smoke that | spied But
what brought me to a stand was to see Jne
doorway all cracked and charred, and across
it a 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. y stain Of blood
ran across the doorstone and into the road.
| 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 were
two beds, whereof one was empty. On the
edge Of the other sat up boy II or there
abouts, stark naked and moaning miserably.
With one hand he seemed trying to cover a
big wound that gaped III 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 dang 6.
The poor lad must have been stabbed as ha
lay asleep For by the bedside found his
clothes neatly folded and without a speck OF
, blood. They were clean, though coarse;
, SO thinking they would serve for Della, l
took them, albeit with some scruples at rob
bng the dead, and, covering the body with q
sheet, made my way downstairs.
, Here, on n high shelf at the foot OF the lad
der, discovered a couple OF loayes and some
milk, and also, lying hard by, pair of shep-
herds shears, which l took also, having a
purpose for them. By this time, being sick
enough OF the place, was glad to make al
speed back to Della.
She was still waiting among the leahess
!. alders, and clapped her hands to see the tive
: loaves under my arm.
Said |, hnging down the clothes, and
{ munching at my share of the bread:
, Here is the boys suit that you wished for y
1 ''Oh dearl It's not a very choice one.' Her
face fell.
A IAN the better for escaping notice"
"But-but like TO be noticed"
+. Nevertheless, when breakfast was done, shs
, consented TO try on tue clothes. left her ey
| ing them doubtfully, and strolled away by
r the rivers bank. In while her voice called
1 | to me:
o "Oh, Jack-they do not fit at ALL"
5 "Why, It's admirab!e!' said l, returning