The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-05-30
ACLOSE CALL.
A STORY OF LOVE AND WAR.
ny ALFRED n. CALHOUN
lCoPyRlGHT, 1890, by Bachelor & Co.
CHAPTER ~.

tasted, while we discussed Frank
Brent's chances.
"There are two Kentuckians in WASH
ington," l said, ''who should have
weight with the President If they were
franks kinsmen, il they do not know
him.
'sWho are they?" asked the General.
''Tom Speed and Judge-Advocate GEN
eral Holt"
"By Jove, Captain, did not think Of
them!' exclaimed the old man, as he
started to his feet. "Join me in o tele-
graph and we will send it at once"
IN. BAT this time, the word "tele-
gram" had not come into Ise.)
We hurried into the telegraph Office,
being flashed to Washington, there to
be duplicated and copies sent to Tom
Speed and General Holt.
AS drowning man is said to clutch
at a straw, so drew comfort from what
we had done and at once went down to
the prison TO communicate tho fact to
Carrie Brent and her brother.
Ipassed the guards about the enclos-
ure; passed the guard pacing before the
door, and came to a halt on the thfes-
hold. Within saw ten soldiers wear
ing their side arms and standing at
parade rest. 1t was my first experience
with military execution, but did not
need to be told that those men were
the death watch and that they or their
relief would remain with the condemned
man till he stood on the scaffold and the
trap was sprung.
Adm lamp, suspended from the heavy,
rough-hewn cross-beams, revealed the
prisoner and his sister seated beneath
it, while in front of them stood tho old,
white-haired post chaplain, himself a
Kentuckian.
That picture impressed me powerfully.
The rain came down on tho shingled
roof with.the rattle of hundred minia-
ture drums to the accompaniment Of
the winds shrill fling. had grown fa-
miliar with funeral dirges and hurried
burial services, and although | never
witnessed one unmoved, the most SOL
emn OF them had never affected me as
did the preparations for death going
on before my eyes.
Many night when lying near the
mangled dead and listening to the
heart-rending cries of tho wounded,
] have cursed the cruel barbarities of
war, and this feeling of loathing has
grown on nc with the years. AS /
looked in at the white face and loved
form Of the woman dearer to me than
life, / felt like shrieking out protest
against the conditions that, without any
deserving, had crushed her pure, brave
heart.
After few words of exhortation that
impressed mo as being the very essence
of heart-born eloquence, the old chap
lain began Tom Moore's exquisite sa-
cred song: "Come, ye disconsolate,
where'er We anguish" During the sing
ing, in which the prisoner and his sis
ter joined, went in and sat down be-
side her, and with broken voice tried,
as did the stolid guards, to give empha-
sis to the closing line: Earth hath no
sorrow that Heaven can not heal"
Promising to call again before day
light, the chaplain went out about
twelve o'clock, and the fury of the storm
seemed to be intensified by the silence.
! made an effort to speak, but realizing
how weak words were for my purpose,
/ whispered to Carrie that l would go
down to the telegraph Office and find out
if message had been received from
"No word yet. sir" replied the opera
tor to my inquiry; land" he added, as
he bent his ear over the receiving instru-
ment, "I'm afraid we can get no news
from Washington tonight"
"Why not?" asked.
"The storm covers wide area" said
the operator, land 1 fear our communi-
cation with the North will be shut of
before morning"
''Has this happened before?"
Eyes; several times"
"And how long before repairs were
made?"
'sThe shortest time was twenty-four
hours" said the operator.
Feeling that even the elements were
arrayed against the unfortunate pris-
oner, I made my way back to the log
house.
NsrEic kdNc tHo - 4uiShs oootShAhB
look, but she asked no questions; she
knew as we'll as II had told her that
no word OF comfort had been received
from Washington. g.t
suggested to Frank to lie down. but
he shook his head and said, grimly:
"The time is too short to spend 1t In
sleep. When the end has como one can
rest through eternity" H
1t seemed as II the sun had gone down
for the last time. so long was the night
just before daylight the chaplain re-
turned, and, thankful for the excuse his
presence gave me, / again sought the
Telegraph Office. There found General
Boyle, and he did not need to tell, me
that no had not closed his eyes in sleep
during the night.
In answer to my question, the operator
said:
"The direct lines working west from
Washington are down."
..'Then," gasped, "you can not COM
municate with the Capital?"
Eyes, Cincinnati has Just said that
they were about to operate over tho long
circuit by way Of Cleveland, Buffalo,