Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-11
4 SPECTRE KNIGHT.
o-.e1LlNa STONY OF THE FIRST
VIRGINIA CAVALRY.
,,.,.h Links the Past with the
prssent-At the Monument
of Lee.
written for the Dispatcb.l


stouu .s thronged the principal streets, |
cl3.n ~ were cayly decorated. Even Nature |
wh,ohh or aid TO the loyal sons and daugh- /
ient 20 The South in their efforts to do /
tole " "a the memory of their greatest !
b toihf.,;o and sprinkled gold with lavish |
Snle1l orar the tri-cOlored streamers which |
aasatttuered everywhere. II was 4 perfect |
49,. and perfect scene, long 20 be refnein;,
~, ta1y Inv those who looked upon 1t. And
H. PROCESSION! 1t was a long time coming, !
t tn when ut last it made its appearance !
o %us one felt repaid for waiting SO pa
tiently. -, IL. III, .. ro,ts &c
,,a,tle.scarred veterans leading the van.
"a rs Younger but noless gallant-looking
.'nI,nteers following attcr-the seed
VII, y of the new South looking every one
&c them like chips of the old block, and
entirely capable OF following in the foot
steus OF their fathers in more waysthan the
noaeeoble one they were now pursuing. On
tbey came-now beneath an arch OF bay
and laurel. where from pedestal on either
side ragged soldier IN ConiedeIate gray
presented arms as they passed; again
tb~ouch a rain Of blossoms showered upon
them from fowery stand filled with young
So they passed. infantry and artillery, a
c-oodly show, with the proud conscious
ness that every eye in that vast throng was
fixed upon them, and every voice raised ID
their praise. -,
And now blaze of yellow. on which
the sunlight danced, announced the
coming of the cavalry. They marched
in column Of tours, their horses keep;
inc time 10 the stirring martial
mIisic. In the last file OF four were only
two men, VINO presented great contrast
TO each other. One, quiet. elder y fellow,
rode steadily along, wishing most heartily
that be was through with all the
pomp and ceremony. and sheltered
from the warm May sun. which
beat most cruelty upon his heavy
helmet. The other was one OF the most
dashing young society men that Richmond
boosted. He evidently took the greatest
pride in his personal appearance, ana % ne
rode slowly along not even the Inspector
General could have found anything 20 critl-
else from his nodding yellow plume to the
tips of his cavalry boots. Except ms
horse That horse was indeed bitter drop
in Randolph Carriers cup Of bliss, and as
they passed a group OF laughing Grls IN the
porch of a handsome house his whole At
tention was taken up IN alternately
squirting and silently objurgatinG the
unhappy animal. VINO had 4lreauy
been taxed beyond his strength be-
fore Young Carter mounted hlm.
The miserable, jaded beast made hardly
anv response as the cruel .rowel s were
ID essed again and again into his sides, ana
fbe handsome cayalryman was flllcd WIN
rage and humiliation as he saw the smiles
of admiration on the faces of the giris
change to amusement es he passed them.
Just as he had entirely made mp ms
mind to 90 az soon A. the parade was over
and wreak q terrible vengeance upon
a lnren
was startled by o shadow which fell across
him. and turning suddenly be perceived
for the first time that man was riding
close beside him.
He was dressed in Confederate gray, and
| n cayalryman's soft felt hat with its droop-
inc plume quite hid his face ana head,
which was bowed upon his breast. lie ap-
reared to be drenched with water, but
Randolph Carter remembered AFTERWARDS
| that the drops which ran from him IN
continuous trlcking stream made no I'M
uresslon upon the dusty road beneath
them. One eauntleted hand hung by has
| aide the other refined in firmly the beautl-
| ful black horse he bestrode, and an ar ot
utter WEAKNESS or SORROW peryaded his
whole appearance.
| Carter glanced across the intruder to his
companion in line. but as that soldier sun
| seemed lost in reflection, he undertook 10
demonstrate himself with the newcomer;
II expect you've missed y9!uy[ d Pla6Se eio U,g
! in front: not here"
This is the First regiment Of Vlrginla
cavalry" the stranger replied, without
raising his head. Ny place Il here
| Randolph had always boosted that he, as
! well as Nelson. could say, What IS rear
| | never saw it." but now ne felt an unconi-
| Portable thrill run down his backbone;
| ~
| snbdued. but perfectly distinct, ana apso-
! lutely without emphasis.
He had Just begun afurther remonstrancce
when the stranger turned IN hls saddle
slowly. and looked him full in the face.
Looked No. not looked, for there were
no etes in that dreadful cOuntenance.
! Only two dark caverns marked the place
where eyes had been. and III their stead,
far down in the black depths, burned two
spots of lambont fame.
Carter lost all sense of military dlsci7;
pline, all care for appearances, and gathered
M his rens for a preciptate fight, but
| his horrible compauion reached out hand
and touched him lightly on the breast Just
over his heart, and the terrified young
man felt with q desperate shudder that all
power to move had left him. .,
Only his horse kept steadily on. as II
nothing had happened, with the nolseless
black steed always abreast OF nm.
Listen 10 mo. boy" the spectre said
| still in that blood-curdhng, monotonou-
| tone, - should not have moicsted YOU
\ had YOU not addressed me. Now you must
hear me.n
ION the Goth Of Nav, twenty-seyen years
400. was as young and full of life as You.
Ave. more, for | was engaged to be mar
red to one of the most beautiful girls IN
Richmond. She lived in that very house
wonder" and again that bony hand was
raised to point out one Of the handsomes'
old mansions on Franklin street.
Carter looked with unseeing eyes III the
4 rection indicated 10 him. The window,
we're filed with people whomh he knew, but
q / sense OF personal vanity was gone now
a1d he only thought OF escape from hIs
horrible position. But his limbs telt ut
terly powerless and his tongue Glove 10 tbs
roof Of his mouth. Even the sun shon'
coldly upon him. That touch upon IN;
heart seemed to have sent ice through hi'
veins that nothing would ever melt again
, | Tie spectre recalled his attention by low
wlil-the wall of lost spirit. indeed.
"Twenty-seven years ago to-day lparteC
from her" it said. MY regiment was or
dered TO the front When / went to tel
her rood-by she laid her head upon my
breast and promised 10 be faithful untC
death. To bid me godspeed we arranged
that she was to watch Tor us AT certali
window of her home and wave mo las
farewell as rode past. As we marched NJ
, the street could see the house for squares
away. and fixed my gaze upon 1t from tn,
first moment il came in view. But coulC
not see her at the window and strained my
, eyes to discover if she was in the room
She is overcome with grief, thought, anC
, is afraid that if | see her tear-stained fac
il will dishearten me.
There was large pier-glass at RICH
angles with the window, and suddenly as
: came in front of the house / saw her re
hected in the glass. Saw her, curses upOl
her. in the arms OF another man!
Boy. my soul died at that moment.
felt il die, and oil that was left of me turn
ed into a raging brute. If | could hav'
killed her then would have done it, but
: had no chance.
l THAT night deserted and rode back T.
2 Richmond.
. Il 10 longer cared for honor. II ha,
been captured and shot my only feeling
would have been regret that | had not kill
. cd her or him; hardly cared which.
1 hoped to find them together and kill then