Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-08-14


impressed me 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'eF ye languish." 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.
I made an effort to speak, but realizing
how weak words were for my purpose,
/ whispered to Carrie that I would go
down to the telegraph office and find out
II a message had been received from
Washington.
mo word yet, sir" replied the opera
tor to my inquiry; and" 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 a wide area" said
the operator, land fear our communi-
cation with the North will be shut off
before morning"
''Has this happened bcfore?"
YES; several times"
And how long before repairs were
made?"
THE 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.
Carrie gave me quick, searching
look. but she asked no questions: she
knew as we'll as If had told her that
no word of comfort had been received
from Washington.
suggested to Frank to lie down, but
he shook his head and said, grimly:
THE time is too short to spend it in
sleep. When the end has come one can
rest through eternity"
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, l again sought the
telegraph office. There found General
Boyle, and he did not need to tell me
that he had not closed his eyes in sleep
during the night.
In answer to my question, the operator
said
1.-THE direct lines working west from
Washington are down."
"Then," / gasped, you can not COM
municate with the Capital?"
'Yes, Cincinnati has just said that
they were about to operate over the long
nj, ~ T1nyn1onI P,Aa1A
New York and south along the coast,
but as the storm is moving rapidly in
that direction. l should not be surprised
to find all communication shut off be-
fore ten O'clock" said the operator.
While we stood bending over the in
strument on whose mysterious ticking
80 much depended, the gray dawn of a
stormy morning stole in the room, and
tho reveille went ringing through the
camp.
looked at my watch; it was ten min
utes to six. In four hours Frank Brent
would be standing in the place of exc
oution, from the direction of which
could hear the hammering of the men
making the scaffold ready.
was about to walk out with the Gen
ernl when the clicking increased in a fe-
verish way, and the operator called out:
"Wait, gentlemen, l think there is
something coming soon!'
We turned back and bent over him,
reading the words as they came from his
pencil:
WASHINGTON, d. c., Nov. 10, 1868.
General j. Boyle, Commandant
Camp Dick Robinson, Ky.:-The Pres
ident directs me to say that after an in
terview with Messrs. Speed and Holt he
deems 1t best for the interest Of the
service to"
Then the writing stopped and the
clicking died out while the operator
nervously worked the switchboard key,
but without making a sound.
what is up?" asked the General, his
strong face twitching with excitement.
"The lines are down to the North; we
are shut of from Washington, and we
must remain so at least for the day."
said the man.
CHAPTER V.
The General picked up the paper, and