San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-04-03

IT, FOR the tumult and rghting 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 hun
gered than ever.
With the chill of dayb we started,
meaning to get quit of the neighborhood be-
fore any eSpied us and fetched a compass 10
the south without another look at Marlbor
ough. At the end of two hours, turning
northwest again, we came TO some water
meadows beside tiny river the Kennel, as
| thinl), and saw, some way beyond, a high
road that crossed to our side tonly the bridge
was now broken DOWN, and, farther yet,
thick smoke curling up; but whence this
came | could not see Now we had been
avoiding all roads this morning and hiding
at every sound of footsteps But hunger was
making us bold. | bade 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 Il great speed. \ little farther and | came
on "a broken muSket flung against the hedge,
with uauSeOuS 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 Oh a sudden, to hear dismal groan-
mg not far ahead. | stood still, holding my
breath, and then ran forward again.
The road took a twist that led me face to
face with small whitewashed cottage
smearpd with black stains of burning. For
seemingly it had been fired in 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 IA soldier strctrhcd-a green coated rebel
and quite dead His face lay among the
Earned ruins OF the door, that had wOfully
sngcd his beard and hair a stain of blood
IAN 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 the cottage. |
stepped over the dead soldier and mounted
the ladder that led upstairs
The upper room was but Il loft. In it were
two beds, whereof one was empty. On the
edge of the other sat up a boy Ii or there
abouts, stark naked and moaning mj',e; ably
" lth one hand he srvnivu trying 10 cover a
big wound that gaped IN his chest; the other
aS my head rose over ,ue ladder, he stretched
out with all the fingers spread. And this
was his last effort As | stumbled up his
fingers closed in spasm Of pain; his hands
dropped, and the boz 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 t, bedside | found his
clothes neatly folded and without a speck of
blood. They were clean, though coarse;
50 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 a high shelf at the foot of the lad
der, discovered Il couple of IoaveS and some
milk, and also lying hard by, pair of shep-
ucrus shears, which | took Also having a
ii::l"s" for them by this time, being sick
enough Of the place, was glad to make all
speed back to Della
She was sulI waiting among the leahess
alters, and cIapped her hands to see the two
loayes under my arm
SAID |, limging down the clothes, and
mumcLlng at my share of the bread:
"Irre is;he boys suit that YOU wished for. ("
''Oh, dear! It's not a very choice one" Her
face fell.
An the better Tor escaping notice.
''Eut-but | like to uotlced.7
Nevertheless, when ,ukfast was done, she
consented to try on H., '!othes | left her ey-
ing them doubtfully, md strolIed away by
the rivers bank. In Il While her voice called
to ne:
"Oh, Jack-they lie not fit at alI,~
-" Ijm"'H. ,"' III! /. u"Giur
ami scanning her. Vow this Was Il lie. but
she took me more than ever, so pretty and
comicaI She looked in the dress.
And | cannot walk a bit in them she
pOuted, strutting up and down.
Swing your arms more, and LEI them hang
looser"
And my hair Oh, Jack, have such
beautiful hair
1T must come off," said !, pulling the
shears out of my pocket.
And look at these huge boots
Indeed, this was the main trouble, for l
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 raEishly over one eye; and by even
ing was walking with a swagger and longing
Il know to meet with folks. For, to spare
her the sight of the ruined cottage, | had
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 md airs and