Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-04-22
THE COLONIES SONS.
Third Honorable Mention In the


Just where Kentucky stretches long |
reaches of undulating blue grass mead
ows into Tennessee, as if she laid a |
caressing hand upon the bosom of her |
sister State, still stands the fine old |
country seat the Colonel built more |
than half century ago. 1t is pict-
uresque old red brick pile, with far
ing wings and generous galleries, and
a general air of large. hearted hospital
ity about it, From the marrow Sits of
windows one has glimpses of the gray
roofs of the race stables, half hidden
behind clump of oaks, and of a
great sweep of pasturage rolling away
from the house like the waves of
tropical sea.
All this you may still see-the out
ward scene is not so greatly changed
but if you had been there before the
war and should go back now you
would miss certain note of JOY and
carefreeness that can never be again.
But that was in the old times, and the
Colonel, who is growing garrulous with
age, will tell you hundred stories of
the day when the place was alive with
alert black slaves, when his racing col
ors were seen on every course from
Louisville to New Orleans, and when,
as he adds with pathetic culver in
his voice, III had my boys"
1t was joyous and luxurious life he
sketches for you as he talks Year by
year the rich earth bore its golden har-
vests, the darkies sang at their work,
and peace and plenty crowned the
land There were ceaseless rounds of
hunts and dances and tournaments
and jousts at which the gay gallants
dared any danger for the sake of beau
TVS smile, and always the centre of
this joyous life was the Colonel's hand
some son Dick.
mo one to touch him in the whole
country" says the old man in fond
recollection "such seat in the saddle,
such hand on the bride l never saw,
sir, and have raised and ridden horses
for seventy years. And brave as a
lion Why, when he wasn't as high
as that chair back, he snatched the
whip out of my hand when | was go
ing to punish Tom, his black nurse.
~ made Tom do it," he said, land if
anybody deserves punishment its me"
and he took the blows without finch
ing. A gentleman" adds the Colonel
bravely, Unjust make good his word"
1t was across this gay, careless eXis-
tence the news of the breaking out of
the war fell, not like the darkness of
the storm, but like the quick, cleo
trio flash that presages it and for the
moment thrills every conscious thing
with new, intense life. TO men keen
! ly sensitive to their own honor the
first thought was that the insult to
their land must be avenged danger
had no terror for those who carelessly
faced it in half their pursuits and
pleasures, and for the rest there was a
certain fascination in the rush of mill
tary preparation. The flying banners
and gold lace and brass buttons an
swered an unconscious love of color,
the roll of drum and call of bugle
thrilled with new and keen delight,
and for q moment in all this excite
ment wave of pathetic gladness
rolled throughout the South. The
war was going to be so short--in six
months, well, year, then it would all
be over, and the South, avenged and
freed, would smile once more upon
her hero sons
Dick raised the first company OF
cavalry in the county-Dick who had
been down to New Orleans and came
home with the first blue cOckade ever
seen in Tennessee pinned on his
breast. 1t was easy enough. There
was Dick on his thoroughbred mare
for the Colonel gave of his best to his
country in her hour of need, and there
about him were his companions, stall
wart, handsome, brave and gay, ready
for a dance or q frolic, and ready, as
, they proved when the time came, to
charge with dauntless courage the Ell
emy's smoking batteries. But thai
was still in the future, and it was in
, the midst of all this turmoil of prepa.
ration that Dick elected to be married
to Alice, the pretty cousin to whom
he had long been engaged.
"That,n says the Colonel, twas the
last gaieGy this old house ever saw
Dick had all of his company up from
the camp, you know, and there wa;
feasting and drinking in plenty. There
they stood in the big hall, all the
young fellows he had grown up from
childhood with. and as Dick entered
: leading his fair little bride, some one
cried out, Thus we will protect oul
women and our land" and in an in
slant they had unsheathed anC
crossed their swords and made "A gilt
tering arch above her head. !"
At last the regiment had marching
orders, and when the Colonel had seen
the last of Dick riding at the head Of
his company on his sorrel mare
with the sunlight flashing or
the naked blade of his sword and
making a halo about his sunny
head, the old man turned home
sadly enough. What if some
thing should happen to his boy? God
what would life be without Dick
True, he had Phil, but Phil was only q
lad. He had been delicate child al
ways, and would never make the
handsome man Dick was. Why Phil
was almost like girl, with his timid
: WAYS and fOndness for books.
But thore was the lad waiting fOl
him at the gate. "Well, what is it 2?
he asked in answer to an unspoker
request i'm the boys eyes.
, Phil flushed painfully. Father
he said anxiousiy, IL want to &c
with Dick to the war. | CAN
"Pooh," interrupted the Colonel
scornfully, "What could you do? The
South has no need of boys to defend
f her. and with IA touch of his horse ht
5 rode on.
Somehow it seemed when Dick rod,
away at the head OF his company hC
took the light of life away with him
2 Day by day, month by month tn,
$ gloom of war darkened and deepened
= The unrest and uncertainty of the
times penetrated into the negro quar-
ters, and one by one the slaves slipped
l away; raiding parties of guerrilla
etnIn tho fine rncp- horses that hAl