The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1891-03-27
CONTINUED
CHAPTER w.

ChAPIEh Nv.
had no appetite for my supper with
General Boyle. We left the food un-
tasted, while we discussed Frank
Brents chances.
"There are two Kentuckians in Wash
ington," / said, "who should have
weight with the President If they were
to intercede. am sure they know
Franks kinsmen, IL they do not know
him"
"Who are they?" asked the General.
"Tom Speed and Judge-Advocatc Cen
eral Holt"
"By Jove, Captain, did not think of
them" exclaimed the old man, as he
started to his feet. "Join me in a tele-
graph and we will send it at once"
IN. B.-At this time, the word "tele-
gram" had not come into use.)
We hurried into the telegraph Office,
and within ten minutes the message was
being flashed to Washington, there to
be duplicated and copies sent to Tom
Speed and General Holt.
AS a drowning man Is said to clutch
ut a straw, so drew comfort from what
we had done and at once went down to
Carrie Brent and her brother.
Ipassed the guards about the enclos-
ure; passed the guard pacing before the
door, and came to halt on the TIRES
hold. Within l 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 scatfold and the
trap was sprung.
Adm lamp, suspended from the heavy,
rough-hewn cross-beams, revealed the
prisoner and his sister seated beneath
1t, while in front of them stood the old,
white-haired post chaplain, himself
Kentuckian.
That picture impressed me powerfully.
The rain came down on the shingled
roof with the rattle of hundred minia-
ture drums to tho accompaniment OF
the winds shrill fling. / had grown IA
miliar with funeral dirges and hurried
burial services, and although ! never
witnessed ono unmoved, the most sol
emn of them had never affected mo 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 the wounded,
Ihave cursed the cruel barbaritics OF
war, and this feeling OF loathing has
grown on me with the years. AS l
looked in at the white face and loved
form of the woman dearer to me than
life, felt like shrieking out q protest
against the conditions that, without any
deserving, had crushed her pure, brave
heart.
After few words OF exhortation that
impressed me as being the very essence
OF heart-born eloquenoe, the old chap
lain began Tom Moore's exquisite sa-
cred song: "Come, ye disconsolate,
where'er we 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, tho chaplain won't out about
twelve o'clock, and the fury of the storm
seemed TO be intensified by the silence.
l 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
II message had been received from
Washington.
"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. ''and fear our COMMUNE
cation with the North will be shut OF
before morning"
''Iias this happened before?"
Eyes; several times"
sAnd how long before repairs were
made?'
1.-The shortest time was twenty-four
hours. said the operator,
Feeling that even the elements were
aIraycd against the unfortunate pris-