The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1891-02-07
PART THIRD.

.... PART THIRD.
Col. Clay that day was ever in the
foremost of the melee. Three times he
had led his gallant regiment to the AS
sault, and three times had seen it hurled |
back by the storm of death that deci- |
mated its ranks.
In the morning when he first formed !
his line, full eight hundred men re-
sponded to his command. As he !
ordered it forward for the fourth time,
scarce four hundred were able to go.
lnvoluntarily the tears rushed to his
eyes as he contemplated the terrible
loss, for between him and his men the
warmest friendship existed.
His regiment, nothing daunted by
the disaster of the day, moved forward
again with the same alacrity that had
characterized it in the morning. The
assault brought the regiment up in the
acute angle of a V shaped rifle pit, just to
the right of the stockade Calamity
the men climbed the steep ascent, but
were again, crushed by that CALLING fire
that had already laid so many of their
comrades low, and once more they were
forced back, then compelled to seek
safety in retreat. In attempting to
stay the rout, Col. Clay, who had
already had his horse shot from under
him, was himself struck in the side by
Il minnie ball and sank insensible to
the ground His men, seeing him fall,
rallied for q moment to recover his
body and bear him away, but being
charged upon by regiment of confed
crate infantry, were driven from the
| field and compelled to leave their
beloved commander where he had
fallen...5 ,ar ,-r. yfD -r-"rt .r urr'
r On this day of strife and carnage
Evelyn Marshall had been in pain
ful condition of nervous excitement.
From her fathers house she could hear
the noise of the conflict, and knew
from the tremendous cannonading in
the early morning, which had been
followed almost Immediately by the
heavy and continuous discharge of
small arms, that determined and
stubborn attempt was being made to
carry the confederate position by storm.
She was fearful lest this would be done.
and with blanched cheeks she pictured
10 herself the frightful scenes OF
slaughter and destruction that would
follow a.rH. .... t'." ."E ..'
Then, rs she thought of the dreadful
loss of life involved in that unceasing
roar of battle, the knowledge that hel
hero was there, that his breast was
barred to the storm, that he too might
go down in death with the thousands
:. perishing there, smote her heart with 8
deathless agony of dread, and drove
her almost to distraction.
The day dragged its slow length
along. Once in the early afternoon the
report spread like wildfire that Grant +
veterans had preached the Notifications
and were pouring into the city. Then
| all was excitement, dread and despair
Then came another rumor that the
attack had failed, but that the unionists
were massing for another assault. This
rumor was embittcred by the additional
information that the confederates were
short of ammunition and hardly able to
resist another charge.
About five O'Clock, however, the joy
ful intelligence spread over the belea-
guered city that the federals had been
repulsed with terrible slaughter al
every point and had given up the fight.
4 This was sweetest solace to many,
but another dread troubled the soul OF
Evelyn Marshall. Was her lover safe ?
. Had he fallenp Was he alive and well,
or was he dead? Perhaps he was
wounded unto death, and even at that
| nallinar nn nor mama
So distraught We're her senses, that
once, just as the twilight was swallow,
ing up the day, she imagined she
heard his voice calling from afar off, in
plaintiye pleading tones, Evelyn
Evelyn!'' --.-.-.s. -..-... .,.... g,
To get rid of the torturing anxiety
that racked her soul, she retired early
and a blessed sleep soon overcame her.
! But strange and weird dreams came te
her overwrought fancy, and visions anC
fantasmagoria fioated before her in end
. less profusion. One of these was s
2 battlefield, and there, mingled will
the dead and dying, she saw the vel
r beloved form of Earl Clay. Still a.
c death he lay, his face upturned to tn,
I silent stars, pale with anguish ant
e suffering Then his eyes slowly opened
Z his lips moved, and there seemed t.
, come to her ears faint murmur:
Evelyn! Evelyn!' ..s ...-..
I She awoke, so real did it seem, bu
Il dismisslm5 smc tSlon -, 1" .''on 81 y
e her overstrained imags,aess imagi'e'..a.etsss.; she ono
e more composed herself to sleep.
!, Yet again the same vision passe
/ before her. II seemed more real tha
Il before, and once more came that plain
tive murmur 50 full of pleading an
= pathos: ,.--.. %. '.." .f
e Evelyn! Eyelyn!" ...
c But wearied nature demanded rcpose
1t and once more the blissful enthrallmen
:, of slumber asserted its powers; and S
y deep and restful was her sleep that
ii seemed no other visions would come t
y disturb it.
: The last stroke of the town clocl
g pealing forth the midnight hour iron
Il the whitcd tower of the court house
= sent its musical vibrations winging int
It her bed chamber, and something in tn
Il tone aroused her fancy again, and TO
!. the third time passed before her tina
Y Strange NlSloH vi ncT WOunueu lOVe
/ lying out there on the hillside mulmm
e ing her name rs if calling her to hi
aid:
II Evelyn. Evelyn!"
e Clearly, then, she saw it all. Wher
= he lay she recognized as spot she ha,
4 often visited. She could, she felt as
n surcd, 90 to it in the darkest night
II The clcarness of the vision--the con
:, yiction that her lover was lying ther
/ wounded, perhaps dying, and that
x was his voice, she had heard borne {,
: her by some mysterious power sh
/ could not explain, took possession q
Il her and aroused her to imme
y diate action. Hastily dressing herself
e she called her maid, and trlisty ma
II servant, and supplying herself with
canteen of water, II flask of brandy AM
d restoratves, she slipped quietly out Q
e the house, followed by the two domes
: ties, and made her way to that part of tn
battle-ground where she had dreame
:. her lover lay.
1t 1t was nearly two miles away, bu
n Knowing the ground, she Went directl
:. to it. TO pass the confederate picket
e she thought would be her creates