The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-02-20
gbf Sntellieereer.
ONCE Nos. 20 and a. FoaTteenth Street.
HHHHORSAMANNTHRAIR.

OF the year 1851 a soldier lay In q clum
Of laurelby the side Of a road in Wester
Virginia. he lay at full length upon h
stomach, his feet resting upon the toe
his head upon his left forearm. His 81
tended right hand loosely graSped h
rife. He was asleep at his post OF duty
II detected he would be dead shortl
aiterward, that being the just and legs
penalty.
The country was wooded everywher
except at the bottom Of the valley to tn
northward, where there was small
natural meadow, through which foweC
a stream scarcely visible from the val
ley's rim. This open ground looket
hardly larger than an ordinary dco
yard, but was really many acres in ex
tent. Its green was more vivid thar
that OF the enclosing forest. Away be
yond 1t rose a line Of giant clitis.
No country Is so wild and difficult bni
men will make 1t a theatre Of war. Con.
cenled in the forest at the bottom Of that
military rat trap, in which half hun
dred men in possession Of the exits
might have starved an army to submis.
sion, lay FIVE regiments OF Federal in
fantry. They had marched all the
previous day and night, and were rest.
ing. At nighttait they would climb to
the place where their unfaithful senti-
mel now slept, and, descending the
other slope, fall upon a camp Of the
enemy at midnight. Their hope was TO
surprise him, for the road led to the
rear OF his camp. In case OF failure their
position would be perilous in the ex.
IRENE.
The sleeping sentinel in the clump Of
laurels was o young Virginian named
Carter Drusc. He was the son OF wealthy
parents-an only child-and bad known
such ease as wealth was able to COM
mand in Western Virginia quarter
century ago. His home was but few
miles from where he now lay. One
morning he rose from the breakfast
table and said gravely: Father, a
Union regiment has arrived at Grafton.
am going to join it."
The father looked at the son in silence
and replied: go, Carter, and whatever
may happen l hope that you will do your
duty. Should We both live until the
end OF the war We will speak further on
the matter. Your mother is in crit.
cal condition; at the best she cannot be
with US longer than Z few weeks. It
would be better not to disturb her"
So Carter Druse, bowling to his father,
who returned the salute, left home 10 20
soldering. By conscience and courage,
by deeds OF devotion and daring, he soon
commended himself TO bis fellows and
his officers; and it was to these qualities
and to some knowledge OF the country
that he owed his present perilous duty
at the extreme outpost. Nevertheless,
fatigue had been strongerthan resolu-
ton, and he had fallen asleep. What
good or bad angel came in dream to
rouse him from his state OF crime, who
shall say?
He quietly raised his forehead from
his arm and looked between the laurels,
instinCtively closing his right hand about
the stock Of his rifle.
His first feeling was keen, artistic
delight. On the colossal pedestal Of the
cliff, motionless, at the extreme edge Of
the Gaping rock, sharply outlined
against the sky, was an equestrian statue
OF impressive dignity. The figure Of the
man sat the figure OF the horse, straight
and soldierly. The gray costume har-
monized with its aerial background; the
animals skin had no points OF high
light. A csrbine, strikiDgly foreshort.
ened, lay across the pommel OF the sad
die, kept in place by the right hand
grsaping 1t at the grip" the lett hand,
holding the bride rein, was invisible.
In silhouette against the sky the profile
OF the horse was cut with the sharpness
Of a cameo; itlooked across the heights
OF air to the cliff beyond. The face OF
the rider showed only an outline OF TEN.
pie and beard; he was looking to the
bottom OF the valley. Msgni6ed by it's
lift against the sky and by the soldiers
testifying sense Of the formidableness Of
a near enemy, the group appeared OF
heroic, almost colossal size.
For an instant Druse had strange,
half.defined feeling that he had slept to
the end OF the war. The feeling was
dispelled by a slight movement. The
horse had drawn Its body backward from
the verge. The man remained immobile
as before. Broad awake and keenly
alive to the significance OF the situation
Druse now cautiously pushed the barrel
forward through the bushes, cooked the
piece, and glanCiug through the sights
covered vital spot OF the horseman's
breast. A touch upon the trigger, and
all would have been well with Carter
Druse. At that instant the horseman
looked in the direction OF his Crouching
ioeman-seemed to look into his very
face, into his eyes, into his brave, COM
passionate heart.
Is 1t, then, so terrible to kill an enemy
in war, an enemy more formidable for
his knowledge than all his army for it's
numbers? Garter Druse shook in every
limb, turned faint and saw the statuesque
group before him as black figures. His
head slowly dIopped. The courageous
soldier was near swooning from inten-
sity OF emotion.
1t was not for long; in another mo.
ment bis face was from earth (; his hands
resumed their places on the rife; his
foretinger sought the trigger. Mind,
heart and eyes were clear, conscience
and reason sound. He could not hope
to capture that enemy; to alarm him
would but send him dashing to his
camp with his fatal news, The duty o.
the soldier was plain; the man must be
shot dead from ambush; with never &C
u UGH as an unspokeh prayer, he must
be sent to his account. But perhaps he
is but admiring the sublimity OF the
landscape. II permitted he may ride
carelessly away in the direction whence
he came. Drlse turned his head anC
looked below. He saw creeping across
the green meadow line OF men anC
horses. Some foolish commander wa
permitting the men Of his escort t
water their horses in plain view from
hundred SUBMITS.
Druse withdrew his eyes from the
valley and fixed them again on thu
coup Of man and horse in the sky, apt
yam It was through the sights Of bill
rife, He was calm now. His teett
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