The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1891-05-23
THE
GoIOqeI Of t5B Fourth
s. A STORY Of the Late Nar,s}-
BY BERNARD BIGSBY,
Author of Loyal at Last" my
Lady Fantastic" &C.
CHAPTER XII.
A NIGHT ATTACK.

frank DeSdnb ShlOls as Jn6y ndECilSO
that September afternoon up the one
dusty street that constituted the main
portion of the miserable village, whose
suualid houses and sallow, unwhole-
some inhabitants seemed from their
signs of decay to be unworthy the no
tice Of friend or foe. No wonder Bragg
had not stayed his march to pillage so
contemplate a community, as it was
really only a settlement of unhealthy
"cracker" whites, on whom even the
slaves looked with contempt.
"No, it isn't much of a place" Lieu
tenant Gregory, to whom Franks re-
mark had been made, assented, with an
expressive shrug Of the shoulders.
''They say he was a bold man who first
swallowed an oyster, but hang me, if
he would not be a bolder who laid him
self to rest in ore of these huts."
''Yet that may be our fate" Frank
rropbesied
''The Lord forbidi" was the pious re-
7oinder.
But amid all this squalor, one house
stood high on a hill at the further end
of the village, which boasted greater
pretensions than it's humble neighbors
1t was a great, square, stone building,
utterly without ornament, but roomy
and capacious, which never by any pos
sibility could have suggested home, but
which was large enough to promise
accommodation for host; and out of
Its square, ugly gateway, tall, spare,
middle-aged man was coming at a rapid
walk towards the advancing column.
"Howdyi Howdyl' cried one of the
cracker gentry, coolly Offering a be-
grimed paw to Major Hopkins, court
iesy which that gentleman pretended NOT
to notice.
"Who is this person coming down the
hill2" the officer asked.
'Him's Squar' Dixon, him is. We
'uns DON take much stock In he--kyind
O. pea1t on his raisin', an thinks his
self better'n res o. U.S."
Squire Dixon, forthwith rose one
hundred per cent. in the Majors estima-
ton, good opinion, which was forti-
fed by his unaffected expression of
pleasure at the presence of Northern
troops, and his kindly offers of hospi-
tality.
ST am sorry 1 kyant house you all,
he said, heartily, "but your officers will
find welcome in my pore home, an
your men can take up their quarters in
the village church, a proposition which
was gratefully accepted.
All went merry as marriage-bel
Considering the times, bountiful sup
per was done ample justice to by the
grateful officers, who did not fail also
to appreciate box of excellent cigars
and an abundance of whisky, which,
though forced upon them with gener-
GUS display of hospitality, they in.
dulged in with moderation. The squire
proved himself an admirable host, and
won golden opinions from his we'll
pleased guests. His was peculiar
case, as he explained TO them. Sent as
a boy to school in Massachusetts, he
had acquired sentiments which we're at
variance with the opinions of his neigh.
bors, particularly as regards the ques.
ton of the abolition of slavery, of which
he approved and which, of course, had
made him marked man in the com
munity. When the war broke out,
though his sympathies had been entire.
ly with the North, he had never dared
to declare them, though he was willing
now and at all times to sacrifice any
thing in reason to his conviction-any
thing, In fact, short of beggaring his
family. His family? Oh, yes, he had
a wife and three daughters who were
now in Cincinnati, thank Heavenl be-
yond the reach of immediate danger.
AS the Major said, when they reached
their chambers, Mr.. Dixon was altoT
gether most interesting person.
Lieutenant Cuthbertson, of Charlie Full
toms company, was on guard duty; the
rest of the officers were assigned to
suite Of chambers side by side at the
back of the mansion overlooking a neg
lected garde4l After brief chat in
the Majors room they retired to rest.
But Hopkins, though he had professed
fatigue, was not inclined to follow the
example of his subordinates: SO instead
OF throwing his weary limbs on the
tempting feather-bed he lit cigar, put
out his lamp, and drew chair up to
his chamber window. 1t was a brill
liant moonlight night, almost like day
iE it's semi-tropical clearness, and the
Major, who was man of sentiment,
looked with unfeigned pleasure ON the
pretty scene which met his gaze In
front of him lay the garden and orchard,
and beyond, a rugged country road
winding up the side of hill covered
with scrub, but whose top was crowned
with lofty forest trees, sharply defined
In the white moonlight
Could Frank Besant have followed
the current Of the Majors wandering
thoughts he would indeel aave been
startled; for his meditations were on
the possibility OF man sincerely low
ing two women, with himself as an IL
lustration of thS' probe a, and one Of
the women, the rue VIE the sea had
robbed him OF, the other-whom be
could only remember as lovely school
girl-tho mother of his young friend
and subaltern. All, 1t was her face,
not his boys, that the lad had reminded
him ~ xubar ba H,.e&