Evening journal., 1892-04-01
GOSPEL ON A HEAKsE.
war Reminiscence in which Rev.
snowden Thomas Figures as = Jenu.

6nOW0ou lnOmho ElSufoh AS emu
Last night an EVENING JOURNAL re-
porter was talking over 1.-THE late un-
pleasantness" with Colonel l. d. Davis,
cashier Of the Second National Bank of
Elkton, Nd
At last the conversation turned upon
the battle of Antietam, In which the re-
porter was particularly interes ed, being
IA nillar with the ground. The genial
colonel was also deeply interested having
done good service with the Fifth Mary
land Regiment during that sanguinsry
conflict between the blue and the gray.
"rhere was one circumstance connected
with that fight that fills me with
ghoulish glee whenever think Of It, he
said 81 have had many hearty laugh
over IL. "
LET me hear it,, suggested the re-
porter
well after the 6ght on September II,
| 1862 we went to keedysville TO
straighten ourselves up. Our forces then
moved on across the Potomac. | was
disabled, and In company with three or
four others, in equally bad condition, was
sent back to Frederick City.
Two days after the fight we were
trudging our way along the road over
the Blue Ridge. We were sore, dusty
weary and dispirited. Suddenly 8
strang BLOCKING vehicle was seen ap
preaching Presently il got near enough
for us TO distinguish what 9t was. Il
proved to be an old time Black Maril
hearse. Seated on the box, whip II
hand, driving a spirit pair Of horses
vas a tall, slender figure, dressed in con
ventional black, a white tie and higl
hat. He looked every inch the under
taker, and handled the ribbons aud Will
like a Jehu
"Well, you can imagine that such
spectacle as that was a novelty TO mel
who had Just left a field whereon tn
missiles Of war had sent 80 many brav
souls to eternity with the shriekiDg shel
, and whizzing ball singing their requiem
We watched its approach with peculia
interest When 1t was right upon nj
imagine my surprise to discover In thi
; peaceful Jehu of stormy times Re'
Z Snowden Thomas, who now ives In you
cl5y. We were raised together In Gee
county, and yeu cannot imagine the goo
= IL did me to see somebody from home.
"He was equally surprised, and b
> lieve he was as glad TO see me as l was
l. see bim He looked like a cat in a stranf
Z, | gairet. while l looked as dilspidated {
one Of the historical cats of Kilkenny
The greeting was mutual and peculiarl
hearty. He did not descend from
lofty station and l stood on my tipto
Il to take the outstretched hand. AS d
J. so thought what a fortune he cou
z make as professional undertaken.
q The fingers had scarce released the
grasp when he asked
."My brother, Evan is he dead
y No; / guess not. He is very II
, man to bring hearse for, replied.
- "His brother Evan was a member
sr our regiment.
y 1--WE heard he was badly Wounds
he said, and have come to take him
N a place where he cen obtain good atte
I'd tion until he is able to be taken home.
n "'He is wounded, replied. "A st
IN struck him In the knee. IL is an ul
III wound, but not fatal by any means.
'sl left him In barn house near Antieti
. creek. What in the world made y
IN come in a hearse; did they tell you
- Frederick City that he was deadf"
He smiled. despite his anxiety for
brothers safety and replied: No; you
when got TO Frederick City l tried
- hire a suitable conveyance search
w the town over, and the only vehicle
" could get was this old hearse'
W "'Well, said apart from the grI
20 association connected with the hears
70 think Evan will fnd it the most comic
81 able thing obtainable in these pats.
I, I. can lie stretched at full length, anC
looks like an easy riding affair / th
-, you will give it the liveliest load it
80 had FOR some time,
,e After exchanging few comm
s place remarks l saw that he was anxi
~ to reach Evan, therefore we shook ha
asa as and the boys could hardly repress a ch
"a "a as they saw him drive on up the inc
~ the personihcation Of ministerial-un'
'No taker-coronership combine.
- THE last we saw Of him was his
~ ~ silk nat, glinting in the sunlight as
- graveyard mountain schooner sv
IA ~ proudly over the crest OF the
|