St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-03-22

me, and at the cost of considerable
effort | threw him twice into the
grass, until he concluded to ride a
more tractable animal and lead me.
| felt that | owed this much of re-
sistance 10 the enemies of my gentle
mistress, from whom my instinct told
me | was being separated forever.
The men seemed perfectly acquaint-
ed with the paths through the woods,
and conducted US to their camp near
the town in an opposite direction
from the Colonel's house. Botherum
followed behind like big wondering
dog. Jim was adopted by the officer
in command of the squadron, and
we horses were battered and tied to-
gether at the end of a long rope
stretched along the stems of a row
of fruit trees.
The horses into whose company
we were cast were q strange lot of
vicious-looking animals, having their
noses cased up in bags like muzzes
to restrain them from biting, and
over these they regarded us with evil
eyes, as they shouldered each other
and kicked and lodged to and fro
under the rope.
We were led up singly before the
| officers tents, examined and APP
proved, and then returned to the
picket rope, where a soldier with a
drawn sabre and trailing scabbard
walked up and down the line.
By some means the news of the
capture was communica ted to my
young mistress, for she made her
appearance that evening in the camp
accompanied only by her faithful
Lion. l had been led up a second
time in the presence of the officers,
who were seated in front of their
tents, in the last glow Of the sunset
which flooded the turf under the
gnarled old trees of the orchard.
The gate clicked, and the cavalry
officers rose to a man as Miss Eunice
appeared suddenly in their presence.
Lion pranced over to my side with
violent demonstrations of joy. My
low whinny Of recognition and my
sudden restlessness first heralded her
approach. Without a word to the
officers, she came directly to me, with
the little limp in her walk, and laid
her small hand on my face, and we
looked sOlemnly into each other's
eyes. After moments interchange
of mute caresses, she turned to the
group Of officers and stated simply
that l was her private saddle-horse,
and that she would cheerfully resign
the other animals if she might be
permitted to retain me. It is of no
moment to record the entire convers-
alton that followed. The captain in
! On ,1I do
but at the same time he was irrevoc-
ably firm, having no choice but to
obey his orders and confiscate animals
for his ismounted men.
The parting between us was like the
parting of two lovers in the presence
of unsympathetic guardians. Ca
resses and last words were out Of the
question, but the fearful and ruefu
expression on the face of my little
mistress as she looked on me for the
last time | can never forget. l saw
her turn away in the softening twi
light with her detected companion
and walk with that hating accus
ing step through the gate, which
was held open, cap in hand, with
what l thought was refinement o
cruelty, by one of the young cavalry
officers. 1 remember the pattern o
the light dress which she wore, anC
the bit Of stick which she carried il
her small gloved hand how she pick
ed her way so daintily between tht
patches of dry thistles which reared
, their thorny barricades in the de
serted fields; how she turned one,
and showed me her sweet face
and then passed on, her slight hgurt
melting into the gloom, her presenc,
going out of my life forever, and thu
! vision of her going at the same tim
7 printing itself on nay memory in ;
picture never to be obscured nor for
I gotten William Henry Shelter
! in Our Animal Friends.