Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-04-25

AS turned L saw the form OF Louis
Nolan. He wSs sitting half round in
his saddle, his sword hanging from his
wrist, his forage cap in his hand, which
he was waving exultingly. His face
was partially turned from me toward
the ranks, and not a word passed the
open mouth, with the ashen hue on the
lips, though l could see blaze in the
glistening eye. On they came, hussars,
lancers, dragons, with all the pomp
and glory and magnifcence of war min
gled with the mystery of the world I'M
known. There rode Maj. Halket. His
proud, handsome face. set firmly and
unflinchingly, his sword clinched in his
hand, as it was found next day when
they raised his body from the blood
soaked Sod Then came Lord Fitzgib-
bon. You knew him, Lang, and so did
l, since as children we played together
in the green woods of Mount Shannon.
He was pointing a shadowy finger
ahead, and his attitude was as If he
was calling to his hussars following
close behind. AS he dashed by he recog-
niZed me, and a sad, oh, what sad
smile, fitted across the pallid face for
an instant, as he tossed a last farewell
to me, in his careless, boyish style, and
disappeared into the mist. Next came
Pigott, the Lovelace Of the Seventeenth.
The same serene light in those eyes
that had broken many a maiden's heart
in the drawing-rooms Of Belgravia.
And Hackett-Hackett Of the Fifth
1.-The saint" as we Of the First Royals
used to call him, that upright, God
fearing, great-hearted man, whose
name was called on the muster roll of
heaven ere the sun - next day. His
eyes were now fixed on the murky sky
above, his face bore the calm. assured,
expectant look that Jerome must have
worn at the stake. He was galloping
far in advance of his men, as if anx-
ious to obtain his recompense. In a
flash he disappeared into the dark.
THE gusts of icy winds accompanying
the rush of the phantoms were now de-
clining in their force, the rumbling
noise that had risen to the roar Of
tempest during their progress past was
now quieting down. AS the last line Of
charging horse passed from my sight
l saw a shadowy lieutenant of the
guards beside me. He pointed in the
direction whittier they had gone.
scornful smile on his spectral face
His hollow voice echoed tauntingly in
my ear:
:" so Maj. Hurst Of the First Royals
prefers discretion to valor because he
belongs to the heavy, and not to the
light brigade!
Il aimed blow at my traducer, but
my hand only struck into the empty
air.
HE laughed a hooking laugh, and
again pointing down the valley, said
Coz
THE warm nose of my horse, who had
returned, was pressing against my
hand.
" L will show you that at least one of
the "heavies" can do as we'll as the men
of the Light brigade! 1 cried, jumping
into the saddle and galloping off after
the vanished cavalry. felt like one be-
reft of his senses. 1 galloped on and
on in the dark until 1 saw again the
white streak approaching me in a con-
trary direction, and the rumbling
echoed in the rear. A second and it burst
upon my sight. But what a change!
Horses riderless, terrified, wounded,
maddened with excitement. Not sim
gle form of a soldier passed. Riderless
horses! Riderless horses! Riderless
horses! Here and there Opaque spots
upon the shadowy saddles, showing
where human blood had rushed down.
I drew aside from the apparent stam-
pede of ghostly steeds and waited. Then
l saw another white streak approach
ing. 1t came nearer! 1t was upon me!
The fur caps, the long riding coats, the
leggings, the long lances, and, above
all, the superb horsemanship displayed
told me that they were the Cossacks of
the car. But their faces were rigid as
the dead. Instead of their habitual
yells, in victory or defeat, not sound
escaped from the tightly closed lips.
AS l gazed like a man walking in his
sleep l saw one of the silent host bear
ing full upon me, his lance to rest, his
cold, dead eyes holding me transfixed
so that l could not move limb. 1 felt
my charger tremble beneath me, but he
never made an effort to break away. A
moment more and pang shot through
my heart. Then all seemed dark, save
for an occasional star shooting by. The
stars increased in number; then more
and more, until they formed disk like
the full moon, and again was transfig
ured into a sun, whose intense light
almost blinded me. / struggled to place
my hands over my eyes, and as l did
so heard a voice above me say:
"'Hes coming TO. My! but it was a
close call
81 opened my eyes. 1 was lying
swathed in blankets in the tent of one
of the boys of the Ninety-third. My
limbs and body were tingling from re-
cent friction, and five bearded faces
were peering anxiously into my half
opened eyes.
IT recognized Reathcote. Poor
Heathcote, that was afterward killed
at Delhi, just after his being gazetted
as colonel of his gallant corps.
why, old man. he said. joyfully.
you were near saving the Russians a
job! I found you lying stiff and stark
near the Grodno road as our boys came
along to help the Twenty-siXth drive
back the attack on the outposts We
brought you here, and have had big
job getting you round. It's a wonder
you are not minus toes and fingers,
but there's only the tip of your ear
frozen
And added my father, touching