St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1895-06-28

forms pale and shadoWy. Horse and
man alike woven, as it were, out OF
the mist. On they came, icy breezes
rushing with them as they swept by.
My horse plunged and reared franti
cally. To save myself from being dis
mounted sprang from his back into
the snow, and prancing and snorting
he made off toward our lines, giving
rise TO the subsequent rumor Of my
death.
"As | turned | saw the form Of
Louis Nolan. He was sitting half
round in his saddle, his sword hang
ing from his wrist, his forage cap in
his hand, which he was waving ex-
uitingIy. His face was partially
turned from me toward the ranks,
but not word passed the open
mouth with the ashen hue on the
lips, though | could see blaze in the
glistening eye. On they came-hus-
sars, lancers dragoons-w with all the
pomp and glory and magnihcence OF
war, mingled with the mystery OF
the world unknown. There rode
Major Halket, his proud handsome
face set firmly and unhnchingly, his
sword clinched in his hand, as it was
found next day when they raised his
body from the bood-soaked soil.
Then came Lord Ftzgibbon. You
knew him, Lang, and so did |, since
as children we PLAYED together in the
woods Of Mount Shannon.
THE gusts OF icy winds accom-
panying the rush Of the phantoms
were now declining in their force, the
rumbling noise that had risen to the
roar of a tempest during their pro-
gress past was now quoting down.
AS the last line OF charging horses
passed from my sight | saw a
shadowy lieutenant OF the Guards
beside me He pointed in the direc-
ton whittier they had gone. A
scornful smile was on his spectral
face. His hollow voice echoed taunt-
ingly in my ear:
$50 Major Hurst of the First
Royals prefers discretion to valor be-
cause he belongs to the heavy and
not to the light brigade
II aimed a blow at my traducer,
but my hand only struck into the
empty ayr.
He laughed hooking laugh, and
again pointing down the valley SAID,
Coz
81 will show you that at least one
of the 'heavies" can do as well as
the men of the light brigade, cried,
Jumping into the saddle and gallop-
ing off after the vanished cavalry.
felt like one bereit OF his senses.
galloped on and on in the dark until
| saw again the white streak ap.
preaching me in a contrary direction
and the rumblng echoing in the rear
A second and it burst upon my sight
But what a change! Horses, rider
less, terrified, wounded, maddened
with excitement. Not single torn
of soldier passed. Riderless horses
Riderless horses! Riderless horses
Here and there opaque spots upor
the shadowy saddles, showing where
human blood had rushed down.
drew aside from the apparent STAN
pede of ghostly steeds and waited
Then saw another white streak ap
preaching. 1t came nearer! 1t wa,
upon me! The fur caps, the long rid
ing coats, the leggngs, the long lane
es, and, above all, the superb horse
mansblp displayed told ME that they
were the CossackS OF the car. Blu
their faces were rigid as the dead
: Instead of the habitual yellS, in vic
tory or defeat, not sound ESCAPED
from the tightly closed lips. AS
gazed like man walking in his SLEEP
, | saw one of the silent host bearing
. full upon me, his lance in rest, hi'
cold, dead eyes holding me transhXeC
so that could not move limb.
lelt my charger tremble beneath me
but he never made an effort to breat
away. A moment more and pans
shot through my heart. Then al
seemed dark save tor an occasional
star shooting by. The stars in
creased IN number; then more anC
more until they formed disk llk
the lu, moon that again was trans
figured INTO a sun, whose lntenS
light almost blinded me. struggled
to place my hands over my eyes, ant
} as did SO | heard voice above M
say:
HES coming to. My, but it wa
a close CALL
( IL opened my eyes, | was lying
. swath,d III blankets in the tent o
e one OF The boys OF the Ninety.third
NV limbs and body were tinglin:
from rec mt friction, and five bearde,
: faces were pecrlng anXiously into m,
/, halt opened eyes.
Il recognized Heathcote. Poo
. Heatncu,e, VINO was aIterward kille(
j at Delhl, just alter his being gazette(
, as colonel OF his gallant corps.
: "Wny, old man, he said )oytully
: you were near saving the Russian
a lob. found you lying stuff ant
: stark near the Grodno road as GU
. boys came along to help the Twenty
j sixth drive back the attack on tn
y outposts. We brought you here ant
have had a b,g job getting yo'
c around. It's a wonder you are no
minus toes and fingers, but there
( ,,,l,, no RI, ~ yDur ear frozen