The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-11-07
SHADOWY FORD.
BY CHARLES W. CLARKE.

BY CHARLES w. CLARKE.
They had been in the great kitchen
Of the Soldiers home, through the
dormitories, reading-room, assembly
hall, gardens and greenhouse. Still
they hesitated after Corporal Chadwick
said good-by at the foot of the flag
staff.
SIS there something more?" asked
the corporal, leaning on his crutch.
Eyes, Uncle Chad. wanted Myra
to see Gen. Reeve and hear about
Shadowy Ford" said Newton, clasping
with one hand the plump fingers of his
cousin Myra, and with the other little
Clint's rosy wrist.
The corporal shook his head sadly.
"Gen. Reeve is dying, boy. He tells
his tale no more. You will find him
sitting on the west porch. He likes to
be there in the sun. But he don't know
So let Myra take a look at him and
then run home"
Newton led them wondering down
the broad gravel walk toward the wide
front gate. They looked back to the
futtering flag, the vine-clad walls, the
veterans grouped beneath the trees;
and on the side porch they saw the
stout figure Of the general, seated in an
armchair.
Newton had been awed when he
heard that the general was dying.
But Gen. Reeve appeared as natural
as ever. sitting quietly in his chair.
They strolled around the great facade
until they stood at the foot of the
steps.
The general opened his eyes and
looked down on them pleasantly.
"Ceme over and play with me, Ben,"
he said.
Newton glanced behind him, and
then all about in much perplexity. He
saw none near. To whom, then, was
the general speaking?
Come up here, Ben. Your mother
won't care" said the general, beckon-
ing feebly to Newton. So they all
went up and stood around his chair.
Myra looked curiously on his wrinkled
face and snowy beard, in such con-
trast with the new hat and glittering
cord, the neat blue uniform, and the
brilliant colors of the grand army
badge on his breast. Newton was
little timorous, and a little hurt. The
general had known him well, and now
called him Ben! However, he ven-
tured to say, forgetting that the cor
poral had told him not to stop there:
This is my cousin Myra come to
visit u.s. And I wanted her to hear
your story about Shadowy Ford"
"Shadowy Fordv' The general lost
his pleasant smile, and instead look
Of pride appeared upon his face.
"Yes, sir. am the officer who held
Hoods army back for twenty-four
hours at Shadowy Ford. It won me
my brevet as general"
And facing about he spied the clump
of daises Myra bore in her hand. and
to which she had clung during the hour
of her visit at the home.
The general put out his trembling
fingers and took them from her. He
held them up in the sunlight, smelled
them, and dropped hts hand in his lap.
The general was cryingl This seemed
so strange, SO terrible, that Clinton
looked at Newton, and Newton looked
at Clinton, and both had a mind to run
away.
"What was Shadowy Ford?" asked
Myra. She felt instinctively an i'm
pulse to talk of something that might
help to hide the generals emotion.
'Shadowy Ford was place down
south somewhere. A river. And he
kept anybody from crossing for day.
And it saved the army. And there is
where he got his wound" exclaimed
Newton.
'I'll tell you why fought so hard at
the ford. Ben." said the general in q
whisper. "Inever told anybody before,
but you'll keep it to yourself. We are
chums, and always going to be, and so
you ought to know. And you're differ
ent from the other boys. You don't
make fun when any of us try to do
what is right. They all say it was be-
cause l was as brave as lion and q
born hero, and thought of my country.
But it was no such thing. I was
frightened when I heard Hood was SO
near us, and only the river be-
tween. And I'd have retreated fifty
miles without stopping if it hadn't
been for just one circumstance. 1
never told anybody OF this before, and
don't you repeat it. We We're three
miles from the river, six hundred of us
marching south, when saw from the
highway fine old house set back on
a knoll among the trees. At the side
was we'll 1t was hot morning and
l was thirsty. The sight of that well
made my mouth water. So galloped
in all alone. An old darlSy woman
brought me gourd, and had good
drink of as delicious water as ever
tasted. While stood at the curb one
of the sergeants who had been scout
ing ahead rode in to me, accompanied
by mulatto ON mule. This mulatto
was very bright, and told me Hoods
army, forty thousand strong. was maxi
ing forced march toward the ford;
and his advance guard was not more
than ten miles away. After question
ing him closely believed the story.
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