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

ties, waiIng and grooming and car
rying flaming lights from window to
window for apparently no earthly,
or rather unearthIy, purpose save
that OF terrifying out OF his wits
some poor hind bearing home be.
wiIdered brain after staying too long
with John Barleycorn in the village
inn, but for something that has for.
ever baffled me and made me wonder
whether | was dreaming or awake,
commend me to what | saw, or
thought | saw, the night before Bal
aklava, Oct. %, 1854"
And my father threw himself back
in his armchair before the fire in the
smoking room CRATE as he took
long Whit OF newly lighted cigar
aud gazed dreamily into the flames
that were cracking up the chimney.
The subject of conversation haG
drfted from the battleields OF yester.
dav in Abyssinia and Zululand to
those of 80 wears before, when the
tall, heavy forms before US OF my
father and his old comrades in arms,
Sir Langley Fetherstone and Colonel
EImhurst, with their gray, bristling
mustaches, their still, erect giant,
their unconsciously imperative style
and their solemn and grave deport
ment were as light as my own, Aub-
rev's or Bob Fetherstone's that night
as we sat around listening TO the
stories of the hot days when our
fathers were men as young as We.
Hand me my memory, Aubrey, 4"
said my father, pointing TO huge
cavalry saber that hung over the
mantlepiece. The sword that had
waved over the now iron gray head
that then was chestnut, as its owner
with shout OF defiance bore down
upon the ranks OF the Mu>covites on
the wintry plains OF the Crlmea.
Ny father drew the sword from his
scabbard and lovingly surveyed the
glittering blade.
"OId, never tailed me, '" he said.
do YOU see that dint in its edge,
Lang? Got that crossing the Alma
off the helmet of Russian cuirassler.
| sent the blow through steel and
skull together. There is another.
Got that the 25th OF October from
the commander of the Cossacks that
charged the left flank OF the 'heavies.
He struck at me. parrIed. There
is the mark.
And then? p said Sir Langley.
II swept it round and caught him
across the throat answered my
brother abstractedly. Il saw his
body afterwards when it was turned
over to his relatives, tor he was a
noble, a grand duke, believe. The
same angry trown was upon his
handsome features as just before my
steel entered his jugular. And here
is another-but there! If once got
started telling anecdotes OF every ex
perlence that old blade went through
in nv hands, would stay talking
until morning. Put it up again, VIC
love to handle it whenever settle
down to tell a story of the old days
1t, as it were, inspires me by bring
ing back the events of bygone years
to my mind as ii they had happened
Yesterday"
Seeing that we were all watching
him III anticipation, he again took
some whiffS OF his cigar and com
mtnCed
1t was the nig''t before the never
to be forgotten 25th OF October. W.
were close to the Russian lines, OUT
pickets being almost within halins
distance of the enemy.
Il was riding out TO inspect the
stntries stationed along the Grodno
road 1t was d wet, cold night, anc
clasped my great coat close abou
me and spurred my charger alon!
the muddy road. AS | reached thu
srde OF the valley drew him in quick
ly, as | heard distant rumble, lik'
the moving OF some packs OF heav,
ordnance at the extreme end. lis
tened. All was still again An coca
Sional stray shot from the outposts
a distant challenge OF sentry,
light here and there peering through
the murking mist from the doomed
city, and between it and us large
uneven mass of something undistin
guishable that marked out the Rus
sian lines.
II rode on. arrived at the sta
ton OF the sentry, and as | did 81
some smart firing broke out TOWARD
the rear. Our pickets were EVIDENT,
being driven IN, and sent the sentr.
back to hasten up the supports. ii
never returned. | subsequentl'
heard that he had gone on with tn
relntorcements he had been sent tt
summon and had been captured.
IL staid, cursing his delay tor owe
halt an hour. When again hedr'
the same rumbling noise, looked VI
the valley. All was dark, but tn
rumble seemed to be advancing at
terrific pace. As it was coming iron
our lines | thought it might be
night attack. Although how cavaI
ry could be of any service at such al
hour, on.such night failed to see
Butritsis the soldiers duty to ODE.
FIRST and to form his Opinions after