Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-06-04
BEFORE BALAKLAVA,

"You may talk about your orthodox
ghosts who haunt ancient castles, wailing
and groaning and carrying flaming lights
from window to window for apparently no
earthly, or rather unearthly, purpose save
that Of terrifying out Of his wits some poor
hind bearing home bewildered brain aft
er staying too long with John Barleycorn
in the village inn, but for something that
has forever baffled me and made me often
wonder whether was dreaming or awake,
commend me to what saw, or thought
saw, the night before Balaklava Oct. 25,
1854"
And my father threw himself back in
his armchair before the fire in the smoking
room grate as he took long Whit of q
newly lighted cigar and gazed dreamily
into the flames that were cracking up the
chimney.
The subject Of conversation had drift
ed from the battlefelds of yesterday in
Abyssinia and Zululand to those of 80
years before when the tall, heavy forms
before us of my father and his old comrades
in arms, Sir Langley Fetherstone and
Colonel Elmhurst, with their gray, bris-
Ting mustaches, their still erect gait, their
unconsciously imperative style and their
solemn and grave department were as
light as my own, Aubrey's or Bob Fether-
stones that night as we sat around listen
ing to the stories of the hot days when our
fathers were men as young as we.
"Hand me my memory, Aubrey" said
my father, pointing to a huge cavalry saber
that hung over the mantelpiece. The sword
that had waved over the now iron gray
head, that then was chestnut, as its own
er with shout Of defiance bore down
wintry plains of the Crimea.
My father drew the sword from its scab-
bard and lovingly surveyed the glittering
blade.
cold never failed me, he said. EDO
you see that dint in its edge, Lang? Got
that crossing the Alma off the helmet of
a Russian cuirassier. I 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 tho 'heavies. He
struck at me- Iparried, there is the mark !"
"And them" said Sir Langley.
~ swept it round and caught him
across the throat" answered my father alb
stractedly. II saw his body afterward
when it was turned over to his relatives,
for he was noble, grand duke, be-
neve. The same angry frown was upon
his handsome features as just before my
steel entered his jugular And here Is an
other-but therel If once got started
telling anecdotes Of every experience that
old blade went through in my hands,
would stay talking until morning. Put
1t up again, Vic. love to handle it when
ever settle down to tell story of the old
days. It, as it were, inspires me by bring
ing back the events of bygone years to my
mind as If they had happened yesterday"
Seeing th't we were all watching him
in anticipation, he again took some whiffs
Of his cigar and commenced:
1t was the night before the never to be
forgotten 25th Of October. We were close
to the Russian lines, our pickets being al
most within hailing distance of the enemy.
II was riding out to inspect the sentries
stationed along the Grodno road. 1t was
a wet, cold night and clasped my great
coat close about me and spurred my charg-
or along the muddy road. AS reached the
side Of the valley l drew him in quickly,
as heard q distant rumble, like the NOV
ing Of some parks of heavy ordnance at
the extreme end I listened. All was still
again. An occasional stray shot from the
-outposts, distant challenge Of a sentry,
o light here and there peering through the
murky mist from the doomed city, and
between it and us large, uneven mass Of
something indistinguishable that marked
out tho Russian lines.
II rode on. I arrived at the station of
the sentry, and as I did SO some smart fir
ing broke out toward the rear. Our pick
cts were evidently being driven in, and !
sent the sentry back to hasten up the sup
ports. He never returned. subsequent
" heard that he had gone on with the re-
endorsements he had been sent to summon
and had been captured.
~ staid, cursing his delay for over half
an hour. When ! again heard the same
rumbling noise, looked up the valley.
All was dark, but the rumble seemed to
be advancing at terrific pace. As 1t was
coming from our lines l thought it might
be night attack. Although how cavalry
could be Of any service at such an hour,
on such night, failed to see. But it is
the soldiers duty to obey first and to form
his opinions afterward, and I eagerly
awaited the oncoming Of the force
"a white streak appeared 200 feet away,
the noise crashed upon me with full force,
and In an instant saw the charging
ranks and the wild, eager forms Of the SOL
diers seated on their foaming gnlloping
steeds Forms, did I sayP Yes, forms
only. Forms pale and shadowy. Horse
add man alike woven, as 1t were, out Of
tho mist. On they came, Icy breexes rush
ing with them as they swept by. My
horse plunged and reared frantically. To
SAVE myself from being dismounted I
sr&4ng from his back into the snow, and
pisancing and snorting he made off toward
OUR lines, giving risN to the subsequent ru-
NOR Of my death.
t.As I turned saw tho form Of Louis
N,blan. He was sitting half round In his
saddle, his sword hanging from his wrist,
hi forage, cap In his hand, which he was
" Aying exultingly. His face was partial
Ia turned from me toward the ranks, but
n,bt word passed the open mouth with
l3e ashen hue on the lips, though l could
seie a blaze in the glistening eye. On they
dame-hussars, lancers, dragoons--with
all tho .ponp and glory and magnifcence
of war, mingled with the mystery Of the
world unknown. There rode Major Halk-
ct, his proud, handsome face set firmly
and unfiinchingly, his sword clinched In
his hand, as 1t was found next day when
they raised his body from the blood soaked
soil. Then came Lord Fitzgibbon. You
knew him, Lang, and SO did !, since as
children we played together In the green
woods of Mount Shannon.
1.-THE gusts Of ICY winds accompanying
the rush Of the phantoms were now declin-
ing In their force, the rumbling noise that