Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-07


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smiled at the mention Of these brave
comrades.
why" said he. should I not remem-
Der such noble men-my fellow-soldiers
and fellow-sufferers in prison? You know
| do"
He did know them.
Just at that moment the little daughter
Of Mr.. Vail ran through the hall, and,
with evident attempt at a whisper (but
such fright will permit no Whisper, say
ing: Mamma, these soldiers are so
mad! They scare me to death. They
are going 10 carry papa off; 1 heard
them say so. They are going to do
/ something badw
A full-grown moon had swung up to
midsky. The gray-clad. restless men
were moving quickly about the shadows
of the trees, through the foliage Of which
the moonbeams were struggling. These
mad men looked weird and scary, in
deed.
Little Friell came upon the portico,
/ Boys" said he TO the soldiers Out ne
spoke like a mani, you have been told that
the man in whose yard you are gathered
shot Lieutenant Thompson. This is not
true This was the act OF a coward from
yonder bush; Mr.. Vail is no assassin, but
a gentleman. There is brave Confederate
soldier beneath his roof who knows him.
We have assurance that he sympathizes
with our cause, and his old slaves have
done this day for our comrade while dying
what ours would have done for us at
home-they have been kind and faithful
to the last moment. You will remember
the orders Of our commander, that on
this march we are to harm no innocent
man or woman. We have never yet done
anything 70 be ashamed OF in this war
let's do nothing now. ] am burning TO
avenge the murder Of our brave friend, for
no man loved another as ! loved him, but
to harm these innocent people would be
crime unworthy the soldiers OF the
South; IL would not be fair war.
Tomorrow morning we VIII bury our
dead comrade yonder in the garden, under
that tree, where he will rest until the war
is over. and then we Will take him home 10
Virginia. What Will become OF me now?
VIII you all be as good TO me as Lieute-
nant Thompson Mrs. Vail threw her
arms around this boy and covered his
checks with kisses; the soldiers were
grave and silent--as sad, determined men
always are. The doors of the dining-room
were thrown open. and the men went
noiselessiy 10 a plain repast prepared for
them. Mr.. Vail waited upon them. In his
excitement he had Invested himself Of his
coat: his face wore an aimless smile;
sometimes he uttered an audible but va
cant laugh; a fog Of smoke from his pipe
came from his mouth; wandering here and
there, he would take a sip OF wine from
the glasses Of the soldiers; take bite OF
bread here and Of meat there; pat little
Iriel on the head. and finally laid his pipe
I'm a dish Of stewed peaches, then Mrs
Van aGectionately caught him by tho
arm, and together they disappeared Tor
the night
Black Edmond came in. and after
polite bow. said: "Gentmens, / mus
'dciate now; massahs tired 10 bed.
Good Iawd! Is bin hid down yanner in
de briah patch ebber sense yuen's cum;
heard yuen's was Vuhginyans, then 1
cum strait in. subs. Lots times 1 gifts
.out yanner on dat hill; look way over to
Loudng Hites, whar me an mistus cum
frum. over I'm Yuhginny an sing dat ole
song:
%, cyarey me back, o. cyarey me back,
TO ole Vuhginny's sho';
O. cyarey me back; O, cyarey me back,
And lebe me heah no mo-
"Gentmens. hab some nj dis brandy
shah! It's nuffen but wine!7
Most courteously did Captain Verdegan
ask the little miss, who was not alto
cether aimiessly touching the keys OF
the piano, 10 sing. My name is Helen
Vail" said she. and in a sweet, childish
voice. sang only these lines Of an old
song:
II have heard the mavis singing
His love-song to the morn;
I have seen the dewdrop clinging
To the rose just newly born"
'T hear that little soldier boy talking"
said she Hasn't he pretty gray uni
form? lie told mamma that his mother
had Just sent it to him. must 80 TO
see him."
Just as the first sunbeams were strug-
Cling with the last shades of the dawn,
the soldiers silently bore their dead COM
rade TO his resting-place and lowered
him I'm the grave. When these alien
clods fell upon the boards, there could
be seen what may be called 'heroic
grief'-grief depicted upon the counte-
nances of warriors, mingled with anger.
He who has been IN the track Of an
invading army knows what dead ST.
lence" means. That moment the mount
ed pickets OF the enemy were In sight
close and plentiful, but silent and mo-
tionless. There was a flag Of truce sent
with the Confederates, but soldier had
IL in his haversack; 1t was never dis
played. Calmly and In perfect order, the
soldiers formed ranks around the grave
and fired a salute, the roar OF which
can only be equalled on quiet Sabbath
day (Which day this was); then these
sedate men. just like the gray mist of
that morning had vanished before the
sun. disappeared. They Joined the army
that day In time for little Friell TO be
wounded In cavalry charge on the |
plateau at Monocacy.
Whether It be storms or floods. earth |
makes or wars. TO them there must be |
an end. An end came TO that mighty |
struggle between the States; struggle |
the like OF which the world may never |
see again; then territory, once hostile, |
rave up the brave dead OF both armies, |
whose temporary resting-plaoer were ex-
changed for eternal ones about home. |
Among them was Lieutenant Samuel |
Wallace Thompson. 10 sleep the sleep |
hat knows not breaking" beneath the
sod OF a beautiful valley in Southwest
Virginia.
Malcolm Friell began and ended his