Evening star., 1901-01-19

| dawn the broken-spirited father was jolted
away in the old family carriage, behind a
! pair Of mules, Beleviews last remaining
horses having disappeared when the Holts
! fled to Nashville, and once they had him
/ well within The encircling force of Bragg $
| slowly retreating column there was no turn
ing back, even when it was ascertained
| that Henry had escaped without scratch,
and that POLK, surgeon" was a myth.
| Then the doctor would gladly have shot the
vile Torger, but i'll his agitation he had left
the forgery on the library table. where
Harkless found it the following day,
and where, two weeks later. he laid it in
the hands Of sorrowing young soldier in
Union blue-Norman Holt returned at last
to look upon what was left of the once
beautiful and ever-beloved home
His father again gcneI His brother again
wounded, this time seriously His home dis
| mantled, fences burned, lawn and shrub
berry dlsfiured by reckless hands and tramp
ling hoofs. outbuildings stripped. stables.
kennels and coach house partially destroyed,
! while withn-doors desola ton, If not desc
Grafton, re!gned everywhere! Woodrow and
other old friends had packed up books and
pictures. silver. china and glassware, and
for love of the Holts, and in hopes of bet
ter days, stored it all away in loyal lofts and
cellars. But the noble old furniture the
carpets. the curtains and hangings had all
ready been sadly defaced. and who could
say what might happen next? Sheridan's S
division. sorely hammered at Perryvile
was camping all bout it, resting for a day
Green, whittier Buell. directed his columns
after escorting Bragg to Cumberland Gap.
and Sheridan himself had slept within Belle
views walls. and stationed sentries to see
that no harm befell it while his fighters
filled the neighboring fields. And with that
snappy young division commander there
rode now as inspector general his staff
the youthful aid-de-camp who had so be-
friended Norman in the bitter days of his
trial and incarceration at Nashville who,
next to the old chaplain, was the first to
wiring his hand and welcome him to life, to
freedom, to new opportunity. Even in the
busy days OF the pursuit and the recupera-
ton after Perryville. Sheridan had found
time to listen to Capt Ransoms vivid ac-
count of that dramatic scene and of the
trial and trlbulations that preceded 1t, and
now the little generals sympathes were
fully aroused. and his efforts in Norman's
behalf were redoubied An order had earlier
been obtained granting the young soldier
months furlough for by this time his
history, mis- nigh connections and his suf-
ferings were matters that We're the talk of
half the army. The Enyarts had opened
their hospitable doors to him at Louisville,
despite the fact that already they had three
wounded officers beneath their roof. Can't.
Bob. recovering slowly, had eagerly ques-
toned their soldier guest as to any knowl-
edge ne might have concerning the influence
brought to bear upon the President On
this point Enyart seemed oddly inuuis!ttye.
A stern War Secretary had declared such
sentence must be executed Or all discipline
lall East and west such sentences had
been carried out. yet here in the case of
Norman Holt. where the evidence seemed
conclusive. at the last moment the great,
the merciful, the sorrowing, suffering over
weighted head of the nation had interposed
and pardoned. Who could have gained his
ear? ltH
1t was something Norman himself great
ly longed to know. The Lanes were again
IN CINCINNATI, SO Mrs. Enyart had learned.
and there the major and Judge advocate
was convalescing. ThsaRays had returned
70 Lexington as soon as 3 Bragg'S forces
feii back, and they heard Of Kate Ray
nob.y, assiduously lahoring In the hos
pltals, nursing our SICK sand wounded-ours
whether blue or gray. gEnyart begged his
again to Louisville, and the mother prom
ised. put could she not minister to her
oriy son without another's help? And If
that other came. might not the mothers
hand. dear as 1t was. be-no, no.. not
spurned. but set aside for the sake of an
otner! with unerring eyes she had seen
signs ana symptoms in her brave boy that
told their tale almost before he himself
knew what they meant. Kate was a fine
girl. noble girl. she admitted but Bob was
ner all, and how many a mother thinks
her only SON almost too good for almost
any woman, when 1t is apt to be just the
other way! Now. II Henry Holt were only
left wounded at Lexington or Harrodsburg
or somewhere-how suitable that might be!
BOD was for having Norman go fetch them.
Ihey could be so much more comfortable
than IN Lexington. Overcrowded as 1t must
be with sick and wounded. But Norman
nad been only twenty-four hours within
their gates when he set forth again on mat
ters OF his own. Reporting at the COM
unandtng generate he had received the
necessary pass and papers to permit hfs
visiting Beitevtew, and had gone forthwith.