News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1902-07-23

'tNH~NNNN
upon ana killed in the dark were not
very serious, | could not miss the
road, for it had no forks or branches.
There seemed enough risk in all this
to insure my remaining awake. | stuff.
ed the dispatches inside my shirt. put
fresh percussion caps on my revoiv.
ers and started. Nothing unusual Oc,
CURED for a quarter Of an hour OF
| more but as | descended a gentle slope
| was sure | heard the clank of sabcrs
in front of me. My horse, too, gave
the usual equine indications of being
suddenly interested in something ahead
! halted an instant, and The noise ceas,
ed, but when again rode forward the
clankng was resumed so noisily that
/ became thoroughly frightened refined
my horse under partial cover at the
side Of the road turned palc-Or fell
that did-and galloped back to camp
The captain froWned when | reported
my failure So did the colonel who,
with the captain, had been awaiting
the result of my effort,
I'm try still! another man, if you
think best" said the captain.
Try me, captain said Barnard.
who was always among the first tC
greet me when | returned to camp.
"You? asked the captain, looking
quzzically at the little fellow.
Yes, sir" said Braiuard. you see,
I'm so small that it would be hard for
n marksman to bit me, even by day
light"
This remark made both officers smile,
and was told to give my dispatches to
Brainard The little chap was on his
horse in an instant and, taking straps
from his saddIebow, bound his legs to
the tops Of the stirrup straps.
what is that for" asked the cap
tain
so" said Brainard, chat if I'm shot
/ can't fall out Of the saddle. The
horse viii be sure to hurry back to
camp, and the enemy won't get the dis
patches, as they might if were to
fan"
The captain nodded to the colonel,
who raised his eyebrows, and Brain
ard hurried out the road at an easy
gallOp. l walked a little way in the
same direction and strained my ears
for shots, but heard none. did not
sleep much that night. Should Brain
ard be killed would always feel that
| had sacrificed his life TO save my
own; should he succeed, why, confound
him, | would again have to feel as IN
comfortable as ! did when he did the
work and got the glory Of our rescue
when we were made prisoners. ] did
not feel any easier at learning that
about an hour before | had started q
man on a harnessed horse had come
galloping wildly out Of that same road
and hurried to the rear Until tattoo
paced the ground on which our troop
was camped, After tattoo ! resumed
my tramp. The guards were changed
at 10 O'Clock, midnight, 2 in the morn
ing, and | was still awake, for Brain
ard had not returned. The captain.
who felt responsible for the safe deliv-
cry of the dispatches, awoke, Joined
me and said he hoped my chum had got
through all right; then he also began to
pace to and fro, which increased my
anxiety. Toward dawn fell asleep
through sheer exhaustion. Just after
sunrise was aroused by being shak-
en-. When | opened my eyes, over me
bent Brainard, very pale of face, but
wonderfully bright of eye,
Tell me about it," demanded.
"Oh," said Brainard, ~ never was SO
frightened in my life. After Looping
along few minutes it occurred to me
that | had better know my way before
trying it, so l dismounted and hid my
horse in the woods beside the road,
leaving my saber there also. Then
sneaked down the road, with my re-
volver in my hand and my heart in my
| mouth, to find out where and what that
cavalry was 1t might have been some
of our own men, you know. Pretty
| soon | heard the clanking you spoke
of. Didn't it sound dreadful in the
dark, though? | crouched and sneaked
| from one tree to another, and the noise
grew louder, but not a human voice
could | hear, nor was there any odor
of tobacco in the air. These two facts
| bothered me greatly, for when soldiers
who are awake cease talking and smok'
ing there's something serious on hand.
"Pretty soon heard splash. Aha"
| thought l. Somebody is watering his
horse in a brook or pond ! crept still
closer. The ground became lower, as
| if there might be brook there. | got
nearer still until | made out a bridge