Sharp County record., 1903-07-17
The Old Fort and
a Passer By ~
By S. RHETT ROMAN.

the Atlantic shore. It's grass
rrown walls towering up 10 an i'm
nense height, in unbroken sweeps
md angles Of green, and it looks soli'
airy and deserted. Only small sen.
.ry box on the sea face indicates that
he impregnable earthwOrk IN again
occupied, while the occasional sound
" drum beats, and bugle calls, show
hat company of United States ar
illery Ia stationed there To look
,fter the row Of sunken guns, quite
Invisible from the outside, and which
40 intruder is ever allowed to ipyes-
-lgste.
The Old Fort. like an ancient CO.
( iluetts. has q history, stormy his
+ .ory, and romance attached to It.
II once withstood assault after as
iault long years ago from n vigor-
pus and determined enemy, and the
lod of its bastions and outer wall.
not then so lofty and imposing AZ il
to-day. was dyed red in many
places, and the white sand road,
winding around In front of two OF
~ sides. covers the crumbling bones
II most of u gallant line of blue,
which surged up, was beaten back
hinned and decimated, then swept
Up again to remain in queer mis-
hapen heaps, and outstretched soli-
ary figures, all along the escarp-
nent OF the walls from whose case
nents puffs Of gray smoke oozed out,
md were blown this way and that
" the salt seq breezes.
They were placed side by sidc,
hose silent figures. and given decent
'urisi down in the white sand at the
oot Of the fort, where they had
allen, md to-day butcher carts and
, palers' wagons go plodding along
.bove them, and pedestrians living
the pretty village, scattered over
he island, tramp cbeerily along mar
'ow sidewalks skirting this forgot
en- cemetery, being quite ignorant
hat their careless footsteps are
,assing over the remains Of men who
iad tried fruitlcsely and heroically
o storm the battiements of the
,rass-rrown fort,
Conditions are changed to-day. but
{ still remains impregnable.
A young man sat on the grassy
dge Of the road, and while smoking
f, cigar, glanced with idle intereat
4 the towering slant OF the forts
walls behind him. crowned as they
we're by the sentry's watch tower.
And as he lounged he ruminated
noodily on his own private battle
between himself and u pretty girD,
Which had gone so decidedly against
lin during the summer just passed.
10 a feeling OF friendly interest
vent out from his heart toward the
,ncient field work which had held out
20 long and so well, but was now oe-
,upicd by those against whom 1t had
,een gsllantly and uselessly fought
N the long past years.
ut was all 10 no purpose, old fort"
,e said. lazily, as his eye measured
he noble proportions Of the bat
cry, and he noted the solitary SEN
ry pacing back and forth on the
'ampart above, his figure dwarfcd by
he light but distinct against the ycl-
ow and crimson clouds in the west
where the sun was setting.
"You held your own with splendid
,trength and tenacity, and you
.hought you had won great victory
he day when your sides were red
'tsined and the smoke Of your cam
ION blew In the eyes OF your gun
,crs. hut II was q useless struggle.
To-day the men who man your guns
ire the brothers Of those who per-
shed attempting to scale your walls.
ron are n monument to the futility
II desperate effort and the mutabil.
ty Of human affairs"
A breeze swept over the walls of the
fort and ruffied the short grass grow.
ing thick and rank this late summer
month and sent an aromatic odor of
Reld flowers In the face OF the detected
tourist sitting on the edge Of the side
walk.
ut was not useless, young man. No
iesson OF struggle and immortal
proves is useless" said the walls,
frowning down in disapproval on the
,thletic, good-lookiug young fellow
IDLY smoking choice Havana. his
neatly turned-up trousers, patent
Gather shoes. polka-dotted socks.
well-cared-for hands and handsome
seal ring plainly showing that his were
lines running smoothly along the easy
road OF prosperity. where bitter
disappointments and de-
feats are not usual.
what have you to complain of,
young man?" asked the old fort.
what are you detected and spiritiess
about? I've noted you often passing
along here with cleysrlooking,
giri--a spirited girl with
o handsome face and erect carriage.
Nhst are you SO moody about?"
n send us ono dollar ana we WIN caps
YOU q bottle. BE sure and give the ma