The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-06-30

[ est fringe, OF men appeared on the no.
rizon.
Fifteen minutes later stream of
wounded Federals limped through the
( village The villagers were beside
themselves with fear when the adjU-
tant of brigade. a handsome young
man in a new uniform. rode through
the village ordering the Inhabitants to
/ retire or be caught between two
fires
The widow looked on composedly
She refused to leave her house No ar
guments, no remonstranccS. no induce
ments or threats affected her resolve
If the Federals were coming perhaps
she would see her son.
The suns rays on slanting muskets
| resolved themselves into shafts of
white fire as wave after wave of men
passed in undulating pillows with
mufficd tread in dust ankle deep. The
/ sheen of bright buttons. the glitter of
scabbardS, the glare of bright steel,
danced along innumerable waves of in
! fantry and cavalry. 1t seemed as if
the coil steadily rounding the hill
would never end.
This coil, this relentless coil. was in
deed the leash, the rapidly loosening
leash, that held the dogs of war. They
were freed from the mighty strain i'm
/ posed 10y long inactivity. Soon they
would be at the enemy's throat. The
fire that tipped their guns. leaping
| from file to file, would soon be dimmed
{ Nv l,n nj frIny Of
Suddenly a flash split the air in line
with the widows vision. \ Shrek
that rent the heavens startled her She
/ stood on her feet Two more flashes
two awful shrieks, followed 10y a crash
/ that seemed to lift the house from its
/ foundations succeeded so swiftly that
the widow shut her eyes. And then
/ his presence was simultaneous with
the tiashes-a man with angry eyes
and Il bearded face pushed her out
| among the soldiers now rushing past
in ii trot.
They paid no attention to her. They
were looking forward; every man
there had his head we'll up Their
eyes were fixed on something distant
The bursting shell high overhead
solved the riddle. They were moving
/ in the direction of the cnemys cannon
The widow cast one look at her house
An immense hole was torn in the ga
bic. The roof yawned over the cavity
a SHELL made in its murder0uS mission
In terror the widow sped to her low
SpringhOuse. 1t was scarcely higher
than her bake oven. Standing there.
she strove to regain her self command.
The clamOr OF battle filled the summer
air.
Out of the dimness and vagueness of
confused masses twisting in tangled
| lines wherever she looked the widow
slowly dSCerned stream of wagons
returning with the Federal wounded
They moved slowly at first, so slow
that the road became blocked Then
the cries and OathS of the suffering the
awful groans and means of the dying
drove the widow into the farthest part
of her springhouse in an ecstasy of
fear and horror
But the Imagination of IL terror
stricken woman is greater than con
temptation of actual suffering Soon
! the widow emerged from the spring
house again. Gods sunlight, stained
as it was; Gods beautiful EARTH blast
ed, torn ruthleSSly as it was by wicked
men, was a blessed relief from the sen
sations she experienced while seeking
refuge in the earth.
so. standing there in the door of her
springhouse, with the never ending
chill Of fear at her heart now. the Wild.
ow Lacy looked and listened like one in
a day dream more frightful than a
, nightmare
She could hear and distinguish voices
now as question and answer followed
Vague apprehensions of defeat commu-
nicated themselves to the throng of
| men gathered on the roadway near her
house. \ single expression aroused
her-"Battery b." With strained ear
she hung on the response that followed.
Captain Lacy's battery will be here
in an hour. Our orders are to remain
here and support him"
rs Lacy all right?'
The widow clinched her hands. Oh.
for the strength to pierce that crowd Of
men and horses!
HE was all right fifteen minutes
ago"
Jack-her son Jack was alive.
Suddenly a cannon shot fairly cut
! its way through the throng. leaving a
quivering mass lying|on the ground
where sturdy, brave men stood a mo-
ment before
The widow was shading her eyes
with her hands, trying to bansh the
horrible vision, when the earth trem-
bled under the sound of horses hOofs,
and battery crossed the slope like Il
whirlwind to be checked behind her
bank of sweet peas.
An officer rode rapidly along the edge
of the broad road. The way was now
| clear. What expostulations and plead
ing and threats had failed to accom-
plish was accomplished only too we'll
by the shot that MANNED and killed
scores. The distance was not great.
The widow beheld her son.
ho nd ID