Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-06-10

ed across the hills To groups of listen.
ers gathered on the knoll opposite the
widows house. Then fringe, the user.
est fringe, of men appeared on the ho.
riZon.
Fifteen minutes later a stream OF
wounded Federals limped through the
village. The villagers were beside
themselves with fear when the adju-
tant of a brigade, handsome young
man In new uniform, rode through
the village ordering the inhabitants TO
retire or be caught between two
fires"
The widow looked on composediy.
She refused to leave her house. No ar
guments, no remonstrances, no induce
ments or threats affected her resolve.
IL 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
muffled 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 II
the coil steadily rounding the hill
would never end.
This coil, this relentless coil, was in
deed the leash, the rapidly loosening
lnaSh fhat hold hn Of
were freed from the mighty strain i'm
posed by long inactivity. Soon they
would be at the enemy's throat The
fire that tipped their guns, leaping
from file TO file, would soon he dimmed
by the awful glare of battle.
Suddenly a flash split the air In line
with the widows vision. A Shrek
that rent the heavens startled her. She
stood on her feet. Two more flashes
two awful shrieks, followed by 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 tlashes-a man with angry eyes
and a bearded face pushed her out
among the soldiers now rushing past
in trot.
They paid no attention to her They
were looking forward; every man
there had his head well up Their
eyes We're fixed on something distant.
The bursting shell high overhead
solved the riddle. They We're moving
in the direction of the enemys cannon.
The widow cast one look at her house.
An immense hole was torn In the ga
BILE. The roof yawned over the cavity
a shell made in its murderous 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 dlmness and vagueness of
confused masses twisting in tangled
slowly discerned 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 moans of the dying,
drove the widow into the farthest part
of her springhouse in an ecstasy of
fear and horror.
But the Imagination of terror
stricken woman is greater than con-
tnr nf
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 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
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. A 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."
SIS Lacy all right?'
The widow clinched her hands, Oh,
for the strength to pierce that crowbof
men and horses!
"He was all right fifteen minutes
ago."
Jack-her son Jack was alive!
Suddenly cannon shot fairly cut
its way through the throng, leaving
quivering mass lying on the ground
where sturdy, brave men stood 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
whirlwind, to be checked behind her
bank of sweet peas.
An officer rode rapidly along the edge
Of the broad road.N The way was now
clear. What eXpostulations and plead
ing and threats had failed to accom-
plish was accomplished only too well
by the shot that MANNED and killed
scores. The distance was not great.
The widow beheld her son.
While the horses paved and snorted
the battery that had leaped up the hill
behind the sweet peas as if sped there
by Jove sent shell after shell into the
uerv midst of the Confedern tes