Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-01-09

| nights Of summer; yet, was there
stiffness in the scene which invited
grave thoughts, and recalled to But
ler's mind some painful emotions thai
belonged to his present condition.
How complicated and severe are
those trials''-such was the current
of his meditations-"which mingle
private grief with public misfortune;
that double current Of i'll which runs
on one side, to the overthrow Of ma
tion's happiness, and, on the other, to
the prostration of the individual who
labors in the cause! What struggle
have I to encounter between my duty
to my country and my regard for
those tender relations that still more
engross my affections, nor less earn
estly appeal to my manhood for de-
fence! Upon the common quarrel
have already staked my life and for
tune, and find myself wrapped up In
its most perilous obligations. That
cause has enough in 1t to employ and
perplex the strongest mind, and to in
woke the full devotion of a head and
heart that are exempt from all other
solicitude; yet am I embarrassed with
personal cares that are woven into the
very web Of my existence; that have
planted themselves beside the fount-
ain Of my affections, and WHICH. II
they be rudely torn from me, would
leave behind-but a miserable and
hopeless wreck. My own Mildred! to
what sad trials have I brought your
affection; and how nobly thou hast
met them!
Man lives in the contentious
crowd; he struggles for the palm that
thousands may award, and far-speed-
ing renown may rend the air with the
loud huzza Of praise. His Is the strife
Of the theatre where the world are
spectators; and multitudes shall glor-
ify his success, or lament his fall, or
cheer him in the pangs of death. But
woman, gentle, silent, sequestered-
thy triumphs are only for the heart
that loves thee-thy deepest griefs
have no comforter but the secret COM
munion Of thine own pillow!"
Whilst Butler, who had now return
ed beneath the cliff Of the Fawn's
Tower, was absorbed in this silent
musing, his comrade was no less oc-
cupied with his own cares. The SER
geant had acquired much Of that fore
cast, in regard to small comforts,
which becomes, in some degree, an in
stinct in those whose profession ex-
poses them to the assaults Of wind
and weather. Tobacco, in his reckon
ing, was one of the most indispensable
muniments Of war; and he was. ac-
cordingly, seldom without a good
stock Of this commodity. A corn cob.
at any time, furnished him the means
of carving the bowl Of a pipe; whilst
in his pocket, he carried a slender
tube of reed which, being united to
the bowl, formed a smoking appara-
tus, still familiar to the people of this
country, and which, to use the SER
geant's own phrase. couldn't be
touched for sweetness by the best
pipe the very Queen Of the Dutch
herself ever smoked; and that'-he
was in the habit Of adding-:must be,
as take 1t, about the tenderest thing
for a whiff that the Dutchman know
ed how to make"
A flint and steel-part also Of his
gear-now served to ignite his tobac-
CO, and he had been, for some time
past, sedately scanning the length and
breadth Of his own fancies, which
were, doubtless rendered the more sub
lime by the mistiness which rich
volume of smoke had shed across his
vision and infused into the atmos-
phere around his brain.
Twelve shillings and nine pence, y
were the first words which became
audible to Butler in the depth Of his
reverie. "That, major" said the SER
geant, who had been rummaging his
pocket, and counting over a handful
of coin, ''is exactly the amount l have
spent since this time last night. l paid
it to the old lady Of the Swan at
Charlottesville, taking a sixpence for
mending your bride rein. Since you
must make me paymaster for our
march, I am obliged to square ac-
counts every night. My noddle won't
hold two days reckoning. 1t gets
csrimped and fustered with so many
numberings, that I lose the count
clean out"
1T is of little consequence. Gal
braith." replied Butler, seeking to
avoid his companions interruption.
"Squaring up. and smoothing off,
and bringing out this and that shill-
ing straight to a penny, don't come
natural to me-" continued Robinson
too intent upon his reckoning to OBJ
serve the disinclination Of Butler to
a parley, money matters are not In
my line. take to them as disunder-
standingly as Gill Bentley did to the
company's books, when they maze
him orderly on the Waccamaw picket.
For Gill, in the first place. couldn't
write. and, In the next place. II he
could a done that he never larnt TO
read, so you may suppose what a
beautiful puzzletifcation he had to
keep the guard roster straight"
Sergeant, look If yonder boat Is
loose; I shall want it presently" said
Butler, still giving no ear to his COM
rade's gossip.
"It is tied by an easy knot to the
root of the tree" said Robinson, as ne
returned from the examination.
Thank YOU" added Butler, with
more than usual abstractedness.
Something, major, seems to press
upon your spirits tonight" said the
sergeant, in the kindest tones OF In
quiry. "If I could lend a hand to put
anything, that mought happen TO
have got crooked, into its right place
again, you know. Major Butler
wouldn't be slow to do it, when you
say the word"
"I would trust my life to you. Gal
braith, sooner than to any man llV-
ing" replied the other, with an aHec-