Year: 1875

HAZIEHU.
night when / went to bed
and fell to sleep still sobbing.
About II o'clock that night
/ was aroused from deep
slamber by terrible cries; the
noise of shouts and pistol
shots all mingled together;
| heard my fathers voice and
saw my mother standing in
the room crying, / jumped
up and started out of :he
room, but was caught by one
Of the servants, who cried
out, ''for the love of God,
child, don't go out Of the
room, they's doing murder
there sure; the Colonel done
rorse old master at last, and
they both devils sure" My
mother called me to her
where she had already gath
cred my brother, and wind
ing her arms around us held
both closely in her embrace.
The noise and tumult soon
ceased and my father at last
made his appearance, with
blood on hJs face and clothes
and a stern set expression
upon his face that caused my
mother to spring up and
rush towards him. at is
nothing" he said, "I'm not
hurt and he is sccured."-
This was all [ heard for /
and my brother.were hurried
off to bed in another part of
the house, with the strict in
junction to be quiet and go
to sleep.


[ arose next morning with
the early dawn, and dressing
hurried out to the yard where
| thought l might learn some
thing from the servants, but
all that they would let me
know was that the big Colo
mel, as they called him, was
so outrageous that their mas
ter had to tie him in bed.


For three days a heavy
gloom, as if some dread ca
Iamity pended, settled on ev-
erything and every body in
the house. / watched in 81
lence and fear my fathers
stern countenance, and saw
many gentlemen ride up,
some dismounted and held
whispered conversations, 9TH
crs made some hurried enqni-
ry and then rode off. But
to my childish imagination
there was no solution to this
dreadful suspense.


On the night of the third
day Of this depressing sensa-
ton, the old servant who was
the constant attendant of
Col. McClung, woke me up,
saying, "Get up quick, little
master, the big Colonel is 60
ing and wants to see You"
With heart big with mingled
joy and fear, l quickly hur-
ried ont to the gallery, where
| found several people assem-
bled, my father and some
gentleman friends, and con-
spicuous above all, the Colo
mel. He caught me up to
his breast, and strobe down
the steps and out in the yard
under the shadow of a huge
oak tree. | could feol the
strong beating Of his great
heart, but conld not see his
face, although [ could feel
the tears which fell on my
face. He stood quietly some
time pressing me closely to
his breast, At last, with
husky voice he said, "My lit
tie friend, | have been very
sick, and / AM afraid / have
lost your love and confidence.
[ wish you to love me always
and never think anything
wrong of me. ! am going
away now and you may new
er see ME again" And that
was all. His emotions seem
ed to be too strong, and kiss
ing me he called the servant
who had his horse, and pla-
eing me in his arms mounted
and rode away. Away INTO
the gloom and darkness of
the night with the shadows
Of the great oaks, which lined
each side Of the road, hiding
him from my straining eyes.
But what we're the gloom and
darkness of the night COM
pared with the moral gloom
and sadness which he left he