United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction
Graham did so in a few sad words. The daughter sat crying on the mossy
log meanwhile, and the old man wiped his eyes again and again.
"Was there ever a nobler-looking man?" sobbed the girl; "and to think
of his poor wife! Papa, he must not be buried here. He must be taken to
our little cemetery by the church, and I will often put flowers on his
grave."
"If you will carry out this plan, sweet child" said Graham, "one
broken-hearted woman will bless you while she lives."
"Think, papa," resumed the girl--"think if it was our Henry what we
would wish."
"I'm glad you feel as you do, my child. It proves that this horrible
war is not hardening your heart or making you less gentle or
compassionate. I will carry out your wishes and yours, sir, and will
use my whole influence to prevent your noble fidelity to your friend
from becoming the cause of your captivity. I will now summon assistance
to carry your friend to the road, where a wagon can take him to the
village."
In a few moments two negro slaves, part of the force sent to bury the
dead, with their tattered hats doffed out of respect, slowly bore the
body of Hilland to the roadside. Graham, with his bare head bowed under
a weight of grief that seemed wellnigh crushing, followed closely, and
then the old clergyman and his daughter. They laid the princely form
down on the grass beside a dark-haired young Confederate officer, who
was also to be taken to the cemetery.
The sad rites of burial which the good old man now performed over both
friend and foe of subordinate rank need not be dwelt upon. While they
were taking place Graham stood beside his friend as motionless as if he
had become a statue, heedless of the crowd of villagers and country
people that had gathered to the scene.
At last a sweet voice said: "Please, sir, it's time to go. You ride
with papa. I am young and strong and can walk."
His only response was to take her hand and kiss it fervently. Then he
turned to her father and told him of his horse that was hidden in the
nearest edge of the belt of woods, and asked that it might be sent for
by some one who was trustworthy.
"Here is Sampson, one of my own people; I'd trust him with all I have;"
and one of the negroes who had borne the body of Hilland hastened away
as directed, and soon returned with the beautiful horse that awakened
the admiration of all and the cupidity of a few of the nondescript
characters that had been drawn to the place.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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