Newspaper Page Text
p"atf. 1A
VOL. 111.
• The Gathering Home.
They are gathering homeward from every
land,
One by one,
As their weary feet touch the shining
strand,
One by one,
Their brows are inclosed in a golden
crown,
Their travel-stained garments are all laid
down,
And clothed in white garments they rest
on the mead,
Where the Lamb doeth love his chosen
to lead,
One by one.
Before they rest they pass through the
strife,
One by one;
Through the waters of death they enter
life,
One by one,
To some are the floods of the river still,
As they ford on their way to the heaven
ly hill;
To others the waves run fierce and wild,
Yet they reach the home of the un
defiled,
One by one.
We too, shall come to the river side,
One by one.
We are nearer its waters each eventide,
One by one,
We can hear the noise and dash of the
stream
Now, and again through our life’s deep
dream
Sometimes the floods all the banks over
flow,
Sometimes in ripples and small waves
go,
One by one.
Jesus, Redeemer, we look to Thee,
One by one.
We lift up our voices tremblingly,
One by one,
The waves of the rivers are dark and
cold,
We know not the place where our feet
may hold,
Thou who did'st pass through in deep
midnight,
Strengthen us, send us the staff and the
light,
One by one.
Plant Thou Thy feet beside as we tread,
One by one,
On Thee let us lean each a drooping
head,
One by one.
Let but thy strong arm around us be
twined,
We shall cast our fears and tears to the
wind,
Saviour, Redeemer, with Thee full in
view,
Smilingly, gladsomely, shall we pass
through,
One by one.
Written for the Banner of the South I
HENRY WARREN, '
OR,
The Confederate Soldier’s Revenge.
EY F. FAUNTLEROY, OF TEXAS.
“Henry imparted to her, in as few
words as would suffice, the facts in the
readers possession, and told her his
plans.”
“I am very glad to know all this. It
is a relief to my mind ; though I have
great fears as to your safety, and I think
it probable I may aid you in some way.
“Listen and watch, Sallie; but be
dumb. Particularly observe all strang
ers.
“Fear not.”
' Do our parents or friends here sus
pect anything ?”
“Your movements give them an un-
defined dread. They see you have some
object which you conceal.
“Well, it can’t be helped.”
As Ilenry intended to start before day
light, he saw that double rations were
given to Billy; and, wishing to have-a
full rest, retired at an early hour.
He mounted his steed before the dawn,
and went out as he had gone before. He
rode at a good pace, traveling the already
understood route to Lone Rock. After
the sun had risen, and the atmosphere
was more dry, he stopped and carefully
examined and capped bis six-shooter.
Passing Lone Rock he diverged to the
right, taking the direction to Pope moun
tain which was over two miles distant.
The country became more rugged and
wild ; a region which seemed intended
only for the prowling beast, and where
a stranger might well suppose a civilized
foot had never trod. He frequently
stopped for a moment to listen, but heard
no unusual sound. Soon we was at the
base of the mountain, and rode to an
elevated point which commanded an ex
tensive view, particularly in the direction
from which he expected the hunters. At
this spot he remained for an hour or
more, when he heard the winding of a
horn in the distance.
“I hope it will be your last trump,
you villains,” he said to himself.
In a short time again he heard the
horn; and it seemed the person who
blew it was approaching the eastern side.
Warren was just in the act of standing
to intercept the hunters when he heard
the crack of a rifle in a more southerly
direction.
“That’s just what I want. They are
separated aud I can find them one at a
time.”
He turned his mare and rode toward
the spot whence the report came. When
he supposed himself within a short dis
tance of the object of his pursuit, he
slackened his pace and advanced with as
little noise as possible. He thought he
heard a sound, stopped and listened. It
was the step of a horse coming nearer
and nearer. He adjusted his pistol and
knife. The approaching horse stopped
about two hundred yards distant. VVar
ren could see no one for the intervening
foliage. Just then another crack of the
rifle disturbed the stillness and rang
through the forest. Instantly seeing his
advantage, he drew his pistol, spurred
his mare, and in a moment was upon the
man with an empty gun ; the hunter
having dismounted and tied his horse.
“Ila, devil! you are the man I want
to see. Do you know me, Mr. Martin?”
“Who are you?” asked the astonished
and frightened man, not recognizing War
ren in his disguise.
“I am Ilenry Warren, you villain,
seeking revenge for the wrongs to my
family.”
“You have the advantage of me, Mr.
Warren ?”
“Any greater advantage than you had
of my sister, you hell-hound ?” asked
Warren ferociously.
“You may be mistaken about that af
fair ?”
“Dog ! don’t attempt to escape by ly
ing,” said Warren cocking his pistol.
Martin dropped upon his knees and
begged for his life.
“Did you heed the cries of my wife
and sister ? Did you care for the plead
ing of harmless and unprotected women?”
“For God’s sake don’t shootim
plored the quaking coward.
“Who came with you !”
“Ben Harris?”
“Where were you to meet !”
“At the Ledge of Rocks ?”
With a lock of fiery bate, minded with
an expression of triumph, Warren level
ed his pistol and drove a ball into the
brain of the wretch ; then dismounting,
lie reloaded the rifle, unloosed the horse
Martin had ridden, tide up the bridle
and started him to the owner. Resum
ing his place in the saddle he turned and
rode toward the Ledge of Rocks.
AUGUSTA, Gr-A.., AUGUST 6, 1870.
“Thank God I have done a part of my
work. There is one villain less to do
service for the United States, and war
upon old people, women and children.
I have made a good beginning and hope
to be lucky to the end.”
He traveled to the left of the route he
supposed Harris had taken. When he
had gone about half the distance he
heard the report of a rifle far to the right
Seeing all was clear he rode on to the
place of rendezvous, diverging to the
left so as to get upon the upper side of
the Ledge of Rocks. It was difficult to
ride to the spot where he wished to con
ceal his mare. He found a good footing
on the mountain side, where she could
not be seen from below, and their tied her
securely. He then descended to the
Ledge and took his position in a mas3 of
tangled vines, near a fissure in the rock
by which he could descend to the more
level ground below. Here he impatient
ly waited for some time, watching and
listening, before he again heard the
horn. The sound came nearer and near
er, and he was satisfied Harris was now
corning to the place of appointment, and
was blowing to call in his dogs, and give
notice to his companion. But Martin
did not hear the signal, he had gone to
answer for his base deeds, done in the
bod}-. Soon the hunter with his hounds
came up, expecting to meet a friend, not
a deadly foe, and stopped below the
place where Warren crouched in the
vines. Harris had a fine Buck bound
behind his saddle. He dismounted and
tied his horse to a tree, placed his gun
against another ; and, being tired, seated
himself in the shade. The worried
hounds stretched themselves upon the
ground and rested. Warren felt some
apprehension lest they should scent him
and give him trouble. A quarter of an
hour passed away without change. Har
ris became impatient, and blew his loud
est blast. The dogs were aroused, and,
scenting about got upon the trail of some
animal and dashed off. Now was War
ren’s time. With the stealthy caution of
a tiger, he emerged from the covert and
descended without noise through the
fissure. Keeping some bushes between
himself and his intended victim, he moved
with the softness of a spectre towards the
spot where the man sat, unconscious of
danger, leaning against a tree and facing
the east. When within about thirty feet,
to the left and rear of Harris, he stopped,
and in a startling voice shouted—
“ Hallo !”
Harris sprang to his feet, turned and
beheld a rifle leveled at his breast, in the
hands of a wild looking man.
, “Hold ! what’s the matter ? what do
you want ?”
“Do you know me ?” asked Warren in
a smarting tone.
“No. Who are you?”
“My name is Henry Warren?”
“What do you want?”
“Want to send you after Martin, to
your proper home.”
The truth flashed upon Harris’ mind,
and he shuddered.
“You’ve got the drop on me. Give
me a chance,” said he, in a falterine:
voice. *
“I would give a brave man a chance;
but a brute who makes war upon de
fenseless old men, women, and children
ought to be shot like a dog; and so I dis
patch you.”
The keen report echoed upon the
mountain side, and Harris sprang into
the air and fell to the earth a corpse.
Warren relieved the horse of his burden
and turned him loose; and broke and bent
the two guns to prevent their use by
other villains and traitors. He went to
his marc and started to his retreat, feel
ing a grim satisfaction over the work he
had done. Just then the dogs returned
to the Ledge and set up a wild and
mournful howl over the body of Harris.
“He is not worth even the grief of
dogs,” thought Warren. “Two of the
Union heroes are settled; and I am sorry
I can’t add others without delay. I wish
I bad the power to crush the entire ken
nel at one fell blow.”
At about 12 o’clock next day, Warren
saw someone on horse back just enter
ing the lower part of the valley. He
quickly brought up his mare, saddled
her and mounted. He then moved to a
point from which he could more plainly
observe the movements of the visitor to
this sequestered spot. As the stranger
rode in the direction of the Lone Rock,
he supposed it was old George. The old
man rode around the shaft three times,
and Warren darted off to meet him.
“Well, Uncle George, what news?”
“Good morning, massa Henry ; I has
a letter from Miss Sallie.”
George ripped a part of his oat lining
and drew out a small packet, which he
delivered. Warren read as follows :
“My Dear Brother : Last evening the
two horses got back without riders, one
having blood on him, creating a strong
excitement among the friends of the
missing men and the Unionists generally
over the neighborhood. Two of that class
made a pretence to call here this morn
ing. They spoke of the return of the
horses and the suspicions entertained;
but good Mr. Hopkins showed s > much
honest surprise that I believe they went
away, thinking no person connected with
us had any part in the supposed tragedy.
A party staried to search for the two
men. Beware !” S,”
' “Follow me, Uncle George.”
They walked back to the thicket where
Warren talked with the old man. But
ten minutes had not elapsed when War
ren’s quick eye descried six horsemen
ride into the valley, seeming to be on the
track he had made the day before. He
did not tell the old Negro so, for fear of
frightening him.
“Uncle George, we must get away from
here, and the sooner the better!”
“Good Lord, im.ssa Henry ! why so ?’’
“Never mind just now; follow me with
as little noise as possible.”
They passed quickly through the
thicket, in the direction of a narrow and
craggy defile, which not masy knew.
Warren led the way and traveled so as
to leave as little indication of his passing
as possible. After emerging from the
pass, Warren took every precaution to
“break his trail,” and they made their
way throngh the forest to a dense cane
brake on a certain creek in which War
ren had often hunted for bears. Here
they rested until twilight, aud then
started for Mr. Hopkins’ place. Know
ing the country well, Warren avoided
observation by circuitous traveling.—
They arrived at the Parson’s back fence
at a late hour, and Warren sent old
George forward to reconnoiter the prem
ises. The report being favorable, he
proceeded to the house, where he found
his friends up and in great anxiety on his
account. They were keeping very quiet
and using but very little light. The
females were particularly fearful that
harm would come to Ilenry. Mr. Hop
kins was not free from apprehension.
Sallie knew what was the matter, and
the rest suspected the truth. Henry
gave them what information the circum
stances rendered necessary.
The venerable man illy conceded his
belief that Henry was doing wrong, and
that there was danger of incurring the
anger of his Maker. Henry’s reasoning
with his own conscience was, that if it
was Providential that such horrid calami
ty should fall upon his family, it was
equally Providential that he should work
out a terrible reveDge; that if God per
mitted the base acts of the Vandals he
would permit the beneficial act of sweep
ing them from the face of the earth. lie
felt it was not only his duty to slay the
villains as enemies of his country but as
enemies of the human race—of all that
was good—aud as destroyers of his peace
and happiness. Both parties knowing
that any discussion of the subject would
be useless, but little was said about it.
Henry told them they need not enter
tain any fears in regard to his personal
safety; that he would keep himself en
tirely concealed.
Much excitement prevailed, particularly
among the Unionists, on account of the
killing of the young men. The myste
ries which enveloped the occurrence in
creased the interest. They who were not
in the secret wondered who on earth
had done the deed. No stranger had
been seen who could have dealt the blows,
and no one lived in that region who could
be regarded as the perpetrator. No re
lief could be derived from attaching sus
picion to any particular person. A lead
ing Union man had declared that some
“rebel” must have been the murderer;
and that when discovered he would be
treated as a “rebel” deserved. He fur
ther said he would have the company to
which the young men belonged sent to
that vicinity to ferret out the matter and
punish all concerned in the tragedy.—
There was no sympathy excited among
this hell-born set by the unprovoked and
fiendish assault at Mr. Warren’s house—
there were no tears to shed there; but
now they were copiously flowing over two
of the guilty perpetrators who justly died
in consequence of their foul wrong.
This news had been brought by a
neighbor who had called at the Parson’s.
He was fearful harm would come of it.
The supposition on the part of friends
was, that the affair was in some way
connected with the maltreatment of the
Warren family; and it was evident that
enemies suspected as much. On the next
day two individuals called at Mr. Hop
kin’s house, under the pretense of getting
water and enquiring after estray horses.
They seated themselves and entered into
other subjects, soon introducing the mat
ter which was interesting the neighbor
hood. While speaking of it they keeuly
scrutinized the family, but failed to learn
anything, and went away evidently dis
appointed.
Henry had seen the man approaching,
and cautiously left the house so as not
to be discovered; told old George to ob
serve the strangers closely; and conceal
ed himself where he could see something
of their movements.
When they had departed George in
formed him that one of them was a
brother of a member of the company he
was in pursuit of. That evening Henry
returned to his place in the cane-brake.
A week passed without special inci
dent. Old George heard at the mill that
twelve of that company had arrived, and
with the permission of the Union patrons
and trustees of the neighborhood school,
occupied the old school house, situated
about five miles from the mill. This
news was promptly communicated to him
who needed the information. Ilenry told
George to ascertain, through his brother,
what the squad intended to do ; and if
they were going on a scout; when they
would return. In a few days the old
man was informed that the party were
quite active in making inquiries ’about
the killing of Martin and Harris; had
been riding over ttlie neighborhood, and
intended visiting the Ledge of Rocks on
the following Thursday, for the purpose of
making a minute inspection of the
place and vicinity, to be gone two days.
Henry’s fruitful genin3 was at work.
In his gloomy retreat lie had nothing to
do but think and mature his plans.—
With the assistance of the faithful old
negro, he procured a gallon jug, more
powder, and other materials which he
needed, and made a torpedo for the bene
fit of the twelve wrathful adventurers
who wished to redress grievances—to
avenge the wrongs committed against the
“brave boys in blue.”
After dark on Thursday evening Hen
ry started for the school house, having
his torpedo m a sack, and also taking
matches and old George’s lantern. Kvery
precaution was used to avoid being
He traveled through the woods all the
way. The greatest difficulty was to find
No. 21.