CHAPTER XIV. - THE SUPERSTITIOUS SOLDIER.

" See! there it is again. I tell you that I am doomed!"

The scene was a camp-fire under the shadows of the Kennesaw Mountain, the silvery bars of moonlight falling aslant across the openings in the forest.

The actors were a body of troops— none other than Remington's cavalry, which was upon a skirmishing expedition against the outlying forces of Johnston.

Half a dozen had gathered around the soldier who made the startling exclamation, their faces showing plainly something of the wonder they felt.

" Look sharp—see! it grows into shape —'tis a perfect coffin! It is as certain as it is that I am looking at you that I shall be killed within twenty-four hours!"

"Nonsense, Dan!" said one of his companions, " you are no more likely to be shot than are any of the rest of us."

" No more likely, it may be, but that's a sure sign that I shall not come out of another fight alive."

"Oh, bosh! I heve known more signs to fail than to come true," persisted the others. " I remember Sam Stearns, when we were camped by Broken Nose, saw a perfect bird in the steam from his coffee pot just as you imagine you see a coffin in yours. He declared that he was going to be shot. Well, we went into a fight
the very next day and he came out with not even a scratch."

"You can say all you have a mind to, Joe; it can't change fate," replied the superstitious soldier with a dogged faith in his belief, and the majority of those around shook their heads.

It is somewhat remarkable how strong a hold these superstitious fancies have upon the minds of those who, while they blindly accept them, must know better.

Put a strong-minded man in the heart of a trackless prairie—alone with his Maker—and he reads strange characters in the air, unheard of sounds are borne to his ears and his sleep is filled with dreams that seem to him startling realities.

The sailor amid the lonely grandeur of his ocean life naturally becomes of a superstitious mind. Nothing is too incredible for his belief, each unusual circumstance or curious combination of events are looked upon by him as an omen of evil or the harbinger of good.

'Tis the same with him who is brought face to ; face with death to the rank of martial duty.

We remember of one comrade in the campaign of Vicksburg who arose one morning from a troubled sleep with a haggard face, and who refused his rations with a solemn shake of the head.

When urged to eat, for we were expecting a hard day's work before us, he exclaimed: "Don't, in mercy's name! I dreamed last night that if 1 eat this morning I should be shot before sunset!

Laughing at his fears we, of course, did not press him further, and to this day he avers that he saved his life by refraining from eating that morning meal!

I knew of another instance of an even more serious nature. It was at the battle of Shiloh and—well, no matter who the poor fellow was.

His companions hearing him moaning as if with a severe pain asked him what the trouble was.

"I shall be shot to-day!" he replied, and his face was as white as the dead then. "I dreamed last night that I stood by the old mill where I used to play when a child. As I was watching the water that sparkled and glowed like silver in its onward course, suddenly it turned to a blood-red and floating upon its surface I saw my own body! I know that it was me for I saw each feature as distinctly as I see you now."

Nothing that his friends could say had any effect in reasoning the poor fellow out of his strange delusion.

Instead of eating his breakfast he scribbled off a letter to the loved ones at home and made arrangements to have his few effects of value to be forwarded to them.

Strangely enough he was the only one killed out of his company during the following day's battle. More often, however, these whims and hallucinations fail than come true.

" Well, all I have got to say, you are a fool, Dan Mason!" we hear uttered by Joe, as we return in imagination to the camp under the Kennesaw.

Further discussion was checked by the appearance of their chief, Cavalry Curt.

" Ho, boys! in five minutes the saddle. We are expected to cut off the retreat of the grays below here. Hark! the firing has opened again with redoubled vigor.

" The sharp cannonading of the contending forces was borne plainly to them; and in a moment all was bustle and activity, in which the fears of the superstitious soldier were quickly forgotten.

It is a beautiful sight the advance of a body of cavalry by daylight, but when that march is made through a trackless wilderness at night it becomes awe-inspiring.

Not a word was spoken as Remington's cavalry found its way through the forest, the sounds of their horses' feet alone betraying their presence.

The wood was not densely grown by any means, so that ever and anon the moonlight streamed across their pathway, lighting up their bronzed faces and glistening trappings with striking effect.

At last their leader halted, and as they imitated his example he pointed to a slight elevation of land to their right where the moonlight fell in silvery beams.

At first they saw nothing to attract their attention, and were at a loss to understand his meaning.
A second glance, however, disclosed to them a sight as strange as it was unexpected.

Beyond the opening rose the perpendicular side of the mountain bare and glistening in the moonlight at places.

Where the ledge shone clear and smooth was outlined the form of a man, gigantic in figure, with one arm pointing down the valley.

Spell-bound the lookers-on gazed upon the form for fully a minute, when it quickly faded from their view.

The little troop looked upon each other with wonder, and even their leader felt uneasy and perplexed.

The shadowy form had pointed in the direction they were going, what then was its import? Naturally it was pronounced an omen of evil.

When they had waited for its reappearance several minutes in vain, Captain Remington ordered an advance.

Nothing, however, could be found to solve the mystery. An ominous silence hung upon the scene.
The soldiers shook their heads.

" Well," declared Cavalry Curt, " if we accept it as an omen of evil we will profit by its warning and be more careful. But •we must not lose further time. Forward!"

Nothing loth the party left the place, though we doubt if there was one who failed to look back ever and anon until they had passed out of sight.

Dan Mason was more nervous than ever.

Half an hour they were creeping upon the foe at the spur of the mountain where It fronts Marietta.

There was little to distinguish this fight from the others we have described. Remington's cavalry did as good work as usual.

They were pitted against the southern lines of Johnston, which after some hard work they succeeded in dislodging.

Cavalry Curt's horse had been shot and on foot, smoke-begrimed and bleeding from several slight wounds, he led the way upon the works.

Dan Mason was close behind, in the excitement of battle having forgotten his superstitious fears.

As he leaped upon the breastworks a dark object as large as one's body left the window of an adjacent building striking him upon the breast and felling him senseless.

A cloud of rebel bullets at that moment filled the air and Curt felt one take away a lock of his hair, while another cut his belt in twain.

" Poor Dan is shot!" cried those who saw him fall, and the next moment the redoubt was taken.

Turning their own pieces upon the retreating Confederates the result was disastrous to them.

Barely had the northern troops gained possession of the post when a hoarse cry was heard coming from the window of the old stone house in the center of the fortifications.

Glancing up in that direction they saw a tall, gigantic form looking down upon them.

He was waving his hand frantically to attract their attention.

"Quick!" he cried, "to the room below! The rebs have fired the magazine and in less than three seconds the whole works will be blown sky high!"

" What madman is that?" asked one of the officers, carelessly, paying no heed to the startling warning.