"'Tis the night damp that chills the
blood--and then the talk with the cursed militia is no good for a fiery
temper. Take a drop, darling, and ye'll sleep till the morning. I fed
Roanoke myself, for I thought ye might need hard riding the morrow."
"'Tis a glorious heaven to look upon," continued the trooper, in the
same tone, disregarding the offer of Betty, "and 'tis a thousand pities
that such worms as men should let their vile passions deface such
goodly work."
"You speak the truth, dear John; there is room for all to live and enjoy
themselves in peace, if each could be satisfied with his own. Still, war
has its advantages; it particularly promotes the knowledge of
surgery; and--"
"There is a star," continued Lawton, still bent on his own ideas,
"struggling to glitter through a few driving clouds; perhaps that too is
a world, and contains its creatures endowed with reason like ourselves.
Think you that they know of war and bloodshed?"
"If I might be so bold," said Sergeant Hollister, mechanically raising
his hand to his cap, "'tis mentioned in the good book, that the Lord
made the sun to stand still while Joshua was charging the enemy, in
order, sir, as I suppose, that they might have daylight to turn their
flank, or perhaps make a feint in the rear, or some such maneuver.
Pages:
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608