The Hallam Succession

m's battle,

by bleeding

led alt, is

e mind, and freed

m's soil ben

banner strea

ing hath l

watcher

rt that was

and com

ringing and bands of music playing; and at the earliest dawn the levee was black with a dense crowd of excited men. In the shaded balconies beautiful women were watching

h his long-neglected wound, she was determined to meet him with songs of triumph. As he was carried in his cot through the crowded streets to the house of the physician who was to attend to his shattered bone, shouts of acclamation rent the air. Men and women and little

at the Alamo, the brave five hundred who had fallen in cold-blooded massacre at Goliad, and the seven hundred who had stood for liberty and the ina

ther, friendship grows rapidly. Houston, like the best of great generals, had immense personal magnetism, and drew close to him the brave and the honest-hearted. John gave him the

sk, the clearest crystal, and the brightest silver. She made it beautiful with fresh cool ferns and budding roses. Outside Nature had done her part. The orange-trees filled the air with subtle fragrance, and the warm south wind wafted it in waves of perfume through the open doors and windows. Every

ark eyes held a wonderfully tender light, and the soft, rich pallor of her complexion took just the shadow of color from the dress of pale pink which fell in flowing lines t

o be the spirit infusing every thing in Texan land. "I can't help it," he said, with a laugh; "it's in the air; the very wind

per was over he said: "Phyllis, my daughter, let them put me a chair and a table under the live oaks by the cabins. I am going to have a class-meeting there to-n

hite they looked, under the swaying festoons of gray moss and in the soft light; for the moon was far up in the zenith, calm and bright and worshipful. John and Phyllis stood together, listening to his bene

away-st

way to

re of dance or song could ever have bound them. Love touched the spiritual element in each soul, and received its earnest of im

light, "it is my turn now. I want to hear about

ican army and them. O, how my heart bled for them! They were footsore, hungry, and exhausted. Many of the women were carrying sick children. The whole country behind them had been depopulated, and their only hope was to reach the eastern settlements on the Trinity before Santa Anna's army overtook them. I could do noth

irst impression

ckskin and an Indian blanket, and was leaning upon his rifle, talking to some of his m

'We are sworn to win our rights, or

ere raising a company of young men, and that another company would start from Natchez within a week. 'Why, this is great news,' he

ir glad hours, and when men press hands beneath the fire of batteries they touch souls also

moments, rare

ut, and use

iving three days upon ears of dried corn, but they had the will of men determined to be free and the hearts of heroes. I told them that the eyes of the whole co

st missionary

, and neither soldier nor priest could make him afraid. He was reading the Bible, with his rifle in h

, John; wha

s God sends wi

s to make sm

he say

me of our elder brother, Christ, can't be mixed up with any kind of tyranny, kingly or priestly; we won't have it. We are the children of the knife-bearing men who trampled kingly and priestly ty

ike, John; or, at least, to strengt

army; none of the pomp of war; nothing that helps a

hen we remember how ma

there isn't much mira

were very fortunate

int

do her worst, she canno

a grand

d, Houston say to them, 'Do your work, and come back like eagles, or you'll be behind time for the fight.' Then all was quiet for an hour or two. About the middle of the afternoon; when Mexicans are usually sleeping or gambling, we got the order to 'stand ready.' In

ed the breastwork, with their rifles in their hands and their bowie-knives between their teeth. When rifles and pistols had been discharged they flung them away, rushed on the foe, and cut their path through a wall of living Mexicans with their knives. 'R

laughter ne

ul, Phyllis. What

us. God knows the kind of men that are needed for the work that is to be done. Peace is pledged in war, and often has the Go

ose many m

ed and thirty wounded. It is incredible, I know; and when

lf was among the w

the close of the engagement staggering with his master over the heaps of slain. Houston, indeed, had great difficulty in arresting the carnage; far over the prairie the flying foe were

ou not spare the f

utchered had these very men been able to do it! Give your sympathy to the

nded men. In the early dawn of the next day we buried our dead. As we piled the last green sod above them the sun rose and f

for the avenging of I

ffered them

e governors of Israel,

the people. Bles

emies perish, O Lord:

when he goeth fo

nerations! If is to humanity what the sunshine is to the material world, new every day;

at day. Look here!" and John took a little box out of his pocket and, opening it, displayed one

story, I s

t he had never before understood the American character.' 'I see now,' he said, laying both his hands upon his breast, 'that it is impossible to enslave them.' Houston put his hand in his pocket and pulled out part of an ear of corn. 'Sir,' he asked, 'do you ever expect to conquer men fighting for freedom who can march four days with an ear of corn for a ration?' Young Zavala looked at the corn, an

me to see your

re sure to like him-though, it is wo

ry one. God himself does not please all; nay as men are

only their religion, but their preachers with them. He said it was these Protestant preachers wh

ve a free faith in an enslaved country. They k

free-b

ith priest

tippet and

by prin

ould cast th

r hearts

red, as Go

ew men o

nto minutes. There was scarcely a barren moment, and faith and hope and love grew in them rapidly toward higher skies and wider h

r strength was nearly restored, and she went singing about the house full of joy and of loving-kindness to all living things. The youngest servant

's heart was in it." It was rather provoking to Phyllis that Richard had taken entirely a masculine view of the ceremony, and had quite neglected to notice all the small details which are so im

Richard. Who

couple of clergymen present. I imag

squire

se. The squire was unable to take the journey.

suppose, was Anton

went to the Continent shortly before

cular difference

was the beginning of a

firm next. Antony ough

-he'll be angry at Ci

w it, soon or la

d a right to p

Eltham. I remember noticing something like it m

her last letter, tha

d by this time. Antony has taken

bride

ent, also. I am almost incli

in the light of her own heart; it is certain that Richard never wearied of hearing her talk upon the subject; and the following spring he determined to s

shly green. The sunrises had the pomp of Persian mornings, the nights the soft bright glory of the Texan moon. They rode for days over a prairie studded with islands of fine trees, the grass smooth as a park, and beautiful with blue salvias and columbines, with yel

"surely this is one of the many mansions of our Father! On

down to the ground. Was it not from the flower of the pine the old gods of Olympus extracted the odorous resin with which they perfumed their nectar? And then, shortly afterward, they cam

r how far away you stray. Soon or later 'the mustang feeling' will seize you, and you'll leave

I se

d with honeysuckles. Phyllis helped me to draw the plan of it when I saw her last. The house will be built, a

ad to see her

gin their housekeeping. The Indians hung persistently about the timber of the Colorado, and it was necessary to keep armed men constantly on the 'range' to protect the lives of the advance corp

ou." So the marriage was hurried forward, and took place in the last days of September. Some marriages do not much affect the old home, but that of Phyllis was likely to induce many changes. She would take with her to Texas Harriet and several of the old serva

nto her new one. The deck was crowded with boxes of every description; the cabin full of a cheerful party who had gone down to send away the bride with blessings and good wishes. It seemed all sad enough

oach to meet him. It was one of those dying days of summer when there is a pale haze over the brown bare fields of the gathered harvests. Elizabeth was walking on the terrace; he saw her turn and come unconsciously toward him. She was pale and worn, and an inexpressible sadness was in her face. But the surprise reveale

own apartments, and there Richard went to talk to him. But he was facing death with a calm and grand simplicity. "I'd hev liked to hev lived a bit longer, Richard, if it hed been His will; but he knows what's best. I s'all answer willingly when he calls me. He knows t' right hour to make t' change; I'd happen order it too soon or too late. Now sit thee down, and tell me about this last fight for liberty. Phyllis hes fair made my old heart burn and beat to t' varry name o' Texas. I'm none bound by Yorkshire, though I do think it's the best bit o' land on t' face

grandchildren; Texas i

s young again, I'd travel and see more o' t' world. But when I was t

, central gallery, where the likenesses of the older Hallams hung. He often visited them, pausing before indivi

was dying, said to some presence invisible to

y dear wife, and my dead son, Edward. It would be a varry pleasan

ve re

h us that w

s that we m

for us, an

s, from heave

r to t' other life, I think more about it; and t' things o' this life

ed, and he did not name the estate. As Christmas drew near he was, however, much excited. Lady Evelyn was expected, and she was to bring with her Antony's son, who had been c

was alone with Richard, said, "I commit that little lad to th

s I will do all I

hat am I saying? There

k. What do

lad to see him

. Thou wilt sta

il d

al o' Hallam in thee, Richard

u may trust

me. It's a bit o' comfort to hev heard thee speak out

nd very undemonstrative, but she attached herself to the dying man, and he regarded her with a pitying tenderness, for which there appeared to be no cause what

d for a short time with some Christmas arrangements for the poor of the village, and he remained with the squire. The sick man fell into a deep sle

rd glanced at the bed. His uncle's eyes were fixed

hear him

o one spea

called me

to his face and said, cheerfully, "You will not g

t last; but I'm ready. I wish Antony hed got her

leeping child on a pillow by his side. Richard saw him glance at the chubby little hand stretched out, and he lifted it to the squir

ntly, and almost with the pleasant

music; but Squire Henry Hallam had passed far beyond the happy clamor. He had gone home to spend the Christmas feast