Tom Herbert and Katy were on a visit to "Disaways."
"Poor Nighthawk is the only one whom I miss, my dear Surry," said
Mohun. "He died trying to save me, and I have had his body taken to
Fonthill, where it is buried in the family graveyard."
"He was a faithful friend; and to be killed on that very last morning
was hard. But many were. _You_ had a narrow escape, Mohun."
"Yes, and was only preserved by a Bible."
"A Bible?"
"Do you remember that I was reading by the camp fire, when you came to
visit me on the night preceding the surrender?"
"Yes--in your wife's Bible."
"Well, my dear Surry, when I had finished reading, I placed the volume
in my breast, as usual. When I was shot, on the next morning, the
bullet struck the book and glanced. Had the Bible not been there, that
bullet would have pierced my heart. As it was, it only wounded me in
the breast. Here is my old Bible--I carry it about me still."
As he spoke, Mohun drew from his breast the small leather-bound volume,
in the cover of which was visible a deep gash.
He looked at it with a smile, and said:---
"This book has been the salvation of my body and soul, Surry. I was
haughty and a man-hater once--now I try to be humble. I had no hope
once, now I am happy. I have one other souvenir of that memorable day
at Appomattox--this scrap of paper between the leaves of my old Bible.
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