MEMORIES OF THE PAST. 



previously. I even relaxed my habitual watchfulness, 

 and yielded myself more entirely to repose ; for there 

 was an air of such perfect seclusion and safety over 

 everything, that I did not even hesitate to wander 

 oft in mind into the realms of dreamland, or into the 

 vast fields of memory. 



Like the soldier reposing after the hard-contested 

 battle, familiar faces and sounds flitted before me. 

 I saw in imagination a family circle around a bright 

 coal fire, or a stile on a woodland path, and a graceful 

 figure with golden tresses illumined by the moon's 

 soft light ; then the visionary scene changed to in- 

 numerable white tents on an extended plain, inter- 

 spersed with tropical trees, the silence being broken 

 by the shrill call of the bugle, the hoarse note of the 

 trumpet, or the musical ' All 's well/ 



While I was thus communing with memories of 

 the past, I was recalled to reality by the breaking of 

 brush in my vicinity; but the noise was not ominous of 

 evil, for it was produced by my foot-tired quadrupeds 

 returning to seek the companionship of their lord 

 and. master. This confidence in my mare ever 

 pleased me, for it was an expression of regard, plainer 

 even than could have been made by words, that I 

 was not looked upon by her as a tyrant, but was 

 relied on as a protector and friend ; the more gratify- 

 ing as this sentiment was not the result of selfishness 

 on her part. 



Having scratched the old lady's muzzle and 

 pulled her ears, caresses which she always acknow- 



