The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-10-11
infinitely in translation: "Peep Of Day il

And sure enough reep OF Lay was sen
fenced to be shot. need not tell you any
thing about the proceedings Of the court.
martial; you know how these things are
carried on. The majors rancorous thirst
for vengeance used him up from his sick
bed in a mani, and quickened bic cure
He gave orders that Peep Of Day should be
shot by his own company.
Daybreak went to the major, and asked,
did he mean to say that he was to fire upon
his own brother; whereto the major replied
that the rules Of the service made no men
ton Of any exception, and that there should
be none. Daybreak then said he would
sooner blow his own brains out, and the
major told him he was welcome to do SO il
he liked. On hearing Of this the grena-
diers entreated Daybreak to submit.
Oh! if you had seen how sorrowful eve
ry man and thing in the quarters looked
next day. As the drummer beat the morn
ing call, the tears he dropped, as big as
peas, patted upon the drum.head in disma
concert with the roll of the sticks. You
would have thought he was beating the
death-signal of the whole regiment.
The grenadiers being under arms, Peep
Of Day was brought out from his prison,
looking very pale, and placed in the middle
81 the column with the provost BY bis side.
be word was given to march; the drums
beat mournfully; the grenaders strobe on
in silence, with muskets reversed; and
what was very remarkable, considering the
regard they all had for Peep Of Day, not
one Of them shed tear; but they never
looked more grim and dangerous. The ma
ior marched at the head of the company,
digging his cane furiously into the ground
at every step, while his pigtail kept time
to the drum, and jerked from right to left
and back again, in way that was most
aggravating.
They halted at the back Of the cemetery,
on the side Of hill, little way out Of the
town, where they found grave dug at the
foot of the wall, Peep Of Day knelt down
at the edge of the grave, and the provost
bandaged his eyes, whispering to him
'.courager' but very cautiously, for fear OF
being overheard by the major.
The latter watched the proceedings with
great composure; and then, as though he
was only putting his mea through an ordi-
nary drill exercise, he turned to the COM
pany, now formed in line, and stepping a
little aside he raised his cane. The drums
beat at the signal, and stopped when the
cane fell again.
"Grenadiers! carry-nrms!'
The command was executed with one
sonorous metallic clash. The major ran
bis eve rapidly along the line.
SNAKE ready!-presentm
All the musket barrels, like great ma
chine moved by single impulse, came
down with slant toward the major. Car
red away by the force Of habit, be had on
| ly time TO call out,
"Firem
The major fell to the ground riddled like
target.
Now, the town of Nancy, as you are a.
ware. is not far from the frontier, and the
emperor's army was then assembled in a
menacing attitude on that frontier. What
did the grenadiers Of the kings regiment
do? They threw the majors carcase into
the grave; started off Peep of Day, and
sent word to their colonel by a trumpeter,
requiring formal acknowledgement that
the grenaders Of the first company Of the
kings regiment had only done an act Of
Justice; otherwise they would 60 over, with
arms and baggage, like Peep Of Day, to the
service of the emperor.
What was to be done in such fix? A
State does not easily make up its mind to
lose.a company Of grenadiers such as that
The colonel granted pardon, and the gren-
aders returned to their quarters with drums
beating Just as they had left them.
But all this was far from satisfying De-
selIets the elder, surnamed Day break.--
He could not bear the thought that his
brother, DesGillets, grenadier Of the
kings regiment, should be in the service Of
the enemies of France, however well they
had received him; for you must know that
the emperor had enrolled PeeR of Day
among his hulans. and even that in the first
transports Of his JOY he had invited him to
his table; but that fact has not been quite
ascertained for certain. Daybreak there
fore took it into his head to obtain pardon
for his brother, and made known his project
to his comrades, telling them that he would
apply to his captain.
sand il he refuse you?" said they.
81 will ask the colonel.:'
Sand il the colonel refused"
81 will 60 ask the king"
n
There was no more to be said after that.
and every body admired such noble reso-
luton. So Daybreak went to his captain,
and asked pardon Of him for Peep Of Day.
The captain refused it. Daybreak then
had recourse to the colonel, but was again
refused.
''Then | will 60 and see the king said
Daybreak.
Fixed in his purpose he took leave Of his
comrades, slung his little bundle over his
cho,,lJo. -, sha ord of hic sword n nd off no