The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-07-21


| Daybreak went to the major, and asked did he
| mean TO say that he to fire upon his own bro
ther; whereto the major replied that the rules OF
| the service made no mention of any exception, and
that there should be none Daybreak then said he
| would sooner blow his own brains out and the ma
jor told him he was welcome to do so If he liked
On hearing of this the grenadiers entreated Day
break 10 submit.
OH if YOU had seen how sorrowful every man
and thing in the quarters looked next day. As the
drummer beat the morning call, the tears he drop
ped as big as peas, patted upon the drum-head IN
dismal concert with the roll of the sticks You
would have thought he was beating the death-signai
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 Of the column, with the
provost by his side. The word was given to march;
the drums beat mournfully the grenadlers 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 major marched at the head of the company,
digging his cane furiously into the ground at every
step, while his pigtai 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, a little way out of the town, where
they found grave dug at the foot of the wall Peep
of Day knet down at the edge of the grave, and the
provost bandaged his eyes, whispering to HIM
COURAGE" 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 put
ting his men through ordinary drill exercise, ne
| turned to the company, now formed in line, and
stepping little aside he raised his cane. The
drums beat the signal, and stopped when the
cane fell again.
"Grenadiers cary--arms"
The command was executed with one sonorous
metallic clash The major ran his eye rapidly along
the line.
"Make ready present.
All the musket barrels, like great machine
moved by single impulse, came down with slant
toward the major. Carried away by the force of
habit, he had only time to call out,
"Firen'
The major fell to the ground riddled like target
Now, the town Of Nancy, as you are aware, is
not far from the frontier, and the emperor's army
was then assembled in menacing attitude on that
frontier. What did the grenadiers of the kings
regiment doi They threw the majors carcase into
the grave started off Peep of Day, and sent word
to their colonel bya uumpeter, requiring formal
acknowledgment that the grenaders of the first
company of the kings regiment had only done an
act Of justice otherwise they would go 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 COM
pany Of grenadiers such that The colonel
granted PARDON and the grenadiers returned to their
quarters with drums beating just as they had left
them.
But all this far from satisfying Deseillets the
elder, surnamed Daybreak 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 re-
ceived him; for you must know that the empe-
ror had enrolled Peep 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 ascertaned for certain Daybreak there
fore took into his head TO obtain pardon for his
brother and made known his project 10 his COM
| rades, telling them that he would apply to his
captain.
% And # he refuse you ~ said they.
Z" will ask the colonel"
And if the colonel refuse p
:" | will 90 ask the king"
There no more to be said after that, and
| every body admired such noble resolution. So
Daybreak went to his captain, and asked pardon OF
him for Peep of Day. The captain refused it.
Dayb break then had recourse To the colonel but
| again refused.
/ "Then will go and the king" said Day
break
| Fixed in his purpose he took leave of his COM
rades, sung his little bundle over his shoulder on
the end of his sword and off he SET in double quick
time singing Justify all the way for Daybreak was
naturally so merry that all his vexauons could not
extinguish his love Of song His voice might be
heard long half-mile off, trolling out his favorite
| air
| Oui, jc sus soldat moi,
Et pour ma patrie,
| Pour la France ct pour mon roi,
Je donnerais ma vie
And so he kept clearing the ground at prodi-
| gious rate and all who passed him on the road
cavaliers, merchants, monks, herdsmen, and wag-
oners admired the jolly soldier who stepped out
| briskly and sang so WELL with wild fed-hower
between his lips, his hat stuck jaunty over one
ear, and his nose thrown up TO the wind
Where are you going, beau gTenadier ~
| Gong To Paris TO see the king"
"A pleasant journey to you, beau grenadier"
One fine day, towards evening II came on TO rain
IN large drops and Daybreak, seeing the sky over
cast with heavy clouds, was anxious TO find some
| place where he might put himself under cover be
! quickened his pace, but, do what he would, he
could not match the speed of the wind and the rain
At last he spied little light, proceeding from lit
tie matched house on the verge Of forest. he
went TO 1t and knocked.
| Who's there"
"a grenadier Of the kings regiment, Deseillets
the elder, surnamed Daybreak, in want Of shelter
| for a moment"
The woodman opened the door, and, seeing a
smart soldier, with frank and jovia face he said
to him, +" You're just come in time; we are going
to supper, and you shall sup with US"
But" said Daybreak, "much obliged all the
for your polIteness have scarce time to stop,
for must 60 good step yet before i sleep"
The woodman poked his head out Of doors, and
looked at the sky: "You can't do it, brace mill
taire, for this storm will last all night We have
bed at your service and, after a nights sleep, you
will be fresh and hearty for your journey to-mor-
| row."
"Corbleu, my worthy, in regard to obliging
you; you don't do things by halves. | accept your
offer with many thanks, said Daybreak, cordially
| shaking hands with the woodman. He threw down
hIs sword shook the water from his hat, and fell q
chatting with his host he dried himself in the
chimney corner
Meanwhile the woodmsn's wife spread very
clean gray cloth the table, laid plates, and served
up good savory sotipe chouI, that a very
balm to the nostrlls As the storm howled through
the forest, the woodman said to his guest, Come
let fall TO. Better that than footing il through
such weather as this
So down they sat, with their chins bent over tn