The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-08-07

'Ou Wclc performed ne WOulu tchf oil the
handages. The proposal was accordingly
given up, and modification had already set
IL, which would cause bis death in few
hours without pain.
Tho wounded man lay covered with n
blanket, on a good straw bed in the clean
room of farm house. Speedy dea,h stood
written on his pale features, yet he seemed
10 he free from pain. With n pretty firm
voice hc thanked me, in his foreign German
for comply ing with his wishes aud coming
10 see him lilo then said, Il have one more
favor 10 ask before am buried to.morrow
will you lay under my head this little bag OF
earth from the grave of my mother and
7weeiheartY showing me at tho same time,
q little bag of Russia leather, which hung
by leather thong to his breast. As J
promised to do this, tear fell down his
cheek, and he pressed my hand; be ,hcn
took little purse in which were eight
lousd'ors, and several dollars in silver,
handing il to me he said, this is all my prop
erty, will you see that il is laid out in the
hospita! for the next Pole who shall become
patient. My orders, all of which won in
the battle field, shall go with me to the grave
and give my watch 10 the next soldier
of our battalion who shall distinguish
himself promised him to attend faith
fully 10 bis wishes, and inquired, If he
had any relations TO whom should an
nource his death? Not Que in the world
he replied with some bitterness. then
asked him to give me short account of
his life when he began in his broken Ger
nlan.
Il was born not far from Warsaw. in a lii.
tic village Oh tho Ves,u!a. My father was
ali old officer who had served under Kosci-
usho, Dombrowski aud Paniatowsky, and
who has received cross from the Emperor
himself We now lived on a small farm.
md my father lensed ferry ncross tho Wis
lula. A cousin of mine lived with my moth
er. Sbo was a most lovely girl, with whom
| played as child. always called little
Maria, who was year youngcrthan myself,
my sweetheart. and we agreed 10 he mar
red when wo were grown up. The old
folks laughed and shook their heads. As
ta'o would have il, the Great Duke Con.
stantine once passed through our village, as
! was standing before the door mus, have
impressed him, asl WINS n stout active boy OF
II, aud saw him whisper something to an
aijutant, which the latter wrote down in his
pocket hook. The noyt night our house
vas alta cked BY Cossacks, and in spite Of
our resistance, in which my father was Sc
vcrely handled, was bound and smuggled
away 10 the barracks Of tho fourth Infantry
Regiment at Warsaw No attention was
paid 10 my struggles, and was beat with
club ill could hardly stand was then
thrown uto.a dark cellar, half dead with
hunger and thirst, and there kept till was
completely bundled, and agreed tobecome
a drummer. Ny father complained and
even threatened 10 appeal to the Grand
Diko. What good did it all do? lie was
at las, told that ifhe did not hold his tongue.
lo would be locked up. thus served two
years as drummer in The regiment,
until September, 1880, when We drove the
Russians out of Warsaw Huzza! thst was
groat day. (and tho face oiiho dying man
here lighted up at The rccoIlection.) i there
beat to the charge, until the top of my
drum broke in. then took musket and
fred on tho Russian oilicols as long as any
Of them were in sight. Two days after, |
went homo on leave Of absence, rejoicing
in the prospect Of again seeing my father,
my good mother and my darling Maria.--
Bn, when | turned the corner OF the wood,
behind which lay the red roof OF our house,
did not see il, but only hoop of embers,
from which the smoke still rose. rushed
madly to the spot, where saw my father
almost hewn in pieces by sabre strokes,
hanging from tree, likewise my mother,
and my Maria. fell senseloss to the
ground. The plying noighbors took me
up nnd carried me into one Of their houses.
/ lay there for many days in raging fever.
When | came to myself, they told me that
tho Cossacks had slain my father and moth.
CIR, and after doing violence TO Maria, had
killed her and burned tho house. When ]
hoard this wopt till could weep no more,
and from that day have not wcpt or laugh
cd. From the grave Of my parents and
my beloved took this bag of earth, to bear
it always on my breast. sworo by their
bones that so long as God lent life and
strength to my arm, to fight against the
soldiers ofthc Czar, and to give no quarter to
officer or Cossack. have faithfully kept
tho oath TO this day. continued tho old
Pole, with al expression Of deep satisiac-
iion.
sAs soon as recovered, went back to
my fourth regiment, and many Russian
officer and many a Cossack have shot down
lit was my only delight tok know that they
fell by my hand A, one timo J fell in
with the adiutant Of the Grand Duko Con
stantine, who was with him when was first
seen by the latter. He was under guard
and bound. lie begged me ta-snve his life
saving that he had wife and family at
home, and would give me a thousand ducats
If | would release him. first let him beg
and whine, and then thrust my bayonet
through his heart was cheered up when
his blood spou,ed into my face. In this
war had finger Of the leit hand shot oil,
and got slight wound in my sido with a
lance. When it was all over with Poland,
went TO Fronco with several of my com
radcs. We hoped that the French would
90 TO war with the Gar, and help us TO re-