Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-04-25
A SWISS BOYS PATRIOTISM.

/
drew up to the door of the post.hous
at Steuben, in Switzerland; for then, a.
new, Sleuben was the last post-statior
before commenting the ascent Of The
| Arlberg. 1'hc travellers, two in mum.
ber, wore military cloaks aud foragine
| caps; bu, what the precise rank, or Il
what arm, o! the service they belonged
not even the prying observations Of the
host could (athom. Their orders were
Tor fresh horses Immediately to cross
the mountains, and although The snow.
drifts were falling fast, and the nigh
dark as pitch, they peremptoriiy insisted
on proceeding. The post regulations
Of those days were moi very stringen
and arbitrary as postmaster may seem
nova days, he vas nothing TO the auto
era, that once ruled the comings aud 60
| ings of travellers. ...' .. .'
When he averred ;hat his horses had
done enough-tha, il was saints day
that The weather was Too bad, or his pos.
tIllion too weary--lhe case was hopeless
| and the traveller was consigned, without
appeal, 10 the consolation of his own
/ philosophy. d. ...... ..-....5..,, ,......-.4
/. ~ 1t Glanced on This occasion. that the
whole diSposable cavalry of the Pos
consisted Of Two bind mares, which
were both TOO old and weak, to tempt The
cravings OF The Commissary, who, q
few days before, bad seized on all the
| draught cattle 10 convey stores 10 Fed.
kirch, at That time menaeed by Frenc!,
force under Massenna. ....'........-..
The officers, however, were urgent il
their demand; il was of the utmost i'm
poriance tha, they should reach Inspruck
by the following evening. At last, hall
by menace, half by enlrea:y, il was ar
ranged that The two old mares should be
harnessed To The carriage, the host re-
nonstraling all the while on The inabii
| ty of the expeGient, and averfing that,
without Vorspann, relay of horses.
4 to lead a, the sieepesl parts of the noun
tain. the attempt would be frui,less.
o Nay added he, ..if you doubt me.
ask the boy who is sleeping yonder, and
has been driving the Vorspaun for years
over the Ar.berg.' - ,..,t...... .n....
The travellers turned and beheld on a
bheap of straw. in the corner of the kitch
en-, poor lille boy, whose ragged uni
lurm of position had evidently. reached
him at third or fourth hand. SO large
was il, and So loosely did il hang around
| his slender figure. He was sleeping
snundly, as well he might, for he had
twice crossed The mountain TO ST. Cris-
| toph on that same day. ...t. ......s.. .....
gf"AnI ibis book. said one Of the rav.
e!iers, taking very laltered and well
rhumbed volume, which dropped from,
the sleeper's fingers. ''has this poor litde
fellow time 10 read!" ... ,...-r .'.. ~.
He contrlves to do il. somehow "
said the host, laughing, may, more. as
you may see there, he has begun to teach
himself French. Since he heard that
The French army was about TO invade us,
he has never ceased his studies, sitting
fup half The night working at that old
grammar there. and for which he gave
all his months earnings" ..s.s-,a g.-. .sr.,
b "And. what may be his reasons for
this!" said the elder traveller, evidently
interested in the recital.
lse"He has got the. notion that if the
French succeed in forcing the pass OF
Fe!'lkirch, and enter Tyro4, that as he will
be constantly engaged as Yorspana ON
lhe mountains, his knowledge Of French
would enable him TO discover many Sc.
creis of the enemy, as no one would ev,
er suspect a poor creature like him ol
having learned a iorelgn language.
"And his motive then was indeed pure
Fly patriotic one!"0
Purely, he is poor, as you see, and
IAN orphan, but then his Tyrol blood runs
warnr and thick in his veins -.
! "And what progress has he made!"
"fhlt | cannot answer you, meiil
Herr; for none hereaboui, know any Thing
uf French, nor, suppose, had he ever
The opportunity of testing The acquire,
meni himself They are. driven back
am told" a. -
s"For the present said the elder slran.
ger, gravely; "bul we shall need all The
Preserves at Inspruck to hold our ground
= +
whenever they renew the attack =. ..
r The sleeper was now aroused TO take
The saddle; for in the absence of the
regular position, the Vorspann was
obliged 10 take his place,
! SHll but half awake, the little fellow
stood up, and mechanically bn,loning up
his worn jacket, took down his whip
and prepaled for The road. The travel
hers were soon ready. and ere many min,
ules elapsed, the caleche had left the vii
lage, aud with the bes. pace the old mares
could accomplish; was breasying the
snow-drilt and the first rise OF the
mountain, About an hours driving, du-
ring which time Joseph had exhibited
his utmost skill in taking advantage OF
every available bit of troitlng ground,
they came at length to the commence
ment of The steep ascent; and there,
Hanging his whip on The saddle peak. the
liltle fellow got down to relieve his cat
tie as they loiIed up The precipiious as,
cent. He had not gone far, when, hap
pening 10 drop beside the caiechs. what
did he hear but the sound of the very
i A., npnn ,,,h,,h III L.. L.,