The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-09-24

one IN the world" he replied with some bit
terness then asked him to give me a short
account o. his life, when he began in his bro,
ken German -
" was born not far from Warsaw, in n
little village OIL the Vistula. My father was
an old officer, who had served under Kosci
nsko, Dombrowsky, and Poniatowsky, and
who had received cross from the Emperor
himself We now lived on a small farm and
my father leased a ferry over the Vistula A
cousin Of mine lived with my mother. She
was most lovely girl, with whom | played
as child. | always called little Maria, ,Iwho
was year younger than myself, my sweet
heart, and we agreed to be married when
we were grown up. The old folks laughed
1T, the Grand Duke Constantine once passed
through our village, as l was standing before
the door. ! must have impressed him, as
was stout, active boy of seventeen, and !
saw him whisper something 10 an adjutant,
which the latter wrote down in his pocket>
book. The mex. night our house was attack.
ed by Cossacks. and in spite of all our re-
sislance, in which my father was severely
handled, | was bound and smugeled away to
he barracks Of tho fourth Infantry Reg-
mcnt at Warsaw. No attention was paid to
my struggles, and / was beal with club till
| could hardly stand. l was then thrown into
a dark cellar, half dead with hunger and
thirst, and there kept till was completely
humbled, and agreed to become a drummer
My father complained and even threatened
to appeal TO the Grand Duke. What good
did it all do? He was at last told that if he
did not hold bis tongue, he would be locked
up. thus served two years a, a drummer
in the fourth regiment, until September,
1890, when we drove the Russians out of
Warsaw. lluzza that was a great night
land the face Of the dying man here lighted
up at the recollcction) al there beat to the
charge, until the top Of my drum broke in.
| then took musket and fred on the Rus
sian officers, as long as any OF them we're in
sight Two days after, went home on leave
OF absence, rejoicing in the prospect of again
seeing my father, my good mother, and my
darling Maria But when turned the cor
ner of the wood behind which lay the red
roof OF our house, did not see ii, but only
heap Of embers from which the smoke still
rose. | rushed madIy to The spot, where |
saw my father, almost hewn in piece. by sa-
bre strokes, hanging from a tree, likewise
my mother, and my Maris. fell sen,eles,
to the ground. The pitying neighbors took
me up and carried me into one of their
houses. | lay there for many days in rag.
ing fever. When I came to omy-clf, they told
me that the Ccssack, had slain my father
and mother, and after doing violence to Ma
ria, mad killed her and burned the house
When heard this wept till l could weep
no more, and from that day have not went
nor laughed. From the grave of my parent,
and my beloved l took this bag of earth, to
bear it always on my breast. | swore by
their bones, so long as God lent life and
strength to my arm, to fight against the SOL
dlers OF the Car, and 10 give no quarter to
officer or Cossack. I have faithfully kept
the oath till this day," continued the old
Pole, with an expression of deep satisfaction.
" AS soon as recovered, went back to nv
fourth regiment and many a Russian officer
and many Cossack have shot down, or
thrust through with the bayonot it was my
only delight 10 know that they fell by my
hand. AT one time, fell in with the adiu-
tant of the Grand Duke Constantine, who
was with him when | was first seen by the
latter He was under guard and bound. He
begged me to save hisife, saying tha, he had |
a wife aud children at home, and would give
me thousand ducats if | would release him. |
| first let him beg and whine, and then thrust
my bayonet through his heart was cheer
ed up when his blood spouted into my face
In this war had finger Of the left hand
shot of, and got slight wound from lance
in my side. When it was all over with Po-
land, ! went TO France with several of my
comrades. We hoped that the French world
90 to war with the Car and help us to re-
cover Poland. There was plenty of fine
words, but nothing came of it, and at last
olned the foreign legion in Algiers. Here
we were kept pretty busy. A Bedouin gave
ne the wound in the face, and afterwards
lad chance Of roscuing a French colonel
rom the enemy, for which received the
'ross of the legion of honor. The one which
vas given TO my father by the Emperor was
OF greater value. We were at
eng'h sent by King Louis Philippe to Spain.
order to aid Queen Maria Christina s.
,anst Don Carlos. After heard that the
Ear was friend Of Don Carlos, and had
ided him with money. shot down his off.
ers with far more satisfaction. When the
'gon' which was almost used up, finally re- |
lrned to France, it was my sixth year of J
service. and although l might have be- s
ONE an officer, | was unwilling to remain 1
l it any longer. was too anxious once a
lore to fight with the Russians. at least b
cached the Caucasus at Tschetschenzen. Il
the way of Constantipople, after all sorts i,
hardships and perils. was thrown into 5,
rlson, treated as a slave, and not allowed TO ri
shl against the Muscoyies. Bat be saw IA
length that was to be trusted. and that Il
hated the enemy worse than they did. b
hey accordingly provided me with arms,
al permitted me 10 60 into service. My SC
CHEST JOY, since left Poland, was TO see n