Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1851-08-13


saved by amputating both legs, he
decidedly refused his consent, declar-
ing, that if the amputation were per-
formed he would tear off the banda
ges. The proposal was accordingly
given up and modification had alrea-
dy set in, which would cause his death
in few hours without pain.
The wounded man lay covered
with blanket, on the good straw
bed in the clean room of farm house.
Speedy death stood written on his
pale features, yet he seemed to be
free from pain. With a pretty firm
voice he thanked me, in his foreign
German, for complying with his wish
es and coming to see him. He then
said, 81 have one more favor to ask;
before | am buried tomorrow will you
lay under my head this little bag of
earth from the grave of my earth from
the grave of my mother and sweet
hearth" showing me, at the same time,
little bag of Russia leather which
hung by a leather thong to his breast.
As | promised to do this, a tear fell
down his cheek, and he pressed my
hand; he then took little purse in
which thereeight louisd'ors and sew
eral dollars in silver, bapdinauiD>te
me he saidrAi31el5s.t1Rc
will you see that it is laid out f.sae
hospital for the next Pole who shall
become a patient My orders, all of
which won in the battle field, shall
go with Inc to the grave, and | give
my watch to the next soldier of our
battalion who shall distinguish him
self" | promised him to attend faith
fully to his wishes, and inquired, if he
had any relations to whom should
announce his death? "Not one in
the world" he replied with some bit
terness. | then asked him to give
me short account Of his life, when
he began in his broken German.
81 was born not far from Warsaw
in a little village on the Vistula. My
father was an old officer who had
served under Kosciusko, Dombrowski
and Paniatowsky, andwho has recei-
we'd a cross from the Emperor him
self. We now lived on small farm,
and my father leased a ferry across
the Vistula. A cousin of mine lived
with my mother. She was a most
lovely girl, with whom played as a
child. | always called little Maria,
who was year younger than myself,
my sweetheart, and we agreed to be
married when we were grown up
The old folks laughed and shook their
heads. As fate would have it, the
Great Duke Constantine once passed
through our village, as | was stand
ing before the door. I.must have
impressed him, as | was stout, ac-
tive boy of II, and l saw him whis-
per something TO an adjutant, which
the latter wrote down in his pocket
book. The next night our house was
attacked by Cossacks, and in spite
of our resistance, in which my father
was severely handled, was bound
and Struggled away to the barracks
of the fourth Infantry Regiment at
Warsaw. No attention was paid to
my struggles, and | was beat with
club till could hardly stand. Twas
then thrown into a dark cellar, half
dead with hunger and thirst, and there
kept till was completely humbled,
and agreed to become 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 his tongue, he would be locked
up. thus served two years as a
drummer in the fourth regiment, until
September, 1880, when we drove the
Russians out of Warsaw. Huzza
that was a great day." land the face
of the dying man here lighted up at
the recollection, )'I there beat to the
charge, until the top of my drum
broke IN. then took a musket and
fired on the Russian officers as long
as any Of them were 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 corner of the wood,
behind which lay the red roof of our
house, | did not see it, but only a
heap of embers from which the smoke
still rose. | rushed madly to the
spot, where | saw my father almost
hewn in pieces by sable strokes, hang
ing from a tree, likewise my mother,
and my Maria. | fell senseless to
the ground. The plying neighbors
took me up and carried me into one
of their houses. l lay there for many
days in raging fever. When came
to myself, they told me that the Cos
sacks had slain my father and moth
er, and after doing violence to Marie,
had killed her apd burned tho ksff1;. u
When heard tins wept ~
weep no more, and from that day L
have not wept Or laughed. From the
grave ofmy parents and my beloved
| took this bag of earth, to bear it al
ways on my breast. swore by their
bones that so long as God lent life
and strength to my arm, to fight
against the soldiers of the Car, and
to give no quarter to officer or
Cossack. have faithfully kept the
oath this day." continued the old Pole,
with an expression of deep satisfac
ton.
Gas soon osT recoverod 7 want