The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-02-07
I4F, NAiLY DISPATCH
=aS A COWARDIN. Proprietor.
uTr0HR. PLEASANTS Editor.
Tur OLD SOLDIERS STORY.
an CHARLES DICKENS.


,..,... s,irr,nc time oG the Duke of Well
- ,o,s. after the French had retreated
,,, Eaftura and Badrlos had fallen, and
49,, had driven them fairly over The Spanish
S,,,,sr. fine cht division US ordered on lew
.r thnv leagues further 10 occupy line
,,.iS among the mountains which rise over
ro,ihegn banks OF the Guadlana. A few
,,,oapie< g { oar reg ime ut advanced 10 occupy
s.II9.e y hich the French had Just abandon
a., had had hrsk march over scorched
.-t ,n-.,ed country, which had already been
,,.Eo4 of all that could have supplied us
.,. f,sxb nrpyisions IL was many days since
,l.l heard the Creak OF the commssary's
sor. and We had been on very short COM
There was no reason 10 expect much
,;lf,cr We weIe now ordered 10. The
L-,,~h, pno had just marched OUT, wOnld, of
,.,ar.e. nave helped themselves TO whatever
as portable. and must have previous pretty
u.u drained the place. We made search,
aoNe,er, Judging that, possibly something
,-.-ili have been concealed from them by the
,,s,-,nis, and we actually soon discovered
,,eral houses where skins of wine had been
.,-refe5. 4 soldier, sir | take il, after hot
..rs5ra or fatigue, seldom thinks of much be-
,ara the comfort of drinking 10 excess and |
freely own hal our small party soon caused
sad scene Of confusion.
Every house and hovel was searched, and
many poor fellow who had contrived to hide
... las, SKIN of wine from his enemies, was
,hlceJ 10 abandon it to his allies. You might
see Tie poor natives on all sides running away
some with q morsel of food, others with
san OF nine IN their arms, and followed by The
a.anaces and staggering steps OF the weary
ari aalfdfunken soldiers.
Vino ri4o ~ was the cry in every part of
,ee vi! age. An English soldier, sir, may be
f3g.97aths together ia a foreign land, and have
2 oride in not knowing how 10 ask for anything
ba, liquor. was no better than the rest.
Vino quiero rino said | to poor, half
Starved and rae ged native, who was stealing off,
and hiding something under his torn cloak;
-,uo YOU beggarly scouLdrel. give me RI
- '' said |.
Vino no tengo :" he cried, ns he broke
iy5m my grasp, and ran quickly and feaituly
a-ay.
| vas mol very drunk had not had above
.af NV quanlity-and | pursued him up
street.. But he was the feeter; and should
have lost him, had | not made sudden turn,
and come right upon him in a deserted alley,
where : supposed the poor thing dwelt. |
seized him By the collar. He was small and
spare. and he trembled under my grippe bU
still, he held his own, and only wrapped his
cloak the closer round his property.
Vino! quiero rino'' said |, give me ri
~
Made, lada tengo ~ he repeated.
| had already drawn my bayOnet. | am
ashamed, sir, TO say, that we used TO do that
II terriy the poor wretches, and make them
the sooner give us their liquor. As held him
by the collar with one hand, | pointed the
bay0net al his breast with the other, ana |
again cried Vino"
"IIu0 no teng0-ninO, nino eS !!"-and he
anal no tunrIS Such a ipok nf fru th nd
earnestness that, had | not fanced | could
trace through the folds of his cloak the very
shape of a small wine-skin should have be-
taved him.
Lying rascal" said'I, $50 ye won't give
.ae the lquorl Then the dry earth shall
drink lt.'' and stuck the point Of my bayonet
deep into that which he was still hugging TO his
breast.
Oh, sir il was not wine that trickled down
-, was blood, warm blood and a pieous
wall went like chill across my heart! The
poor Spaniard opened his cloak-he pointed to
his wounded chiId-and his wild eye asked me
palmer than words can tell, Monster, are you
satisfied"
was sobered in moment. fell upon my
ms knees beside the infant, and tried to stanch
tie blood. Yes, the poor fellow understood
tNe truth-he saw, and he accepted my an
ga,sh-and We Joined in our efforts 10 save the
lttto VICTIM. Otl, IL was 100 Idie.
The little boy had fastened his small clam
my hands round finger OF each of US. He
looked at Us alternately and seemed to ask,
alike from bis father and his murderer, that
Aelp which ii was beyond the power OF one on
earth 10 give. The changes in the poor chlld's
counleaance showed that ii had few minutes
10 live. Sometimes it lay go still L thought
the last pang was over-when a slight convul-
aion would agitate its frame, and momenta-
~ pressure OF its little hands would give The
gasping father d short, vain ray of hope.
You may believe, sir, that an old soldier,
who has only been able TO keep his own life at
the expense of an eye and two of his limbs
~no has fingered out many weary day in a
camp hospital after hot engagement-must ST
have learnt TO look on death without any un.
necessary concern. have sometimes wished
for It myself; and often have felt thankful when
my poor wounded comrades have been releas
ed BY il from pain. have seen it, too, in 9TH
eE shapes. have seen the death-blow dealt,
when Its effects have been so instant that the
brave hearts blood has been split, ana the
pulses have ceased 10 beat, while the strenk OF
lie aud health was still fresh upon the cheek
when smile has remained upon the lips OF
nv brother-so' der, even after he has fallen
across my path. But oh, Sir, what is all This
compared with what | suffered as l watched
ite ebb slowly from the wound which l had
myself so waniony inflicted in the breast Of a
H-ipless, innocent child! 1t was by mistake
by accident! oh yes-I know it, | knoG it
"e'i-and day and night have shiven TO for
ger that hour. But il is OF no use-the cruel
recollection never leaves my mind-that pite-
oas wall ever in my ears The fathers ago
~ will follow me TO the grave
Franconls Hippodrome, from Paris, will
aoon be opened IN new building near Madison
square, New York having ten or twelve tiers
Nl fad in