Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-04-20

and only wrapped his cloak the closer round
his property.
''sEmo, quiero vino!" said L; "give me
vano %
''Nada, NADIA, tengo," he repeated.
1 had already drawn my bayonet. I am
ashamed, sir, to say, that we used to do
that to terrify the poor wretches, and make
them the sooner give us their liquer. As I
held him by the collar with one hand,
pointed the bayonet at his breast with the
other, and l again cried "Vino!"
'Nano no tengo.! nino, nino esr'-
and he spoke the words with such look of
truth and eagerness that, had / not fancied
l could trace through the folds of his cloak
the very shape of small wine skin should
have believed him.
"Lying rascal" said l, $50 you went
give me the liquor? Then the dry earth
shall drink it,'' and I struck the point of
my bayonet deep into that which he was
hugging to his breast.
"Oh, sir? it was not wine that trickled
down-it was blood, warm blood and a
piteous wall went like chill across my
heart The poor Spaniard opened his cloak;
he pointed to his wounded child, and his
wild eye asked me palmer than words could
have done, "Monster! are you satisfed?"
[ was sobered in a moment. l fell upen
my knees beside the infant, and I tried to
staunch the blood. Yes, the poor fellow
understood the truth he saw, and he ac-
cepted my anguish; and we joined in our
efforts to save the little victim. Oh! it was
too late |!
The little boy had fastened his small
clammy hands round finger of each of us.
He looked at us alternately; and seemed to
ask, alike from his father and his murderer,
that help which it was beyond the power of
one of earth to give. The changes in the
poor child's countenance showed that it had
but few minutes to live. Sometimes it
lay so still thought the last pang was over;
when slight convulsion would agitate it's
frame, and momentary pressure of it's
little hands would give the gasping father
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; who had fingered out many q weary
day in camp hospital after a hot engage
ment-must have learned to look on death
| without any unnecessary concern. have
sometimes wished for it myself; and often
felt thankful when my poor wounded COM
rades have been released by it from pain
l have seen it, too, in other shapes. have
seen the death-blow dealt, when its effects
| have been so instant that the brave hearts
blood has been split, and the pulses have
| ceased to beat, while the streak of life and
health was still fresh upon the cheek, when
a smile has remained upon the lips of my
brother soldier, even after he had fallen a
corpse across my path. But, oh sir, what
is all this compared with what have suf-
fered as watched life ebb slowly from the
wound which had myself so wantonly in
ficted in the breast of helpless, innocent
child 1t was by mistakenly accident.
Oh, yes l know it, know it well; and day
and night have striven to forget tn at hour.
But it is of no use; the cruel recollection
never leaves my mind-that piteous wall is
ever in my ears! The fathers agony will
follow me to the grave.
How TO MAKE A GOOD STUDENT-Many
YEARS since when the late Iiantanant