The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1859-11-16
Slnisfellaug.
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oBEYING ORDERS.
A STORY OF THE INVASION OF RUSSIA.

A FRENCH veteran WIFI one aIm W DC
seated before the door of his neat cot
tage one pleasant evening in July
He was surrounded by several village
lads, who with one voice entreated
him to commence bis story. The old
man took his pipe from his mouth, and
wiped his lips with The back Of his re-
naming hand, and began thus
ain my time, boys, Frenchmen
would have scorned to fight with
Frenchmen in the streets as they do
now. No, no; when we fought, it was
for the honor of France, and against
her foreign enemies. Well, my story
begins on the 9th of November, 1912,
a short time after the battle of WANNA
We were beating a retreat, not before
the Russians, for they kept at re-
spectful distance from our environments,
but before the biting cold of their de-
testable country, more detestable to us
than Russians, Austrians, and Bavari-
ans put together. For the last few
days our officers had been telling us
that we were approaching Smolensko,
where we should be certain of finding
food, fire, and shoes; but in the mean
while we were perishing in the ice. and
perpetually harrassed by bands of Cos
sack riders. i'0a't eia i'f t'a
1--WE had marched about six hours
without pausing to draw breath, for
we knew that repose was certain death.
A bitter wind hurled snowfakes against
our faces, and now and then we Stun
bled over the corpses of our frozen COM
rades. No singing or talking even
the grumblers ceased to complain, and
that was a bad sign. T. walked be-
hind my captain; he was a short man,
strongly built rugged and severe, but
brave and true-as true as his own
sword blade. We called him Captain
Positive, for when he once said thing,
so it Ano appeaE-he neyerchanged
his mind He had been wounded at
WANNA, and his usually red face was
now quite pale, while the pieces of an
old white handkerchief, which he had
wrapped round his legs, were soaked
with blood.1rI saw him first move
slowly, then stagger like a drunken
man, and at last he fell down like q
block valla Hieisi7'f iIjR H
s'aHs Morblue : captain, " said |, bend
ing over him, "you can't lie theress
"You see that / can, because I
do, replied he, pointing to his limbs.
"A "sCaptain, 'said I, you mustn't die
thus, and raising him in my arms, i
managed to place him on bis feet He
leaned on me and tried tewalk, but
in vain /; he fell once more, dragging
me with him. .a
"tJohp,' said he,, th'tis, all over.
Just leave me here, and join your col
umn as quickly as you can. One word
before you go:---at Voreppe, near
Grenoble, lives a good woman, eighty
four years old, my-my mother. Go
to her, see her, embrace her, and tell
herthat-that-teH her whatever you
like, but give her this purse and my
cross. That's all. 'sas aH ja5 .Esa3g59
"'Is that all, Captain Re- sia 1868
"'I said SO. Good bye, and make
haste 'd emaa a5H .faim3 tir99
4sfBoys, i don't know how it was,
but, / felt two tears freezing on my
cheeks. Of vel get abt f LIZ
nj" No, Captain cried ], i won't
leave you-either you shall come with
me, or I will stay with you.' gi9xs
"I forbid your staying g
"Captain, you might just as well
forbid a woman talking sf lF
a 90 If I escape I'll punish you severe
iy. aH a.f iaoYQ rs sa9a
,"eatTYou may place me under arrest,
then, but just now you must let me dc
as I please ,
You'resan insolent fellow
"A 80 Very likely, captain; you mus
come with me. " u s
II !" He bit his lips with anger butsaie
no more. i raised him, ndplaced hi
body across my shoulders like sack
You may easily imagine that while
bearing such burden 1 could no
move as quickly as my comrades. In
deed, IIsoon lost sight of their col
umns, and could perceive nothing bu
the white, silent plain around me-
moved on, and presently there appeared
band of Cossacks galloping toward
me, their lances in rest, and shouting
their fendish war cry.
1.-THE captain was by this time in
state of total unconsciousness, and I
resolved, cost what it might, not t.
abandon him. / laid him on the groun'
and covered him with snow. and the
crept under heap of his dead com
rades, leaving, however, my eyes a
liberty. Soon the Cossacks reached
US, and began striking with their lance
right and left, while their horses tram
pied the bodies, Presently one Z
these rude beasts placed his foot upo
my left arm and crushed it to pieces
1 II