The mountain Democrat., 1863-04-11

| III lew SeCOnUS nau disposed Oh tnelr
opponents aud cantured the terrible guns.
Ourng tie attac& Inc Emperor stood on a
hillock watching its progress. He shud-
dcred as each volley of artillery swept
down his men; and when. at length, he
saw less than half company enter the
battery, he lowered his glass, exclaiming
Brave Fellowsn
Then ten thousand men Of the Imperial
Guard, who were stationed behind him,
began to rb1p their hands and to shout,
Bravo, Y oltigeursH And these were good
critics; they knew what they were ap-
plauding.
Immediately afterward Napoleon gave
some orders to an Aid de Camp, who
thercupon set off at a gallop toward the
battery, and instantly returned at the same
pace.
'How many got in p inquired the En-
peror.
'Forty-one, Sire replied the Aid de
| Camp.
'Forty-one crosses to morrow morning,
said the Emperor, turning toward the
General Of the brigade to which the 9th
belonged.
The next day the regiment was formed
in circle around the remains of the two
companies that had been entrusted with
the capture of the battery. AS each name
was called out, the soldier answering to it
stepped forward to the General and re.
ceived the Cross of the Legion of Honor
The ceremony was over; the forty one
had received their crosses, and the men
were about to be marched back to their
encampmcnts, when voice from the ranks
cried out:
And ], then? Ara l to have nothing?'
1t was Bilboguct, the little drummer
boy, who had been quite forgotten.
The General looked around and saw the
young hero standing before him, his face
red with excitement, and with two large
tears starting from his eyes.
You? what do you want?' asked the
General.
why, General, wasn't 1 one Of them?
inquired Biiboquet. almost in passion.
Didn't beat the charge in front Of them
all, and wasn't it that got first into the
battery?'
It's true, General, he did, exclaimed
furty-onc voices.
Silence in the ranks, shouted the Gen
| cral. Then, turning again to Bilboquet,
he said:
what am l to do, my poor boy? It's
very hard, but they have forgotten you.
Besides, you are very young he contin-
ed. wait till you have hair on your
chin, and then you'll get one, too In the
meanwhile you lust try to console your
self with this
And with these words the General held
out a forty frame piece to the unfortunate
Bilboquet, who looked at it for few sec
onds without cvinciug the slightest intcn-
ton OF taking it. All were silent. Every
one was looking at the little drummer boy,
and wondering what he would do. His
eyes were flied with tears, ard those who
! had been the first 10 tease him, now pitivd
! him from the bottom of their hearts. The
/ whole regiment seemed inclined to take
! up his case, and probably the result would
/ have been Il petition to the Emperor, had
! MT the you"S drunmlr suddenly chang
ci his attituie.
lie raised his head, looked the General
! fuil in the face, aud said:
We'll, give it to me. | must wait for
/ another time
And, without further ceremony, he put
! the coin in his pocket, and went back 10
the ranks humming an air.
From this moment no one thought of
! i'll treating young Bilboquct. But he vas
not very communicative TO his comrades,
and seemed to have some strange project
! in his head, about which he was constant
! iy meditatIng. 1t was expected that he
would spend his forty francs in treat,
and several hints to that effect were given
out by hrs fellow soldiers. But no. Bill
boquet kept his money and his counsel to
himself.
Sometime afterward the French arMy
entered Smolensk. Bilboquet had assisted
at the capture, and the day after walked
all over the town examining every face
with remarkable curiosity. He seemed
pleased with most of the physiognomies
he saw, for he was perpctually smiling,
especially when he met man who had a
| long beard, and he met several thousands
of them in the course of the day.
However, the boards of Smolensk are
for the most part carrotty. This seems
not to have met with Bilboquet's appro-
baton but he probably reflected that if
the Russians, the Poles, and other Sclavo-
mans had red boards that was not their
fault, and that they had not chosen that
color themselves for the purpose of annoy
ing a French drummer boy.
However that may have been, he con-
tinucd to laugh whenever he met man
with a red beard, until at last he found
himself in the Jewish quarter Of the city,
where all the boards are black.
Bilboquet did not like Jews; but he
liked their black boards, and, indeed, was
of them and without delay.
Behind the counter in dirty little shop,
which was one Of long row, stood He.
brew with magnificent beard, as black
as ebony.
What do you want, my little man !?
said the Jew, patronisingly.
Il want your beard, answered Bilbo
quet, in decided tone.
My beard? You're joking, my little
man ? suggested the proprietor, with an
uneasy expression of countenance.
4 want your beard, tell you,' repeat.
ed Bilboquet, as he put his hand to the
sabre and what's more, | mean to have
it. But don't think that want to rob
you of it., he mildly continued, here's q
forty franc piece, and you can keep the
change
The poor Jew tried to convince Bilbo.
quct that his beard would be no use to
him; that it was not worth forty francs or
forty sous, or forty centimeG to any one
that he, Bilboquet, would do much better
to invest his money in horsehair, if he
really wanted for anything of the kind ;