The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-08-17

| VIC SAoNAASo VI tilc COllHAlSSnry, WHO,
o few days before had seized on all tho
drought cattle to convey stores to
| Feldk;-ch, 1t that time raenaced by g
French force unher Massena.
The officers, however, wers urgent
in their demand; it was of the last
Importance that they should reach In
spruck by the following evening. At
last, half by menace, half by entrtaty,
1T was arranged that the two old mares
s4fould be harnessed to the carriage,
the host demonstrating MI the while
on the inability of the expedient, and
avering that, without a Vorspann, a
relay of horses, to lead at the steepest
parts of the mountain, the attempt
would be fruitless. NAY, added he,
''if you doubt me, ask the boy who is
sleeping yonder, and has been driving
the porspann for years over the Arl-
berg" The travellers turned and be-
held on heap of straw, in the corner
of the kitchen, poor little boy,
whose ragged uniform of position
had evidently reached him at third or
fourth hand, so large and loosely did
1T hang around his slender figure. He
was sleeping soundly, as well he might,
for he had twice crossed the mountain
to st. Christoph on that same day.
"And this book" said one of the
travellers, taking very tatEered and
well-thumbed volume which had drop
ped from the sleeper's fingers, .shas
this poor little fellow time to read?"
."He contrives to do it somehow"
said the host, laughing; ebay, more,
as you see there, he had bescn to
teach himself French. Since he heard
that the French army was about to
invade us, he has never ceased his
studies, sitting up half the night work
lnS at that old grammar there, for
which he gave all his months earn
ings"
''And what may be his reason for
this?" said the elder traveller, evident
ly interested in the recital.
"He has got the notion TINT if the
French succeed in forcing the pass of
Feldkirch and enter the Tyrol. that
rs he will be constantly engaged as
Vorspann on the mountain, lis know
ledge of French would enable him to
discover many secrets of the enemy.
rs no one would ever suspect IL poor
creature like him of having learned a
foreign language"
And his motive was then purely
patriotic one?''
purely. He is poor, rs you see,
and an orphan; but his Tyrol Llood
runs warm and thick in his veins"
and what progress has he made?"
mat L can1ca answer you: mein
Herr; for no eqe hereabouts knows
anything of Frenc]l-nor, suppose,
had he ever the opportunity of testing
the requirement himself. They are
drlvc-~DacR,- am told"
''For the present. said the elder
stranger, gravely: ''but We shall need
all the reserves 1T Inspruck to hold
our ground whenever they renew the
attack"
The sleeper was now aroused to take
the saddle; for, in the absence of the
regular position, the Vorsponn was
obliged to take his place.
Still but half awake, the little fellow
stood up, and mechanically buttonine
his worn jacket, he took down his
whip and prepared fur the road. The
travellers were soon ready, and ere
many minutes elapsed, the calecAe had
left the village, and, with the best pace
the old mares could accomplish, was
breasting the snow-drift and the first
rise OF the mountain. After about un
hours driving, during which Joseph
had exhibited his utmost skill in tak-
ing advantage of every available bit of
trottlng ground, they came at length
to the commencement of the steep
ascent; and there, hanging his whip
on the %saddle-peak, the little fellow
got down, to relieve bis cattle as they
tolled up the precipitous ascent. He
mad not gone far, when, happening to
drop behind beside the caleche,. what
dld he hear but the sounds Of that
very Language upon which all his day
and night dreams were set! All that
ho o1