The Shasta courier., 1866-12-22

II
1tood firmly to repel their attack. Calm,
silent, and reoolute; full of the enthusiasm
OF great duty still unaccomplished worn
and weary as they were, they scorned to
yield an inch. Monuments of marble have
ere now been erected in memory of deeds of
herolsm which must have yielded precedence
to theirs; and yet the sublime devotion Of
this little band might, ought, and would
have passed unregistered, like many another
glorious episode in the great drama of War,
had not one been spared to bear witness to its
| existence.
| abandoned to themselves in an enemy's
country their limbs benumbed with cold
every words frozen in their throats: in.
sufficiently clothed scantily fed and de-
layed upon their toiisome march by their
helpless burthen, one recollection suficed to
sustain them: Marshal of France has
said confde Kobilinski to your honor ;
! you will restore him to me )" and they must
not let him find his trust 10 them misplaced
Then military discipline became indeed the
germ whence glory sprang up in the long
enduring spirits of these devoted men,
There was no one by to witness and to ap-
Plaud their struggles, save the wandering
lordes by whom they were from time to
time harassed. and almost overpowered and
| when at the close of their third week of suf.
iering and agony, the young Pole entreated
them with clasped hands to leave him to die
alone, and to make an effort to save their
own lives, resolute refusal met him on all
sides.
| But, comrades )" he urged in an impas-
stoned voice, which gained strength from
the intensity of his emotion, 81 feel that
am sinking fast; that for me all hope is over;
and that you are generously sacrificing your
selves for one who ere long will be unable
even to express his gratitude"
= Perhaps so, perhaps not, Monsieur )"
growled out Jacques Dufour, dashing the
icicles from his moustache ; g but in any
case you may make up your mind that. dead
or alive, we shall take you into wilma, and
deliver you to our marshal so cover your
head with your cloak, and leave US to do our
duty"
But, my good Jacques"
" Not a word more, Monsieur; we know
nothing about Colonel Kobilinski, aidede
camp to Marshal Davoust here; we have
received our orders. and shall obey them
You are to us: only wounded man. .on your
way to the hospital at head quarters"
A few day, subsequently, the noble fellow
who had thus spoken, awoke from the deep
sleep of exhaustion into which the whole
party had fallen at the close of several hours
Of intense toll, only to find that when he
sought TO arouse his comrades in order that
they might resume their march, but four
answered to his summons. The rest were at
peace
The five survivors gazed at each other stu
peGed with horror, aud then they glanced at
the Pole. He was motionless, but he still
bod Jla,e <bo ~
aution they doubled their own labor, they
threw over him several of the great coats of
their dead comrades, lifted the litter, and
s'r. land in silence once more moved for
ward
On and on; throughout the long, long
day; no one to share and to Tighten their
toll they we're but five; there was no relay
of labor it was one determined strain of
nerve and will and 10 towards evening,
in the far distance they traced along the
murky atmosphere line of houses. 1t was
wilma? 1t was the promised land? 1t was
the haven of temporary security and ret.
A simultaneous cry of triumph burst from
the lips of the five exulting men ; and in the
next instant they were talking of hope and
comfort to the rapidly sinking Kobilinski.-
Vain visions of accomplished duty The
revulsion of feeling was too violent for the
weakened frames of these military martyrs
two fell and died ere they had reached the
faubQnrgs of the city; two others tottered
on few PAGES further and then one-one
only-the veteran Jacques Dufour-was
left to dispute with the elements the numbed
and motionless body in the litter. For
moment he stood aghast then, conscious of
his utter inability to lift it, he clutched his
fingers fercely into the canvas by which it
was covered, and dragging it after him by
last effort of strength rushed on until his
eliminating shrek of agony reached the ear
Of the nearest sentinel.
In few minutes he was surrounded by
his comrades; and temporarily invigorated
by his triumph and the slight refreshment
afforded by their canteens, he was enabled
to superintend the removal of Kobilnski to
the dilapidared house in which Marshal
Davoust bad established his head quarters );
when, having ascertained that medical at
tendance had been summoned, and assured
himself that his precious charge was once
more carefully laid upon comfortable bed,
he ,ent to inform the marshal that the gren-
| adler company to whom he had entrusted his
aide de camp, having fulfilled his orders, re
quested the honor of an interview.
This was instantly conceded.
Where is Colonel Kobilinski ?" asked
Davoust
He is here, Monsieur lie Marechal."
" And the Company p
Present, mon Marechal."
IS ask for the Company"
II have answered present."
But your comrades ?"
"Ha my comrades-buried, Monsieur
le Mareschal-in the snow ~
| Davoust could not utter a word. but he
opened his arms, and Jacques Dufour flung
himself into them.
He was pressed to the heart Of a Marshal
of France-he was repaid, amply repaid, he
thought, for weeks of cruel and almost un.
paralleled suffering but, ere the eyes Of
Kobilinski closed for ever, they rested on 9
red ribbon proudly displayed on the breast
Of Jacques Dufour.
| CooL.-On board a Mississippi steamer sat
long. lank, green looking specimen of tb,
genus homo, sub. genus rusticus. and directl,