The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1867-01-17
EN- IRA ORDTN1RI NERVE.

Portugal, but all the roads to Lisbon
sWarmed with guerrillas, and with
the troops composing Castanoes' army.
Murat mentioned his embarrassment
to Baron Strongonof, the Russian am
bassador to Spain.
Russia, it is well known, was at the
time not only the ally, but TIE friend of
France. DeStrongonoff told Murat it
was the easiest thing in the world. The
Russian Admiral Sinlavin," said he,
sis in the port of Lisbon; give me the
most intelligent of your Poiso lancers,
| will dress him up in . Russian uni
form, and entrust him with dispatches
for the Admiral. All will go well, even
II he should be taken prisoner Il dozen
times between this and Lisbon, for the
insufgent army is so anxious to obtain
our neutrality that it will be careful not
to furnish preteXt for rupture
Murat was delighted with this ingen-
ious scheme. He asked Krakinski, the
commandment OF the lancers to find him
a brave and intelligent young man.
Two days afterward the commandant
brought the prince young NAH of his
corps, his name was Lockinski, and he
was but eighteen years old.
Murat was moved at seeing SO young
a man court so imminent danger, for
if he were detected his doom was sealed.
Murat could not help remarking to the
Pole the risk he was about to run. The
youth smiled. 'Let your imperial
highness give me my instructions, he
answered respectfully, II will give
you good account of the mission l have
been honored with. thank his high
ness for having chosen me from my
comrades, for all of them would have
courted. the distinction"
The prince augured favorably from
the young mans modest resolution.
The Russian ambassador gave him his
dispatches; he put on Russian uniform
and set out for Portugal.
The first two days passed over quietly;
but on the afternoon of the third, Leck-
inski was surrounded by body Of
Spaniards, who disarmed him and drag
ged him before their commanding Off
Ger. Luckily for the gallant youth it
| was Castonos himself.
Leckinski was aware that he was lost
if he were discovered to be a French
man: consequently, he determined on
the instant not to let single word of
French escape him, and to speak Rus
sian and German, which he spoke with
equal fluency.
The cries of rage Of his captors an
nounced the fate which awaited him,
and the horrible murder of General Re-
no, who had persisted in the most dread
full tortures but a few weeks before,
as he was going to join Junot, was sutfi-
Gent to freeze the very blood.
"Who are you?" said Castanos, in
French, which language he understood
perfectly we'll, having been educated in
France.
Leclzinski looked at the questioner,
made a sign, and answered in German,
do not understand you."
Castanos spoke German, but he did
not wish to appear personally in the
matter, and summoned one of the Off
GERS of the staff, who went on with the
! examination. The young Pole answered
in Russian or German, but never let u
syllable of French escape him. He
might, however, easily have forgotten
himself, surrounded as he was by a
crowd eager for his blood. and who wal
ted with savage Impotence to have him
declared guilty--that is, Il Frenchman-
to fall upon and murder him.
But their fury was raised to a hight
which the General himself could not
control by an incident which seemed to
cut of the unhappy prisoner from eve
ry hope of escape. One Of Castanos'
aides-de-camp, one OF the fanatical pat
riots who We're SO numerous in this war,
and who from the first had denounced
Leckinski as a French spy, burst into
the room, dragging with him Il man
wearing the brown jacket, tall hat, and
red plume of Spanish peasant.
The officer confronted him with the
Pole, and said
"Look at this man, and then say if it
is true thathe is Il German or a Russian.
He is a spy, swear by my soul.''
The peasant, meanwhile, was cycling
the prisoner closely. Presently his dark
eyes lighted up with the fire of hatred.
"Es Fruases!" is a Frenchman-
exclaimed he, clapping his hands; and
he stated that, having been in Madrid
few weeks before, ne had been put in
requisition to carry forage to the French
barracks "and," said he, II recollect
that this man took my load of forage,
and gave me a receipt. | was near him
an hour. and reccoIlect him. When we
caught him told my comrade he was
the French officer delivered my forage
to-
This wa, correct. Gas.;sn,.s probably
..issefBed the true state OF the case. hut