Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1869-05-27
COURAGE AND SELF-CONTROl
FROM THE MEMOIRS OF THE DUCHESS
ABRANTES.


While Murat was in Madrid, he
was anxious to communicate with
Junot in Portugal; but all the roads
to Lisbon swarmed with guerillas.
and with the troops composing
Castanos' army. Mmat mentioned
his embarrassment to Baron Stro-
gonotf, the Russian ambassador to
Spain. Russia, it is well known.
vas at that time not only the ally
but the friend of France. Nj. de
Strogonoff told Murat that it was
the easiest thing in the world. The
Russian Admiral Siniavin,'' said he.
lis i'll the port of Lisbon; give me
the most intelligent of your Polish
lancers l will dress him up in a
Russian uniform, and entrust him
with dispatches for the admiral !,
you will give him your instructions
verbally, and all will go well, even
if he should be taken prisoner a
dozen times between this and Lis
bon. for the insurgent army is so
anxious to obtain our neutrality.
that it will he careful not to furnish
a pretext for rapture"
/ Murat was delighted with this in
genious scheme He asked Kra-
sinski, the commandant of the Ian
GERS, to find him brave and intelii-
gent young man. Two days after
ward the commandant brought the
prince young man of his corps, for
whom he pledged his life. His
name was Leckinski, and he was
but eighteen years old.
Murat was moved at seeing so
young a man court so imminent a
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" answered he.
respectfully, ''and l will give a good
account of the mission / have been
honored with. thank his highness
for having chosen me from among
my comrades, for all of them would
have courted this distinction;
The prince argued 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, Leckinski was surrounded by
a body of Spaniards, who disarmed
him. and dragged him before theil
commanding officer. Luckily fol
the gallant youth, it was Castanos
himself.
Leckinski was aware that he was
lost if he were discovered to be {
Frenchman; consequently he de
termined, on the instant, not to let {
single word of French escape him
and to speak nothing but Russian
or German, which he spoke will
equal fuency. The cries Of rage
Of his captors announced the fate
which awaited him; and the horri
BILE murder Of Gen. Rene, who haC
persisted in the most dreadful tor
ture but few weeks before, as he
was going to join Junot, was suffi
cient to freeze the very blood.
"Who are ycu?'' said Castanos
in French, which language he spoke
perfectly well, having been educa
ted in France.
Leckinski looked at the question
er, made sign, and answered il
German. Il do not understand
you"
Castanos spoke German, but h.
did not wish to appear personally i:
the matter, and summoned one o
the officers Of his staff, who went ol
with the examination. The Pol
answered in Russian Or German, bu
lnever let single syllable of Frencl