Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-12-11
An OBSTINATE CAPTAIN.


NV story commences on the Sth Of Novem
her, 1912, short time after the battle o
Wiazma. We, the French, beat retreat
not before the Russians, for they were at re
spectful distance from our camp, but before
the sharp and bitter cold of their country.
During the preceding days our officers hae
told us that we were approaching Smolensko
where we should get food, fire, brandy ano
shoes; but in the mean time we were perish
ing in the glaciers, and continually harasseo
by the Cossacks. We had marched for slS
hours without stopping to take breath, for We
knew that repose was certain death. An icy
wind blew the drifting snow in our faces, and
from time to time we tumbled over the frozen
corpse of Il comrade. We neither spoke OF
sang, even complaints were no longer heard
and that was a bad sign. l marched by the
side of my captain short, strongly built, rough
and severe, but brave and true as the blade
of his sword; we called him Captain Obsti
nate for when he once said a thing, it was
fixed he never changed his opinions. he
had been wounded at Wanna, and his usual
ly crimson face was then ghastly pale, while
a ragged white handkerchief, all stained with
blood, was bound round his head, and added
to the pallor of his countenance. All at once
saw him stagger on his legs like drunken
man, then fall like block to the ground.
"Marbleu captain, said l, bending over
him, you cannot remain here
"'You see that l can, since | do it, replied
he showing his legs.
"Captain,' said I, you must not give way.
Lifting himin my arms, | tried to put him on
his feet. He leaned on me and attempted to
walk, but in vain he fell again, dragging me
with him.
"Jobin,' said he, all is over. Leave me
here, and rcjoin your army as quickly as pos
sible. One word before you go: At Vereppe
near Grenoblc, lives good woman, eighty
two years of aye, my-my mother. Go and
see her, embrace her for me, and tell hel
at-that-tell her what you will, but give
her this purse and my cross. It's all have
Now 60"
"'Is that all, captain?'
"'rhat is all God bless you! Make
haste. Adieu! My friends, | do not know
how it was, but felt two tears roll down my
cheeks.
"No, captain I cried, I will not leave
you either you come with me, or will re
main with you
"I forbid you to remain
"'You may put me under arrest, then, i
you like; but at present you must let me DO a:
l please
"'You are an insolent fellow
"'Very good, captain, but you must come
with me- lie bit his lips with rage, but saiC
no more. lifted him, and carried him OF
my shoulders like sack. You can casl!
imagine that with such burden, | could no
keep pace with my comrades. In fact soor
lost sight of their columns, and could discern
nothing around me but the white and silcn
plain. l still walked on, when presently ap
peared troop Of Cossack galloping towar'
me, with furious gcstculations and wild cries
"The captain was by this time completely
insensiblc, and | resolved, whatever it nigh
cost me, not to abandon him. | laid hin
down on the ground, and covered him viii
snow then | crcpt beneath heap of deat
bodies, leaving however, my eyes at liberty
Presently the Cossacks came up, and begal
to strike with their ances light and left, while
their horses trampled us under their feet
One of these heavy beasts set his foot upon my
right arm and crushed it. My friends, die
not speak; l did not stir 1 put my righ
hand into my mouth to stiAc the cry of torture
which nearly escaped from me, and in u few
minutes the Cossacks had dispersed.
"When the last of them had disappeared,
quilted my refuge and proceeded to disintel
the captain To my Joy he gave some slgn
of life | contrived to carry him with my one
arm toward rock which offered a sort o
shelter, and then laid myself by his side
wrapping my cloak round us both.
"The night had closed in and the snow con
tnued to fall
1.-THE rear guard had long since disappeared
and the only sound that broke the stiffness O
the night was the whistle Of bullet, or th'
bowling of the wolves feasting on the corpse
that lay stretched around. God knows wha
thoughts passed through my soul during tina
dreadful night, which, felt sure, would b'
my last upon earth. But remembered the
prayer which my mother had taught me long
before when was child at her knee, ant
bending low, l repeated it with fervor.
"My children, that did me good, and re
member always that a sincere and ferven
PRAYER is sure to comfort you. felt astonish
ingly calmed when | returned to my place by
the captain. But the time passed, and | haC
fallen into state of half stupor, when saw
group of French officers approach. Before
! l had time to speak to them, their chief, lit
tie man dressed in a furrcd pelisse, stepped
forward toward me and said:
! "'What are you doing here? Why art
you away from your regiment?
"For two good reasons, said |, pointing
first to the captain and then to my bleeding
arm.
"The man says true, SIRE said one of those
who followed him; 4 saw him marching il
the rear of his regiment, and carrying this of
fcer on his back
"The emperor-for, my friends, it was he !
gave me one of those glances that only he, OF
the eagle of the Alps, could give, and said:
! "It is we'll. You have done very we'll
"Then opening his pelisse, he took the cros
which decorated his green coat and gave it t(
me. At that instant was no longer hungry
no longer cold I felt no more pain from my
arm than if that awkward beast had neve
touched it.
! "Davoust," added the emperor, addressing
the officer who had spoken to him, "see th
man and his captain placed in one Of the bag
gage wagons. Adieu!' And making me {
motion of the hand, he went away.
Here the veteran ceased and resumed hi
pipe.
"But tell us what became of Captain Oh
stinate," cried many impatient voices.
"The captain recovered. and is now gen
eral on the retired list. But the best Of th'
Joke was, that as soon as he got we'll, he pu
me under arrest for fifteen days, as punish
ment for my intraction Of discipline.