The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1874-02-17
Seleft Storu.
MY. CAPTAIN.

One fine evening in the month of Ju.
lv, an old soldier of the Grand Armee,
who had left one arm on the field of bat
tie, was seated at the door of his pretty
cottage. He was surrounded by a group
of young villagers, who were ciamorous
ly reminding him Of his promise to tell
some of his military adventures. After
a momen. OF pretended resistance to
their wishes, the old man took his pipe
from his mouth, passed the back of his
remsining hand across his lips, and thus
commenced his tale:
'In my time, my friends, the French
would have disdained to fight against
Frenchman in the streets, as they do in
these days. No, no! when we foughtit
was for the honor of France, and against
her foreign enemies But my story com
mences on the 9Th of November, 1912, a
shor. time after the battle of Wiazma =
We beat q retreat, not before the Rus
SLAMS, for they were at respectable dis
tance from our camp, but before the
sharp and bitter cold of their detestable
country cold more terrible to US than
the Russians or Bavarians all put togeth-
or. fh.
"During the preceding days our Off
GERS had told US We were approaching
Smolensko, WHARF we should get food,
fire, brandy and shoes; but in the mean
time We were perishing in 1.-THE glaciers,
and continually harrassed bv the Cos
sacks. We had marched for six hours
without stopping to take breath, for we
knew that repose was certain desth An
icy wind blew the drifting snow in our
faces, and at times we stumbled over the
frozen corpse OF eomrade We neither
spoke nor sanga even complaints were
no longer heard, ,snd that was bad sign
l marched by the side of my captain
short, strong buil.,rough and severe, bu,
brave and true as the blade of his sword
We called him captain Obstinate" for
when once he said thing it was fixed
he never changed his opinions. He had
been wounded at W iazma, and his usual
ly crimson face was then CHASTITY pale
while a ragged white handkerchief, al
stained with blood, was wound around
his head, and added to the pallor of his
countenance. All at once l saw hin
stagger on his legs like a drunken man
then fall like block to the ground
"Morbleu, captain" said /. bending
over him. "you cannot remain here"
You see that can, since do" re
piled he, showing his legs.
Captain said l, ..you must not give
way" lifting him in my arms, tried tC
put him on his feet. He leaned on mt
aud attempted to walk, but in vain, he
fell again, dragging me with him.
"Jobin," said he. call is over. Leave
me here, and Join your company as quick
ly as possible. One word before YOU gs
at Voreppe, near Grenoble, lives wo
man eighty,two years Of age, my moth
er Go and see her, embrace her for me
and tell her that-that-tell her wha
you will. but give her this purse and my
cross. 1t is all l have Now go"
sis that all, captain p
"That is all God bless you! Make
haste! Adieu! My friends, l do no
know how it was, but felt two tears rol
down my cheeks.
mo, captain" I cried. II will moi
leave you either you come with me, Oh
/ remain with you"
81 forbid you to remain"
NAV al IN mo ,,pJa, opract tho,
if YOU like, but at present you must le
me do as / please"
s.You are an insolent fellow"
every good, captain, but you mus
come with me-" He bit his lips will
rage, but said no more l lifted him and
carried him on my shoulder like sack
You can easily imagine that with such q
burden l could not keep pace with my
comrades In fact, l soon lost sight ol
their columns, and could discern moth
ing around me but the white and silent
plain I still walked on, wheD presently
appeared troop of Cossacks gallopine
towards US, with furious gesticulations
and wild cries
"The captain was by this time com
pletely insensible, and | resolved, what.
ever it might cost, not to abandon him
l laid him down on the ground and Gov
cred him with snow ;then crept beneath
heap of dead bodies, leaving, however,
my eyes at liberty. Presently the Cos
sacks came up and began to strike with
their lances right and left, while their
horses trampled US under their feet
One of their heavy beasts set his foot on
my right srln and crushed it. My
frienls, did not speak-T did not stir
! put my right hand in my moutE to sti.
fe the cry of torture which nearly escsp
ed me,and in few minutes the Cossacks
had disappeared.
"When the last of them had disap-