The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-11-26
rBELAsr SHOT.


SpaniarJs generally have a.strong and
not unnatural dislike, to see either mill
tary or civil employments in theif coun-
try filled by foreigners. and 1t is rare to
find foreign officer in any of their regi-
ments. Sometimes, however, one meets
with them-generally Poles. On one
occasion, during my rambles, fell In
with battalion quartered in an insig-
niicant Asturian village. in which We're
two foreigners, Frehehman and Pole.
The former, whose baptismal name was
Victor, was fine, handsome young fell
low, well educated, and even accom-
plished, whom love of adventure had
induced to enter the Spanish service.
His greatest fault was one not uncom-
mon among young French military men--
headlong, random way OF talking, es-
pecially when slightly excited by wine,
or otherwise, which frequently caused
him to wound the feelings, or give unin-
territorial, but not the less real, otfense
to his friends and comrades.
Ii demonstrated with on the subject
when in cool blood, he admitted the lail-
ing, which he would again, however, fall
into, the very same day, perhaps, when
heated by conversation or irritated by
The least contradiction. -CyrZinski, the
Pole, was Of a widely different charac-
ter. He was the beau ideal of a veteran
soldier, to which name, although little
more than forty years of age, five and
twenty years. service gave him fair
title. Tall and powerful in frame, in
ured to fatigue, and skilled in all mill
tary exercises, he was not Less terrible
in the field than gentle and amiable IN
quarters. He was the best-hearted crea-
lure l ever saw, and, although with
h.c lo hi. r. We vNu q
ever ready to share his last dollar with
comrade. BY disposition somewhat
taciturn, he would sit for hours, his
chin resting on his hand and large
German pipe in his mouth, listening to
the conversation but rarely taking part
in it.
He was still in the prime of his yigor,
and although the shake had worn away
| the hair from his temples and forehead,
| it still ourled thick and short on the top
aud back OF his head, while a strong and
very light-colored mustache contrasted
with the dark hue to which his fine face
had been tanned by the suns and rains
| OF twenty campaigns. The strangest
thing about him was his dialect. 1t was
! mixture of some half dozen languages,
picked up in the various services through
which he had passed, and no one of
|
| with any degree of accuracy. Somehow,
however, he made himself understood;
and, as nothing ever offended him, it
was often source of great amusement
to his comrades TO laugh at CyIzlnskTs
| polyglot ldioms.
L was acquainted with one or two Off
GERS OF the battalion, and l determined
| to remain couple OF days at the village,
TO repose from The fatlgues of a weeks
travelling on Spanish saddle and over
| detestaDle roads. / soon got acquainted
1 with Cyrzinski; we discovered that we
had some mutual friends in another couu-
try, and an intimacy rapidly ensued.
| Although the village in which the bat
TALON we Quartereu was a mere collec-
ton of cottages, and mad nothing to
recommend il save the beauty OF the sur
roundlng scenery, found my time pass
so agreeably that L allowed several days
20 eIapse without thinking of departure.
The mornings were spent in riding, walk
| ing and lounging, with an occasional
| bout at the fOIls, or touch at pistol
shooting; and in the evening, Cyrzlnski,
Victor The Frenchman, two or three
| Spanish officers and myself, used gen.
orally TO meet at the quarters of one or
other OF the party, Tor the sake of con-
versation, and the discussion OF bowl
| of mulled wine.
Itrwas on the eight evening after my
arrival at the village, and we were as
sembed in the room of Don Julian. an
officer whom had formerly known. For
three or iour days past, troops had been
daily arriving at different quarters in
our rear, and occupying a strong p0-
sition, of which the village was the GEN.
tral and most advanced point. Several
teI, .,..1 nttnhl lnd N hl
neighbOring hamlets, or !biyouacking in
the fields; while to our front strong
Carllst lorce had established their pick.
cts within. little more Than musket shot
OF ours. Nothing was expected Tor the
following day, as both SIDES were wait.
ing further sre-enforcements, but al
aetion.was decidedly looked for the day
after the morrow.
We were seated, six in number, round
a ponderous old table of black, worm.
ealen oak, on which were placed large
bowl of coarse, yellowisn eafthenware
emitting most fragrant vapor ofspiced
wine, glasses in number sufficient, btll
no, Two ofIAem OF the same form or size,
and bundle of excellent cigars. The
conversation ran, as may be supposed
chiefly ON the movement OF troops and
the probabilities OF an approaching en-
| UHVemGubs ue HIbL DOWl was uuloueU
au1 another brought in before deyia'
lion was made IRON this topic, by one o
the party relating an incident that had
occurred that morning.
An officer had ridden out from the
Cariist lines, mounted on a superb An.
daIusian charger, and amused himsel
by cantering to and ffo--not advancing
however, beyond his own pickets. SUD
denly the horse started at some objec
on tue ground, gave rear and a plunge
that'nearly unseated his rider, and ther
throwing up his head in the most ap
proved style OF star-gazing, started OF
at a furious rate in the direction of GU
camp. The officer tried hard to pull hin
in. but he was riding with single
refined bridle, and, as ill-luck would hay,
: it. the leather broke. The horse went OF
at the same mad pace, his rider keeping
!, his seat but unable TO control him, unit
within hundred yards OF our picket
! wnen q shot from one Of the sentrie
! brought the uhlucky officer to tn,
ground. The horse instantly stopped
aud stood motionless and crestfallen b,
his master, as though conscious of AM
repentlng the harm he had done. Som
men went out from the picket to brin
in the animal, and finding the Office
quite dead, a shallow grave was dug
and he was buried where he had fallen
: ssTne burial was not long doing" sal,
one of the Spanish officers, a young man
, and q great friend Of Victor. 9Th