Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-10-07

! Raymonds You are alive yets'
- YES ~ ,il9es Nv ,ie9Yh
a.Y Ana a - 1901 sftr3 soruI
Where am /, then ? AT the hermit
ages Have been dreaming then? Was
4 not made prisoners in
No, Basil, youhave not been dreaming
willtell you everything. Yesterday in
the meleeI hit the Colonel; had my re-
venge. Then, blinded by rage, killed, |
Killed until night-runtili there no longer
remained single Christine upon the
! field. When the moon rose | was very
weary, but remembered you; then | di-
! rected my steps to the hermitage, intend,
| ing to wait for you II was ten O'Clock in
the evenings; the rendezvous was for one.
| The night before | had not closed my
eyes; | fell asleep. At one O'Clock I
awoke utterihg a cry. i looked around
and found myself alone. Two O'Clock,
three O'Clock, four O'Clock struck YOU
did not appear You were surely dead !;
this thought maddened me. Day dawned
at last; left the hermitage and turned to-
ward the village, where my new brothers,
in-arms We're mustered. They all believed
| had been left on the field They re-
ceived me with open arms; they heaped
compliments and honOrs upon me. Then,
all at once, while talking to them, |
learned that twentyJone prisoners were to
be shot that very morning. A PRESENT.
ment crossed my mind; could Basil be
among them? ! fastened away. The
platoon Of execution was already formed.
heard some shots; the firing had begun.
My eyes sought you, but, blinded by grief,
they could not see.a Finally, / deserted
you. You were about to be shot dead
there were not more than two numbers be.
fore it came to your turn. What was to
do? ! was crazy; ! uttered a cry, seized
You in my arms and in an agonized, des-
perate voice exclaimed, ooh, not that
one my General, not that one!" The
General presiding over the execution, who
already knew of me through my conduct
of the previous evening, addressed me:
Why not! is he musician?' This
word was to me what the light of day
would be if made suddenly visible to a
blind man. "a musician!' I exclaimed,
eyes, yes, my General musician, a
great musician" AS for you, however,
you had fallen senseless. "And on what
instrument does he play?" asked the Gen
eral. "On what instrument? On--on
the-yes, that is it-that is so-on the cor
neta,piston." Do you need "A cornet.a.
piston ?" pursued the General, addressing
the bandmaster. The answer took five
seconds-tive centuries for me. Yes,
General, precisely" said the bandmaster
at last. "Then let them take this man
from the ranks, and theexeeution proceed
without delay" | lifted you in all haste
and taking you in my arms carried you
here .t--r nm .,.fs .,a..,
Raymond had not yet done speaking;
made but one bound and fell upon
his neck, crying and laughing at the same
time. Il owe you my life / exclaimed.
Not quite replied Raymond. mas
Why so?' $40
Z" Do you know how to play the cornet-
a-pistonE'
81? No"
:" Well, then that is cooln
F." In fact, my children, had suddenly
become as cold as a marble statue.
g" And musc?' continued Raymond,
do you understand music2'
"' A little, very little; you know well
enough what was taught US at college,
Little enough then, or, to come nearer
the truth, nothing. You are hopelessly
lost, and myself with you; they will call
me traitor, and say that intended to be
tray them. Before a fortnight the band OF
which you ought to make one will be or
ganized.'
" A fortnights' nf
GO Neither more nor less, and, as you will
not be able to play on the et-a-piston
unless God works miracle in your favor,
they will shoot us both
"Shoot you!' | exclaimed 'You-for
me, who owe you my life? o no! 1t is
not possible. Heaven would not permitit
In a fortnight will know music, and !
will play the corneta- piston
Raymond began to laugh.
How shall l tell you, my children? In
fifteen days-O power of within fifteen
days, the nights included-for l did not
take single moment of rest, even to
sleep--in fifteen days learned TO play.
4" Raymond and | went into the coun-
try, and together we passed the whole day
with a musician OF a neighboring village,
who came to give me lessons. ~.
But why not escapeY you are about
to ask.
Escape was impossible; I was still
prisoner, and closely watched. Raymond
would not leave without me.
Il no longer spoke, l no longer thought,
no longer ate. had but one single idea
music and a cornetapiston. l wanted
to learn, and learned Dumb, should
have spoken; paralwed, / should have
walked blind, | should have seen. We
accomplished everything. Where there's
a will there's a way ! willed it--that is
the great woodland succeeded in it,
Children, remember this truth. In this
way saved my life; but became crazy.
For three whole years my fingers never
left the instrument. DO, re, mi, fa, sol, la,
81, do--the world contained nothing else
for me; my life was passed in blowing
Raymond did not forsake me.
" With him ] emigrated TO France and
a. -.