Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1875-04-22
tinY hands gIeefnlly: and cries

d.
Pretty, prettyr'
| Suddenly there is hustle heard
below. and the great hell of the cas-
tie gives one deep, solemn toll-the
signal of alarm.
They're coming again. groans
old Hubert on his watch tower. "Oh.
God, If my life he worth ANYTHING,
take it, and spare my mistress and
our little darlingr'
And on sudden the drowsy en-
campment outside breaks into terri
bic life. Out they pour. hundreds
upon hundreds, a sea of fierce faces
and many-eolored robes, and gleam-
ing steel; and. foremost of all their
leader himself, on his white horse
Kara kalpak (Black Cap). hravest
and fiercest of january captains.
with a black sheepskin cap siouched
over his cruel eyes.
On they come toward the breech
in the lower wall, their war cry going
mp into the still evening air like a
peal of thunder The Countess
snatches her child into her lap, and
sternly compressing her beautiful
lips, watches the onslaught.
Worn and exhausted as they are,
tie defenders stand to it like men, and
the breach is stoutly contested; but
Numbers tell at last. Over heaps of
dead and dying. the Turks crowd the
wall and rush into the courtyard
with Il wild yell of triumph.
Twice they force their way up to
the gate of the tower, and twice they
are beaten back; but the third time
they hold their ground. and the hot
test of the fight gathers itself under
the rampant where the two women are
scated-a fight of wild beasts, where
men grapplc hand to hand, and death
comes blindly, one knows not whence
or how
Then Countess Irma riscs-kisscs
her child rs she sets her gently
down--and, with Il firm hand emp
ties the hugh iron ladle of burning
lead upon the wcdged assailants be-
low.
iTp to the sky rises hoarse shrek
of agony. repeated again rs the
nurse sends second shower of that
deadly lcadcn rain splashing and his
sing into that living mass.
The Turks scatter like sheep; but |
their stern leader, bareheaded and |
bleeding. is waving his men on again,
when he suddenly throws his arms
up, and drops without cry.
Old Hubert's keen eye has served /
him once more, and his heavy noun
tam gun has done its work well.
Then everything gives way; the |
Christians turn on their panic strick |
ell foes, and slaughter them like
sheep.
Only small remnant of the storm
ing party struggle back over the IA
tai breach, and the Countess. stroking
her child's long. fair hair with the
hand that has just destroyed twenty |
men. sinks back against the wall, and |
DulSlS lHlo tears.
Night settles down upon the battle
field with the gloom and silence Of the
grave, and the cold moon rises over
the shadowy mountains, lighting up
the stern white faces of the dead.
The countess, mutfled in a huge
bear-skin. sleeps on the battlements-
for seven days she has not entered her
chamber. A little after midnight q
light touch arouses her, and she
sees the sencschal. a grim old warrior,
who had often carried her in his arms
as child.
Pray to God for us, lady" says he
hoarsely, "for there is no other hope
now. The castle well is dry"
"Have we no water left?' asks she,
clasping her hands till the skin
wbitens.
"One days ration--nO more"
The countess seems to mediate
then her face darkcns, and
she asks in Il fierce whisper:
'Is The powder ready!'
.In the lowest chamber of the tow
er, with Il torch always ready for
lighting it. The moment you please
to say the word, up we all 90 to-
gctherr
Good said the countess, ego and
sIeep--you will need it tomorrow"
At noon the next day the assault
is renewed; for, dismayed as they are
hy their leaders fall, the courage of
the Turks is still unbrOkcn.
The fight is long and stubborn;
but by sunset the court-yar'iis in the
hands of the enemy, and nothing re-
mains but the great tower itself,
around the barred gates of which the
Turks bivouac with shouts of tri
umph.
Within all is silent misery; for the
last drop of water is spent, and the
men, heated by long fighting, are
mad with thirst. Even poor little
patient Gertrude looks up wistfully
in her mothers face, with Il plain
tive "Mammy, me tnifStS
The mother casts one look of unut
terahle longing at the small wooden
cup beside her, and then empties it
into the child's mouth, and kisses it's
forehead with parched, bleeding lips.
"Mammv," whispers the little girl,
shear me say my prayers before me
90 to sleep"
And as they crouch among the
powder barrels which are to destroy
them on the morrow, the little voice
rises clear and sweet through the saw
age roar outside:
'.Oh, God, bless papa wherever he
is, and bring him safe home to NAM
ma and me, and take care of us all.
Amen
At sunrise next morning, the great
came creaking and