The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-10-17

to the greatest possible length. without, how |
ever ever letting it seem that you do 80. lioye
God that brush with the enemy may deliver
them from their scrape, for they would fight |
as they aiways do. and we would haze e E. gooa
hnd yourself surrounded by the Spsniards, and |
open fire on them boldly, for have taken my |
measures, and help will be at hand. Au reroir, |
captain, and fortune favor Your
Brocard and Immediately set out for Batea. |
1t was yet early morning and the road was Al !
most deserted. We could not perceive in the
direction Of Casserras q single trace that
IN light remind Us of the recent passage Of
body of armed men. 1t seemed scarcely proba-
bic that the guerilias would dare return TO-
the northwest.
On the road / coD6ded to my comrade the
cruel mission with which we were charged,
and as had never seen q military execution,
and had never expected to see 90 horrible
one as this, the Staying of every tenth man in
my own company, the conversation ran on the
best mode of conduotipg the business in which
we were engaged so as to gain time, as the
colonel bad recommended.
"Oh" said Brocard, ST was 'decimated' my
self once. 1t was in Portugal, under Junot
for trick our battalion played tho comman-
dant-s lion under fire, but an ill-natured dog.
We gave him free bath in the Tagus. was
surrounding and disarmipg the mutineers
then, if any officers were found in the number,
their names were proclaimed aloud. or they
were degraded. Then tho ranks were broken,
and we were aligned in single file, each man
taking his place according to chance. A SER
geant drawn by lot and blindfolded, then
approached the line, and, starting from the
first man he CHANGED to touch, without inclu-
ding him, counted off ten, twenty, thirty, until
he reached the end Of the line, when he con-
tinned in the other direction, commencing
! again with the man he first touched, and If
that poor follow happened to be the tenth, or
| twentieth, or thirtieth, psit! his doom was
"Great heavensw thought I, chow terribly
cool he takes itp
"While the counting went on )" continued my
sous-ofteer, "a roll of the drum accompanied
each tenth man as he stepped out; he was led
| to the edge of the trench dug out for his
| grave; q sufficient amount of lead lodged in
his head or breast and his affair was ended.
| You SEQ that much time is not lost, and the
business even becomes amusing sometimes;
for every mans pride is up, and he chats, jokes,
laughs, .appoints q rendezvous under ground q
year, o month, or perhaps only day off and
all the while the regimental band regales you
with the nerriest symphonies, the most allu-
ring marchesW
"You would not make mockery of death %
cried /, interrupting him.
"Mockery!' he returned. 'Diable! we
won't have much chance to do 80 here. We
haven't yet even disarmed our friends, captain.
Polo evidently honors us both with his
practical esteem, to send us two alone to
whom carries ten rounde of ammunition to
J answer our polite proposition WITH
little, does it not ~
"HumphI whether man leaves his skin
here or elsewhere what matters i'll Although
It is dissgreeable to be sent out Of the world l
SivoSae, feiloWs whose elbows You are scous
toned to feel in the ranks. But. attHt All
those fellows haven't treated us right; thSt Ii
. q consolation"
I "But the other proceeding the colonel
4 mentioned" said I-"the drawing-you have
I not explained that"
"Ahi can only teach you what I know
mere amateur scholar. have heard that they
: sometimes mix up the names in Q helmet OF
T shake, and shoot the man that owns ever!
0 tenth name that comes out. But, ma toi! tina
way is shorter than the other, but, If it snit'
g you better, you may use it. HstP
a He stopped short in the middle of the roa!
70 and brought the musket he had brought will
him from Mora to his shoulder, as a bulle
u whistled by our ears, and n thread of whit
/ smoke rose from a ravine some little distanc
IL enveloped in long cloak, and wearing
country mans shoes and red woollen CAP
sprang toward the noun tain sde where in tn
y twinklng of an eye he disappeared.
d Don't fire." l cried, as Brocard was abou
10 to pull trigger; "you will give those wretche
% the alarm. Wait until they attack US at Bates
II That fellow will simplify our business, and th
r colonel will be delighted. ForwaEdagallop
D Remember the mission we have to fulfill"
Ten minutes later We were in Batea. Tn
company had stacked their arms about
o hundred PAGES from the mountain, and ha
u spread themselves through the village Th
q drummer alone, a boy of fifteen, stood guar
5 overtime arms Qnuer inc prOCocIlOn Oh boul
IS old grognards who cooler blooded than the
comrades, walked lesurely about, smokin
'r their pipes.
to rode straight to the drummer and, withou
SO dismountiug. said Beat the recall, ZAnett'
~ am in haste"
D. The smokers, at this order, approached u
TX and stared at us with an abashed air. TIL
most insolent of them gave the military saluI
through force of habit, apparently. But the
y seemed thoughtful, twisting their mustache
ls without speaking.
ID Zanetto, uneasy as the others, rose hooke
70 on his drum, and replied by prolonged rol
n. which did not cease until the whole compan
50 stood behind their stacks.
OF "What is all this noise aboutf Are you
IN fool, drummer ~ cried Poidoro, coming up la
O. of all, at run, from the further end of IL
II village, and carrying bottle in one hand au
a glass in the other.
II The sight of two horsemeu redoubled b
! speed, aud when he reached us, he couI
~ scarcely gasp, in his establishment aud want
r. breath:
y you, Bourdelaine! You here! Glad to 81
-, you, caro- milo Welcome! We scarcely expectt
Of 90 agreeable a surprise. What can we do f