West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-10-19
A MAN OF NERVE.

WAN UT NEW r..
While Murat was in Madrid. he was
anxious 10 communicate with Junot in
Portugal; but all the roads to London
9warmed with guerrillas, and with the
troops composing Castanos' army.
Murat mentioned his embarrassment
To Baron Strogonof, the Russian EN-.
bassador to Spain.
Russia, it is well known, was at that
time not only the ally, but the friend of
France. NJ. De Strogonoff told Murat
that it was bhe easiest thing in the
world. The Russian Admiral Sin
lavin," said he, is in the port nj Lis
bon; give me the most intelligent of
your Polish lancers; ! will dress him up
IN a Russian uniform, aud intrust him
with the dispatches for the Admiral
all will go well, even if he should be
taken prisoner dozen times between
this and Lisbon, for the insurgent armv
is soIanxiousl to obtain our neutrality
that 1T will be careful not TO furnish n
pretext for rupture" u e*.ay.rO ..u".
Murat was delighted with this in
genious scheme. He asked Kransinski.
the commaudant Of the lancers, 10 find
him brave and dyintclligeptyoIing man.
Two days afterward the commandant
brought the prince a young man OF. his
corps, for whom he pledged his life his
name was Leckipski and he. was but
eighteen years old. - 0Ii III 10 .
Murat was moved at seeing so young
man court 40 imminent danger for.
# he were detected, his doom was
sealed. Murst could not help remark
ing 10 the Pole the risk he was about TO
run. The youth smiled. "Let your
imperial highness give me my in
-tructions," answered he, respectfully,
and lwiI ,giyeoa good account of the
mission ] have been honored with. /
thank his highness forshaving chosen
me from my comrades, ,sfer all of them
would have courted this distinction"
The prince argued favorably from the
young mans modest resolution. The
Russian ambassador gave him his dis
patches, he put on a Russian uniform.
and set out for Portugal.
The first two days passed over,
quietly, but on the afternoon of the
third, Leckinski was surrounded by
body of Spaniards, who aisarmed him.
and dragged hun before the command,
ing officer. Luckily for the gallant
youth, it was CastanOs himself. 11n
Leckinski was aware that he was lost,
# he were discovered to be a French
man, consequently he determined, on
the instant, not 10 let a single word of
French escape him and 10 speak Rus
sian and German, which ne did With
equal 1uency. The cries of rage of his
Captors announced the fate which
awaited. him, and the horrible murder
OF General Reue, who had perished in
the most dreadful tOrtures but few
weeks before, yas he was going 10 ioin
Junot, was sufficient TO freeze the very
blood.
Who are you?" said Castanos. i'm
French, which language he spoke per
iectly well, having been educated in
France.
Leckinski looked at the questioner,
made sign, and answered i'm German
al do not understand you"
CastanoS spoke German, but he did
not wish to appear personally in the
matter, and summoned one of the Off
GERS of his staff, who went on with the
examination. The young Pole an
swered in Russian or German, but never
let q syllable of French escape him.
He might, however, easily have forgot
ten himself, surrounded as he was by
crowd eager for his blood, and who
waited with savage impatience TO have
him declared guilty, that is, a French
mon, 10 fall upon him and murder him.
But their fury was raised 10 height
which the general himself could not
control, by an incident which seemed to
cut of the unhappy prisoner from every
hope OF escape. One Of CastanOys aid
de-Camps, one Of the fanatical patriots
who were 20 numerous i'm this war, and
who from the first had denounced
Ieckinski rs a French spy burst into
the room, dragging with him q man
wearing the brown Jacket, tall hat and
red plume Of Spanish peasant.
he ohceT confronted him with the
Pole, and said
Loo at this man, and then say. If it
is true that he Is a German or Russian
He is q spy, ! swear by my soul"
The peasant meanwhile, was ewing
the prisoner closely Presently his darR
eyes lighted up with the FIRE of hatred
ne Frances, he is q Frenchman 2,
exclaimed he, clapping bis hands. And
ne stated that having been in Madrid a
few weeks before, ne had been mt in re-
QUESTION TO carry forage 10 the French
h8rrack; and, said he. &" recoIiect
that this man took my load of forage.
and ne gave me receipt. 7 was near
him an hour, and recollect him. When
we caught him, ] told my comrade tiis
is the French officer j delivered ny
forage TO-"
This was correct Castanos probably
discerned the true state of the case, but
he was a generous foe. lie proposed "a
let him pursue his journey, for Ieck
inski still insisted he was Russian, and
he could not be made 70 understand
word Of French But the moment h,