Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-03-15
HOW I WON MY CROSS.

"Come, tell us, Sergeant, how did you
win your cross ?"
This question wss put by one of mum
Der OF young soldiers who stood around
Sergeant Manchot in the grounds of the
Invalides. The person addressed was an
old one armed man, who seemed to think
that a certain air of fierce, unsmilinp
gravity must become soldier Of the
Empire, but who, 1t was we'll known, hid
one of the kindliest hearts under the outer
form of stern severity. On being thu.
questioned, he took well>used pipe from
his mouth, slowly pulled out column oi
smoke, drew himself as erect as age
would permit him, and replied:
Won ray cross? Yes. mon enfan,
you say right; in those days we had tc
'Cin cross, it wss not given. 1t was
worth winning, too. We didn't, with
the Emperor, gain glory by fighting
against enc another. There was no bar
ricades then-no battles in the streets oi
Paris. That great man, so wonderful in
his genius, SO indomitable in his courage,
who always conquered, would not allow
it and let me tell you, no one dared ia
do what he said they should not--he soon
made short work.
" All !! those were the days when we
knew what true freedom was. There
were none of your Republicans, your
Orleansts, your old or your new parties
We were all Fronchmen then-French.
men, do you hear, my children ? 1t was
against the enemies Of la belle France
we fought-against those who hated the
great nation because 1t was so glorious
the perfidious English-the stupid Ger
mans-the barbarous Russians.
Yes, it was against them we French
men always fought; and, when traitors
did not betray us, we slways conquered.
They could never defeat him-the EN-
@eror-by fair means. All, with what
glory he covered France I"
The old mans eyes gllstened with en-
thusiasm and his face glowed.
" But all tnis is changed now," contin-
ued the old soldier in a mournful tone.
" France, shame upon her does not
care what her enemies do. The Grand
Army is no more. But, you wished to
know how l gained my cross. Well,
will tell you, for it will show you what
a man the Emperor was.
&" 1t was the 9TH of November. For a
long time our march had been full of
glory. The enemy had fed before us,
for whenever he tried to stand we defeat
ed him. We had reached Moscow that
fatal city. We were to have wintered
there. But what did these cowardiy vii
lains of Russians do? Why, as you
know, they burnt down their town.
We were compelled to retreat and
terrible march we had had, with Frost
snow and hunger. 1t was the 5th of Nc
vember, | say. We just fought the bat
tie of Wanna, and won it, of course
The Emperor, in his order OF the day,
said we had annihiated tho enemy. Still
We had to retreat, not before the Russians
no, we had crushed them, / tell you-
but before the weather; it was terrible
Oh, what frost ! 1t froze tho very mar
row in our bones. Oh, what snow! it
cut eur skins; it blinded us we sank in
it to our knees, as we marched. We had
been en- route since 6 o'clock, and it was
now past noon. An awfu! march it was
The ground over which we passed was
strewn with our dead and dying. No!
that we saw much of the toe-nc, those
we had not killed knew too we'll what
they would get if they came near us. 1t
was that terrible cold and the empty
stemachs that did tor us. When these
made any fall behind, the rascally Cos
sacks, hanging all round us like swarm
of bees, either killed and plundered them
or, if they were at all able to walk, strip.
ped them, and then, tying them to their
horses, made them run at their sides till
they dropped from cold, hunger and IA
tigue.,
:" Many OF tho officers and men in my
company had perished. All we're dispir-
ited-no song, no shout, no joke, and,
what was worse than all, no grumbling.
The sullenness and recklessness Of utter
despair had taken hold of US.
"Our captain was terrible little man
not brayer one than he in the whole
army. And then, you see, We were all
brave. He did not stand more than 30
high" pointing to his shoulder, " but he
would have his own way, and he made us
do 1t If he said no, it was no; ifyss,
then yes he would not change. We
called him Captain Tetu, and, my faith |
1t was good name, for he was obstinate.
He had been a stout, red faced man,
but now how changed, thin, pale and
haggard. Nothing could however drive
away his look OF frmness. He was hard
ly able TO keep up with us but he was
determined not to give in as long as he
had life, SO on and still on he crawled. -
He had wrapped his shoeess feet in his
handkerchiefs, which were now deeply
stained with the blood that oozed from
his wounds. Two or three times had
offered him my arm for his support, but
he had refused it angrily.
What !" said he, do you think /
can't walk as well as another? 4? Am a
child? Everyone needs ali his strength
for himself"
"At last he told me If l dared TO both
er him with my offers to assist him he
would punish me severely. So what
could | do ? He always meant what be
said but, obstinate as he was, he could
nnl hold ont INV lnnrnr With a fninf