The Osceola times., 1880-03-06
Proach of sleep, and he was soon buried

proach of Sleep and he was soon buried
in profound slumber.
lie slept perhaps two hours, when the
door of his dungeon opened slowly, and
same one entered with cautious steps
hiding with his hand the light of a lamp.
The visitor bent over the prisoners
couch, the hand that shaded the lamp
touched him on the shoulder, and a
sweet and silvery voice, woman's
voice, asked him: "Do you want any
hing to eat?"
The young Pole, awakened suddenly
by the glare of the iamp, by the touch
and the words of the female, rose up on
his couch, and, with his eyes only half
open, said, in German:
what do you want?"
Give the man something TO eat at
once" said Castanos when he heard the
result OF the first experiment, "and let
him go. lie is not a Frenchman. How
could he have been so far master of him
self. The thing is impossiblei'
But, though Leckinski was supplied
with food, he was detained a prisoner.
The next morning he was taken to a spot
| where he could see the mutilated corpse
of the Frenchman who had been so cru
ely massacred by the peasantrv of
! lruxlllo, and he was threatened with
the same death. But the noble youth
had promised not to fail and not word,
not an accent, not a look or gesture be-
trayed him.
Leckinski, when taken back TO the
| prison, haile,' it with a sort of joy. For
twelve hours he had nothing but gibbets
and death, in its most horrid forms, be-
| fore his eyes, exhibited to him by men
with the looks ana passions of demons.
He slept, however, after the harassing
| excitement of the day, and soundly, too;
when, in the midst of his deep and
death-like slumbers, the door opened
gently, some one drew near his couch,
and the same silvery voice whispered in
his ear:
Arise and come with me. We wish
TO save your life. Your horse is ready
for you"
And the brave young man, hastily
awakened by the words, answered still
in German:
"What do you want?"
Costanos, when he heard this expert
ment and its results, said that the Rus
sian was noble young man. He saw
the true state of the case.
The next morning, early, four men
came to take him before sort of court
martial, composed of Costanos' staff
During the walk they uttered most hor-
rible threats against him, but true to his
determination he pretended not to un-
derstand them.
When he came before his judges he
seemed to gather what was going on
from the arrangements of the tribunal,
and not from what he heard said around
him; and he asked in German where his
interpreter was. He was sent for, and
the examination commenced.
1t turned first upon the motive of the
journey from Madrid to Lisbon. He an
swered by showing his dispatches to
Admiral Siniavin and his passport.
Spite of the presence and vehement as.
sertions of the peasant he persisted IN
the same story, and he did not contra
dict himself once.
ASK him." said the presiding officer.
at last, "if he loves the Spaniards, as he
is not Frenchman."
The interpreter put the question.
Certainly" said Leckinski, 81 like
the Spanish nation. | esteem it for its
noble character; wish our two nations
Ntit II lNllNlHs
Colonel" said the interpreter to the
President, the prisoner says he hates
US because we make war like banditti;
that he despises us, and that his only
regret is that he cannot unite the whole
nation rs one man to end this war at
single blow"
While he was saying this, the eyes of
the whole tribunal were attentively
watching the slightest movement Of the
prisoners countenance, in order to see
what effect the interpreters treachery
would have upon him. But Leckinski
had expected to be put to the test in
some way, and he was determined TO
battle all their attempts.
Gentlemen" sad Costanos, at seems
to me that this young man cannot be
suspected, the peasant must be deceived.
The prisoner may pursue his journey,
and when he reflects on the matter he
will find the severity We have been
obliged to use excusable."
Leckinski's arms and dispatches were
returned, he received a free pass, and
thus this noble youth came victorious
out of the severest trial that the human
spirit could he put to.