Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-08-27
The Drummer-HOy.

Obe cold December morning about
eighty years ago, a party of tourists
we're crossing the Alps and pretty
large party, too, for there were several
thousands Of them together. Some
were riding. rome waking, and most
of them ha knau sacks on their should
ers, like many Alpine tourists no wa
aayr. But lust. ad of walking sticks
they carried musk.ts aud bayone,s, and
dragged along with them some fifty or
sixty cannous.
In fact, these tourists were nothing
less than u French army; AID very
hard time Of 1t they seemrd to b,
having. Trying WORK Certainly. e. zen
Tor the strongest man. to wade for
miles through In -e-deep snow in thi,
bitter frost aud biting wind, along
these marrow, slippery mountaIu-paths.
with precip,ces hun"reLs Ut feet deep
all around. Tue soldiers looked thin
ard heavy eyed for want of 70, d and
sleep, and the poor horses that we're
dragging the heavy gus stumbled at
every step.
But there was one among them who
seemed quite to ell j,y the rough march
ing, anu traniped along through the
deep snow aud cold, gray mist, through
which the great mountain peaks over.
head doomed like slntowy giants, as
merrily rs If he we're going to picnic.
This was little drummer-boy of ten
years old, whose fresh, rosy face
looked very bright aud pretty among
the grim, SCARED ,isages of the old
soldiers. When the cutting wind
wbirled show. OF snow in his face he
dashed it away with u CHEEKY laugh, ard
aWoke all the echoes with tie livel,
rattle Of his nrum. till it seemed us ii
tbe huge black rocks around were all
singing in chorus.
Bravo, Petit Tambourw Cittle
drunner) cried u tall nlau III shabby
gray CLOAK. who was marching at the
head of the liue, with a long pole in
his hand, and striking it Into the snow
every now aud then. to see how deep
1t WIS. Bravo, Pierre, my hoy. With
snch music as that one could march all
the way to Moscow"
The boy smiled, and raised his hand
to his Cap in salute, for this rough
looking man was 10 other than the
general himself, Fighting Mac.
donuld," one Of the bravest soldiers in
France, Of whom bis men used to say
that one sight of his face in battle was
worth whole regiment
Long live our generslW shouted a
hoA.se voice, aud the cheer, flying from
month to mouth, rolled along the 81.
lent mountains like peal of distant
thunder.
But its echo bad hardly died away
when the silence was again broken by
another sound Of very different kind
IA strange, uncanDy sort of whisper
ing far away up the great white side.
Moment by moment it grew louder and
hsrsher. TIL 1T length it swelled into IL
deep, hoarse roxr.
"On Jour faces, lads!" roared the
general; "it's an avalauche!"
But before his men had time to obey.
the ruin was upon them. Down thun.
defed the great mass of snow, sweeping
the narrow Ledge path like u waterfall,
and crashing down along with it came
heaps If stones and gravel and loose
earth. and uprooted bushes, and great
blocks OF GOLD blue ice. For moment
all was dark us night; and when the
rush had passed, mauy of the brave
fellows who had been standing on the
path were nowhere to be SEE !. Tuey
had been Carried down over the precl
pice, aud either killed or buried alive
In the snow.
But the first thought OF their CON-
radee was Lot for them. When it was
seen What Lad b. ppened, one cry arose
from every mouth:
Where's our Pierre? W.ere's our
Little drummer
Where. indeed ? Look which way
they would, nothing was to be seen Vi
their poor little favorite, aud when
they shouted his name, there was no
answer. Then there broke forth ter
ribie cry OF grief, and many hard old
soldier, VINO had looked without finch
Ing at line Of levelled muskeis, felt
the tears start that that face would
never De seen among them again.
But Ill at once, far below them, out
OF The black unknown gulf that lay be-
tween thoss tremendous rocks, arose the
faint roll OF drum, beating the
charge. The soldiers started and bent
eagerly forward to listen; then up went
o shout that shoUk the air.
!" He's alive, comrades! our Pierre's
alive, after air.
And beating his drum still, like
brave lad! He wanted to have the old
music to the lastr'
" But We meat save him, lads, or
hell lretze to death down there. He
must be saveu!"
Z" he Shall bel" broke in deep voice
from behind, and the general himself