Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-01-01

ally crimson face vas then chastity pale,
while a ragged white handkerchief. ali
stained with blood, was bound round
his head. and added TO the palior of his
face, aud all at oucs l saw him stapger
on bis legs like a drunken man. then
fall like a block TO the ground.
"Good heavens. Captain said ],
bending over him, you cannot remain
here"
q You see that can. since / do it."
replied he. showing his legs.
Captain" said 1. ''you mus. 10.
give way and lifting him i'll my arms.
tried 10 put him Ca his fest. He
leaned on tae and attempted To walk,
but in vain; be fell back, dragging rue
with him.
John" said he. 'ali is over. Leave
me here. and reJoin your company as
quick as possible One word before
You 60. At ForepIe, near Grepobls,
lives good woman, 81 years of age
my mother. Go and see hsr, embrace
her for me. and tell her what Won will,
but give her this parse and my cross"
:. Is that all. captain r.
That is all, Ged bless you. Make
haste. AGieu.'
My friends. do not know how it WAS.
but | felt two big tears roll down my
cheeks.
mo, captain cried: Il will not
leave you: either YOU como with me, or
| VIII TeI4aln vita YOU"
| forbid you 10 remain"
Iou may pct NE under arrest, then.
If you like, but at present yoa must let
ne do as please
You are an insoient fellow"
Very good. captain, but you must
come with me"
he bit his lips with rage, but said no
more. | lifted him and carried him
upon my shoulder like sack. You can
imagine that, with sach a burden, |
could not keep pace with my comrades.
In fact, soon lost sight of their col
uIans, and could discern nothing around
me but the white and silent plain. l
| still walked on, when presently APP
peared a troop Of Cossacks gaiiopino to-
ward me, with curious geSticulations
and wild cries.
The captain was by this time com
pleteiy insensible, aud | resolved, what
| ever 1t might cost me, not to abandon
| him. l laid him down on the ground
L
beneath a heap of dead bodies, leaving,
| however, my eyes at liberty. Presently
the CossackS came up and began to
strike with their lances right and left.
while the horses trampled US under their
| feet. One of these heavy beasts set his
| foCt upon my arm and crushed it. My
| friends, did not speak, did not stir; I
| put my right hand into nv mouth to
stliie the Cry of torture which nearly es-
| capped from Ine, and In a few minutes
the CoSsacks had dispersed.
When the last of them had disap-
peered quilted Iny refuge and proceed
ed TO disInter the captain. To my joy
he gave some signs OF life; l contrived
80 carry him with my one arm toward d
rock which offered a sort OF shelter, and
then . laid myself by his side, wrapping
my cloak about Us both.
The night had closed in, and the snow
continued to fall. The rear guard had
long since disappeared, and the only
sound that broke the stiffness of the
night was the whistle of bullet, or the
bowling Of the wolves feasting on the
corpses that lay stretched around.
| Heaven knows what thoughts passed
through my soul during that dreadful
| night, which, felt sure, would be my
last upon earth. But remembered the
prayer which my mother had taught me
long before, when was a child at her
knees. and, bending low, repeated it
with fervor.
That did me good, and l felt aston
ishingly Gained when | returned to my
| place by the captain. Bat the time
passed, and had fallen into a state of
| half stupor, when | saw a group of
French officers approach. Before l had
time to speak To them, their chief, a
little man, dressed in furred pelisss,
| stepped toward me and said: "What are
you doing here? Why are you away
| from your regiment%
For two good reasons" said /, point
ing first to the captain and then to my
bleeding arm.
The man says true. SIR observed
one of those who followed him: II saw
him marching in the rear of his reei-
ment and carrying this officer Oh his
| back
The Emperor-for, my friends, it was
| ne-gave me one of those glances that
only he OK the eagle of the Alps could
give, and said: 1T is well. You have
done very We l." hen opening his pc
llsse. tie took til. cross which decorated
hls green coat and gave it TO me. At
that instant | WAS no longer hungry. no
longer cold; | felt no msre pain from
my arm than if that awkward beast had
never touched it.
"Dayoust," added the Emperor, ad-
dressing the officer who had spoken to
him, "see the man and his captain
placed in one of the baggage wagons.
| Adieu!" And making me Il motion of
the hand, he passed away.
Here the veteran ceased and resumed
his pipe.
But tell us what became of Captain
OhStlnute," cried many impatient
voices.
The captain recovered. and is now
general on the retired list. But the best
Of the joke Was that, as as soon as he
got we'll, he put me under arrest for IF
teen days, as u punishment for my in
fraction of discipline. This circum-
stance came to the ears of Napoleon,
and after laughing heartily, he not only
caused me To be set free, but promoted
me to the rank of a sergeant. As to the
decoration, my children, here is the rib
bon at my button hole. but the cross l
wear next to my heart"
And opening his vest. he showed the
precious relic, suspended from his neck
III little satin bag.
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