Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1884-11-06

his lips. An echOing cheer is the reply
from 707 threats, as with clang of scab-
bard and rattle of bride and bit, and the
braying of the trumpet, and the ringing
cheer of the "Heavies," the Fourth and !
Thirteenth Lights, the Eighth and Elev-
enth Hussars, the latter Lord Cardigan's
own corps, conspicuous in their cherry
colOred trousers, and the Seventeenth |
(''Death or Glory) Lancers, with ranks
closed up and squadrOOns dressed as
evenly as IL at a march past, trot for
ward down the slight declivity. At their |
head rode the gallant Nolan and the
dauntless Cardigan-even in this SUI
preme moment with reckless laugh up
on his face, as he warmly argues some
point of war with his brother hussar.
The war horses Of the "Heavies," their
necks clothed in thunder, seemed to de-
yOur their hearts with the longing to
Join in the unequal fray, prancing and
paving the turf as if they fain would
swallow the ground in their ferceness
and rage. Amid the blare of the trump.
cts and shrill above the cOmmingled
yolley of cheering and OF cannon, they
smell the battle afar off, and are mad
dened because they cannot be in it.
THE TERRIBLE CHARGE.
Twas listening fear and dumb amaze
ment all. Can that handful of men re-
ally be in earnest in their parade? Do
they not see before them the Russian
army in position, backed by one Of the
mightiest fOrtalices the world has ever
seenp Those now unmasked batteries
already bslching forth shot and she'll,
are they hidden from their gaze? 1t
seems so, and onward to their death ride
the "nOble six hundred" The trot breaks
into a gallop, the gallOp into furious,
headlOng charge. Already Nolan has
fallen, cut down by grape shot. the secret
of the fatal day dying with him. The
serried ranks show frequent gaps, as
saddle after saddle is emptied. "ClOse
up! Close up! Charger is the unceas-
ing cry, and in shorter time than it
takes to tell, the opening ranks of the
foe disclosed to the doomed, but indOmit-
able few, cannon to the right Of them,
cannon to the left of them, cannon in
front of them-and now cannon behind
them. On, on through the broken Rus
sian line pressed the noble army of mar
tyrs. Their oriflamme, their brave lead
er's flashing sabre, their support, the
sole present thought: What will they
say in EnglandP'
In hideOus medley are seen at inter-
walls from amid the battery smoke the
lancer's pennoR now waving far above
the fray, now fOrward.at the charge as
the doughty riders arm bears down ey-
erything before it; now prone upon the
geld, its owner winning for himself at
once death and glory. Here with wild
cheer and wilder leap, the cherry clad
herOes-the cherubim OF immortal fame
a. fIa iphf nxy
would over fve-barred gate on the
hunting field, sabering the gunners as
they leap. There beardless boy, not
vet II, holds fast to the colors he had
sworn to carry to death or victory, and
falls with the cry, "My mother will hear
of this" ON his dying lips, still grasping
in his hand of ice that banner on whose
safety it would seem the honor of Eng-
land depended.
Far away, clear in front, with his aide
de-camp and few choice spirits on his
right hand and on his left-nOne ahead
of him, raging like lion, fights, as with
|, q fOrlorn hope, the leader and command
or of the Light Brigade. He bears a
charmed life, and his brawny arm
was endowed with power OF
slaughter that grows mightier every mo-
ment from the meat it feeds on. Far
Tier and farther he dashes on, cleaving
his way with his blood stained "eXcali-
bar" the arrOwy sleet of iron hail hurt
ling in the maddened air around him
J till he reaches the last of the guns.
: Here, when he sees the end Is not yet
} but that rank upon rank of cavalry and
. infantry, with heavy artillery in the
rear, stretches out to the city's utmost
bastiOn, he recognizes how useless it will
be to further tempt the fates and fight
one against thousand. CoOlly and
calmly, as if in Hyde Park, he takes in
/, the situation at glance, and gives the
word to the trumpeter to sound first the
assembly" then the retreat" A bulle,
brushes through the boys hand as hi
} raises his trumpet to his mouth, bat
| stoic-like as his leader in his pluck, hi
| makes no sign. Clear rings out the
! summons. A dozen only answer the call
Not one, save Lord Cardigan, but IL
D wounded more or less severely, and his
| clothing shows where lance or sabre Of
ball had plowed their way over his I'M
[ scathed flesh. Right about the ilittl,
D band turns, leaving the boy trumpetel
y dead on the ground behind them-hil
last breath given to his country.
8 The enemy-paralyzed by the shock O
: the charge, and fancying that the Who'll,
\ British army supports that handful O
. braves-pauses in his murderous work t.
9 cheer his retreating assailaBts, who b!
) twOs and threes, and often one by one
: the 1O8 survivors return slowly and sad
o ly to the place from which they came
8 having, from military standpoint
n achieyed nothing, yet covered with
: deathless, fadsless wreath Of glory-th
Q offspring of that wild charge they mad
liuto tho oman laws of death and hol]