The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-04-28
THE CAPTAINS G

this world this poor Boscal, cut in
two by q cannon-ball this very after
noon"
Il hope you will not" replied
lieutenant of hussars.
why do you hope that? asked
the captain.
Because he would brighten the
life out of you if one of these nights
he came to visit you," replied the
lieutenant.
"Hussar, | do not permit you to
insinuate that anything supernatur-
al or natural may frighten me, Capt.
Charles Dumon, of the -th ORA
goons," exclaimed angrily the brave
soldier.
"Pshawl sweetly dragon, sweet
lyl l have seen men just as coura-
geous as you are, and believe your
self to be, goinginto frances through
fright" replied the lieutenant, with
great calmness.
"You did not see that, and | defy
yout to prove it," cried the captain,
nos furious.
Il did see that ; and | am ready
to bet you a good dinner, at 90
franks per capita, that within two
months |, or somebody else, will
cause you such a fright as will be
remembered by you till your last
hour. Do you accept the wager?'
Most certainly / do, on the con-
dition that all of US here now, or
what will be left of us after the TAX
ing of Sebastapool, shall feast at the
expense of the loser, cost what it
may"
All right, dragon"
"All right" hussar."
As the taps sounded we sepa-
rated, bidding goodbye to each
other.
The battle of Tukerman was
fought on the 9th day of November,
1854, eleven days after the battle of
Balaklava. The night following was
exceedingly cold. 1t was about II
o'clock P. NJ, and everyone was
asleep in our camp but the sentries
and grand guard. Alone in his
tent, Capt. Dumond snored, buried
to the nose in a laver of fresh straw,
discovered God knows where, by bis
faithful but not oyer-scrupulous or
derly. Near by him was his big sa-
bre, and under his pillow, made of
hi horses saddle, pair of pistols
showed their brass work, shining
like god. Suddenly a human form,
wrapped in a white mantel, and
wearing on the head the regulation
helmet of the Dragons, under
which appeared a face deadly pale,
entered the tent. The apparition
seemed to slide rather than walk.
1t approached the captain and call
ed him by his name.
The captain awoke, sat up, rubbed
his eyes with his fist, and said /:
" Who is there? What do you
want?"
HAS the grave changed me so
much that Charles Dumon, my boz
som friend cannot recognize in me
Prosper Boscal, killed eleven days
ago at Balaklava ?"
Is that you ?" ironically replied
the captain. well, | thought the
Russians to be better killers. With
US French those that we demolish
never come back to visit their for
mer acquaintance. Meanwhile.
Prosper Boscal, my departed friend,
you will greatly favor me by retiring
to whence you came from. You
must excuse me, my dear, you be-
ing dead, have time to sleep, and l.,
being alive, have not. Then, good
bye my respects to all in sheol,
please, and please take care not to
get cold, by playing truant, during
such a Siberian night.
"Dumon," exclaimed sadly the
ghost, "you know how much | did
love you while on this earth. In
order to see you once more, to bid
you an eternal adieu, to give you a
last shake of the hand, | have left
the spirit world. Instead of the
friendly reception that | had a right
to expect from you. | get only sar-
casm and derision. Take care; Du-
monl One never goes UNPUBLISHED
that insults the dead
Go to Hades! Let me sleep. If
in two minutes you have not a
ished I will finish that Russian job,
and | will DO it properly, you can
bet. Get out, and mighty quick, too,
or else | will accelerate your depart
ure with the point of my sabre"
Il will remain with you ten min
utes more. Your means are foolish,
your sabre is a play-toy, and you
are pewerless, Dumon."
Il am foolish and powerless. and
my sabre is a play-toyl Do you
want to get acquainted with it?
Leave this tent Immediately, you
night prowler. Will you SO?
No, not before ten minutes"
Then, take that" and the cap
tain, drawing his sabre, made a
thrust at the ghost, who, stretching
forth his hand, seized the blade,
which remained in it, separated
from the hilt, held by the captain.
You see. Dumon, there is your
blade" and the apparition threw it
on the mantle spread over the
straw.
81 see nothing. Horns of the
devil yelled the captain. and
grabbing his pistols, he fred both
shots at the ghost.
As | have returned the blade of
your sabre to you, now | return the
bullets from your pistol" said the
ghost, throwing two pistol bullets
on the mantle.
Preparation could be distinctly
seen on the captains brow, and as
he painted for breath he muttered {:
"This is strange, very strange; per-
haps it is the truth, the dead may
leave their graves. How pale he
isl"
"The ten minutes have elapsed,
Dumon. | must leave you forever.
| forgive you, and there is my hand,
A last shake, and | am gone"
Captain Dumon took the hand Of