Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1888-05-11
THE DRUMMER BOY.

On the first day of the battle of Custozza,
July "a. 1913, about sixty soldiers belonging
TO one of the Italian infantry regiments, hay
ing been sent to occupy all isolated house on
"a height, were unexpectedly attacked by two
companies of Austrians, who, firing on them
from different points, barely gave them time
to take refuge i'll the house and hastily barri-
cade the doors, leaving several dead and
wounded i'll the fields. After barricadng the
doors the Italian soldiers hastily ran to the
windows on the first floor, ard began to pour
a steady fire into the assalants, who were
gradually advancing in semicircle and re-
plying vigorously.
The sixty Italians were commanded by two
subalterns and a captain a tall old fellow,
lean and severe, with white hair and mus
taches; with them there Sandman
drummer BOY, boy not much more than IA
years old, and who scarcely appeared to be
II; he was small, with all olive brown face,
and two sparkling little deep black eyes. The
captain was directing the defense from a
window on the first floor, while the sencrcle
of the enemy kept closing up.
All at once, the captain, who until then hal
been impossible, seen TO show signs of
uneasiEess and to stride out of the room fol
lowed 10y sergeant. About three minutes
afterward the sergeant came running back
and called the drummer boy, beckonipg him
to follow. The boy ran after him up
wcodeM staircase and went with him INTO an
empty garnet, where he saw the captain, who
was writing with pencil on II sheet of paper,
leaning against the window, with Il well rope
ON the floor at his feet.
The captain folded the paper and, looking
with his cold grayish EYES, before which all
the soldiers trembled, into the eyes of the
boy, said abruptly:
Drummer boy." The drummer boy sa-
iuted. The captain said: "You've got grit"
The boys eyes lighted up. yes, captain" he
answered.
"Looll down there" said the captain, push
ing him to the window, sin the plain, near
the houses of Villafranca, where there is
glttering of bayonets. Those are our friends,
standing idle. Take this note, catch hold of
the rope, slide down from the window, run
down the hill, go through the fields, reach
our friends and give the note 10 the first Off
Ger you see. Chuck away your belt an.
knapsack."
The boy tool, Off his belt and knapsack and
put the note into his breast pocket; the ser
geant threw out the rope and grasped one end
of it with both hands, the captain helped the
boy pass backward through the little window.
Take care" he said to him; "the safety of the
detachment depends on your courage and OH
your legs"
Trust me, captain" replied the drummer
boy, swinging himself out.
"Stoop you go down." said the captain
again, helping the sergeant to hold the rope
"Never fear"
God help you"
In a few moments the boy was on the
ground; the sergeant drew up the rope and
disappeared: the captain sprang to the win
dow and saw the boy flying down the hill,
He was already hoping that he had sue
ceeded i'll escaping unobserved when five OIL
six little clouds of dust which rose from the
ground both before and behind the boy
warned him that he had been seen by the Aus
tTians, who were firing at him from the tor
of the hill Those little clouds were earth
thrown up by the bullets But the boy con
tinued to run at breakneck pace. All at
once he fell.
"Kiiled!' roared the captain, biting his fist.
But he had scarcely said tie word when he
saw the boy get up. "Ah, only a fall" he
said to himself, and breathed again. In fact
The boy began to run again as fast as he
could, but he limped. "a sprained ankle, "
thought the captain
The boy ran swiftly for awhile, then limped
and slackened his pace. and then broke into a
run again. but he seemed to become more and
more fatigued, and every little while Stun.
bled and paused for moment.
perhaps he has been hit by CHANGING
bullet" thought the captain, and he shudder-
ingy watched all his movements and EN-
couraged him and spoke to him, as if the boy
could hear him; he measured necessarily,
with keen eyes, the distance interposing be-
tween the running boy and the glittering of
hoe Il,
in the midst of the wheat fields, gilded by the
sun. And meanwhile he heard the whistling
and the noise OF the bullets in the rooms
below, the mperious and angry cries
of the officers aud sergeants, the groans OF
the wounded, and the crashing of the furni-
ture and plaster Cup! courage!' he cried,
following with his gaze the distant boy
Forward run! He has stopped, curse him!
Ali he is running again.
An officer came, out of breath, to say that
the enemy, without ceasiDg their fire, were
waving white rag a summons to surren-
der
Don't answerln he cried, without remoy.
ing his eyes from the boy, who was already
i'll the plain, but who was 10 longer running,
and who appeared to be dragging himself
along with difficulty.
"But get on! rum" said the captain, grind
ing MS teeth ana clencnllS his lists; XIII
yourself, die, scoundrel, but go onl" Then a
horrible oath burst from him. "Ah! the in
famous coward he has sat down." In fact,
the boy, whose head, till now, he had seen
projecting above a wheat field, had disap-
peared, as il he had fallen. But in moment
his head came into view again; finally he
was lost behind the hedges, and the captain
saw him no more.
He then flew downstairs; it was raining
bullets; the rooms were encountered with tho
wounded, some of them reeled about like
drunken men, catching at the furniture;
walls and floor were spattered with blood
corpses were lying across the doors; the
lieutenants arm had been broken by ball
everything was in a whirl of smoke and dust
"Counge!" yelled the captain. "Stick to
your posts Relief is coming! Courage for
q little while longer" The Austrians had
drawn nearer yet, their contorted faces
u. A.. a