News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-06-28
THE DRUMMER BOY.

On the first day of the battle of Cas-
tozZa, July "a, 1S4S, about sixty soldiers
belonging to one of the Italian infantry
regiments, having been sent to occupy an
isolated house on height, were unex-
pectedly attacked by two companies of
Austrians, who, firing on them from diff
ferent points, barely gave them time to
take refuge in the house and hastily
barricade the doors, leaving several dead
and wounded in the fields. After bar
ricading the doors the Italian soldiers
hastily ran to the windows on the first
floor and began to pour steady fire into
the assailants, who were gradually ad-
vancing in a semicircle and reply ing
vigorously.
The sixty Italians were commanded
by two subalterns and a Captain, tall
old fellow, lean and severe, with white
hair and mustache. With them there
was Sandman drummer boy, q boy not
much more than IA years old, who
scarcely appeared to be II; he was
small, with an olive brown face and two
sparkling little deep black eyes. The
Captain was directing the defence from
window ON the first floor; while the
semicircle of the enemy kept closing up.
All at once the Captain, who until
then had been impossible, was seen to
show signs of uneasiness, and to stride
out of the room, followed by a sergeant.
About three minutes afterward the ser
geant came running back and called the
drummer boy, beckoning him to follow.
The boy ran after him up a wooden
staircase, and went with him into an
empty garret, where he saw the Captain,
who was writing with pencil on sheet
of paper, leaning against the window,
with well rope on the floor at his feet
The Captain folded the paper, and
looking with his cold, grayish eyes, be-
fore which all the soldiers trembled, into
the eyes of the boy, said abruptly:
Drummer boyl" The drummer boy
saluted. The Captain said: you've
got grit" The boys eyes lighted up.
''Yes, Captain" he answered.
''LOok down there" said the Captain,
pushing him to the window; ''in the
plain, near the houses of Villafranca,
where there is glittering 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 to the first
officer you see. Chuck away your belt
and knapsack."
The boy took off his belt and KNAPP
sack and put the note into his breast
pocket; the sergeant threw ont 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 ON your legs"
"Trust me. Captain" replied the
drummer boy, swinging himself out.
''StOop as you go down." said the
Captain again, helping the sergeant to
hold the rope.
''Never fear"
"God help you"
In n few moments the boy was on the
ground; the sergeant drew up the rope
and disappeared; the Captain sprang to
the window and saw the boy flying down
the hill.
He was already hoping that he had
succeeded in escaping unobserved, when
five or six little clouds of dust rose from
the ground both before and behind the
boy warned him that he had been seen
by the Austrians, who were firing at him
from the top of the hill. Those little
clouds we're earth thrown up by the bull
lets. But the boy continued to run at n
breakneck pace. All at once he fell.
''Killed,' cried the Captain, biting his
fist. But he had scarcely said the word
when he saw the boy up. "Ab, only o
q falll' he said to himself, and breathed
again. In fact, the boy began to run
again as fast as he could, but he Iimped.
"a sprained ankle. thought the Cap
tain.
The boy ran swiftly for awhile, then
limped aud slackened his pace, and then
broke into a run again, but he seemed
to become more and more fatigued, and
every little while stumbled and paused
for n mOmentl
''Perhaps ho has been hit by glanc-
ing bullet, thought the Captain, and he
shudderingiy watched all his movements
and encouraged him a..d spoke to him,