Wichita eagle., 1888-01-11

They're cOlnlng!" the captain repeated
with shout of joy. At this shout all, un-
hurt, wounded, sergoants and officers, rushed
/ to the windows, and once more the resistance
grew fierce. A few moments after, q sort of
uncertainty and beginning of disorder were
remarked in the enemy. Immediately, in
| great haste, the captain formed small COM
| pany down stairs, with fixed bayonets, ready
! to make q sally. Then he flew up stairs again.
| He had scarcely got up there when they
heard hurried tread, accompanied by
| formidable hurrah, and from the windows
they saw advancing through the smoke the
! two cornered hats of the Italian carabineers,
squadron dashing along at full speed, and
| the flashing of sword blades brandished in the
| air, descending on the heads, shoulders and
! backs of the enemy. Then the little troop
rushed out Of the door with lowered bayo-
nets; the enemy wavered, became disordered
and took to flight: the ground remained clear,
the house was free, and q short time after the
| height was occupied by two battalions of in
/ fantry and two cannon.
/ The captain. with his remaining soldiers,
rejoined his regiment, fought again, and was
slightly wounded in the left hand by glanc-
! ing ball, in the last bayonet charge. The day
ended in victory for US.
/ But the day after, the fight having begun
again, the Italians were overwhelmed, in
spite of brave resistance, by the superior
numbers of the Austrians, and On the morn
ing Of the Goth they were compelled to retreat
sorrowfully toward the Mincio.
The captain, although wounded, marched
on foot with his soldiers, who were tired and
silent, and toward sunset reached Goito on
the Mincio, and Immediately sought out his
lieutenant, who had been picked up, with a
broken arm, by our ambulance, and who had
! arrived there first. He was directed to a
church, where field hospital had hastily
been installed. He went there. The church
was full of wounded, reclining on two rows
Of beds and mattresses stretched on the floor;
two doctors and various assistants were
anxiously going and coming, and stifled
cries and groans were heard.
On entering the captain stopped and looked
/ about him. III search of his officer Just then
he heard a faint voice close by, calling to
him:
"CaptainI'
Ee turned around: it was the drummer
boy; he was stretched on trestle bed, COW
cred up to the chest by coarse window cur
tain with little red and white squares, with
his arms out; he was pale and thin, but with
his eyes still sparkling, like two black gems.
"Are you here's" the captain asked him, in
an astonished, but stern manner "Bravol
You did your duty"
II did what could" answered the drum
mer boy.
Have you been wounded?" said the cap
tain, looking around for his officer in the beds
near by.
"What would you haves" said the boy, who
took courage to speak from the proud pleas
ure Of being wounded for the first time, and
without which he would not have dared to
open his mouth in the presence Of his captain
Il had to run like a hunchback they saw me
Immediately. / should have arrived twenty
minutes sooner if they hadn't hit me- For
tunately found staff captain directly to
whom to give the note. But it was hard
coming down after that lick! / was dying
of thirst, kept thinking that l shouldn't get
there, and was crying with rage to think that
with every minutes delay some one was
going to the other world, up there at the
house. Bah! did what could. l am con-
tented. But, allow me, captain. Look at
yourself, you are bleeding
In fact. from the captains badly bandaged
palm a few drops of blood were trickling
down his fingers.
"Do you want me TO tighten the bandage,
captainf Hold it out a moment"
The captain held out his left hand, and put
out his right to help the boy to undo and
retie the knot; but no sooner had the boy
raised himself from the pillow than he grew
pale, and was compelled to rest his head
again.
Enough, enough" said the captain, look
ing at him and drawing away his bandaged
hand, which the boy wished to keep; "take
care OF yourself instead of thinking of others,
because even slight things can become serious
when they are neglected"
The drummer boy shook his head.
But you," said the captain, looking at
him attentively, "you must have lost good
deal of blood to be as weak as that"
Lost much blood?" answered the boy, with
smile. "More than blood. Look!'
And with jerk he pulled eff the covering.
The captain stepped back Mortified.
The boy had but one leg; his left leg had
been amputated above the knee and the stump
was bendaged with rags which were covered
with blood.
just then a fat little army surgeon passed
in his shirt sleeves.
"Ah, captain" he said quickly, .nodding
at the drummer boy, "that is an unfortunate
case; leg which could have been saved
easily if he had not forced it in that mad
way; a cursed Inflammation; it had to be
cut off at once. Oh, but . brave
boy, l assure you; be didn't shed a tear nor
utter a cry! On my word OF honor, l was
proud that he was an Italian boy, while l
was operating. He comes of good stock. by
Jove!"
And he hurried away.
The captain frowned, and looked intently
at the drummer boy, while drawing the COW
erinG over him again; then, slowly, almost
without knowing it, and still looking at him,
lie raised his hand to his head and lifted his
cap.
Captain" exclaimed the boy in sur
prise, what are you doing, captain, TO
met"
And then that rough soldier, who had
never said gentle word to ali inferior, re-
piled in an inexpressibly soft and affectionate
voice:
81 am but captain; you are hero"
Then he threw himself with open arms on
the little drummer boy and kissed him three.
times on the heart.-Edmondo de Amicis in
The Cosmopolitan.
The Profits on Watches.
A leading ieweler, in accounting for the
decline of profits in that business SAID: take
watches for instance. The public is too well
informed snd too prudent TO make it possible
for retailers TO charge the fancy DrOfitS they