Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1888-07-07

tue WlHuoW anu saW Tic Doy HylnS 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 were earth thrown up by the bull
lets. But the boy continued to run at a
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. "Ah, only n
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 Cap.
tain.
The boy ran swiftly for awhile, then
limped and slackened his pace, and then
broke into run again, but he seemed
to become more and more fatigued, and
every little while stumbled and paused
for q mOmentl
''Perhaps he has been hit by a glanc-
ing bullet" thought the Captain, and he
shuddering,y watched all his movements
and encouraged him and spoke to him,
as if the boy could hear him; he meas
ured necessarily, with keen eyes, the
distance interpOsing between the run
ming boy and the glittering of arms
which he saw down there i'll the plain
in the mids. of the wheat fields, gilded
by the sun. And meanwhile he heard
the whistling and the noise of the bull
lets in the rooms below, the imperious
and angry cries of tho officers and SER
geants, the groans of the wounded, and
the crushing of the furniture and plas-
ter. Cup! courage :" he cried, follow
ing with his gaze the distant boy. "For-
ward run He has stopped, curse him
All !! he is running again"
An officer came, out of breath, to say
that the enemy, without ceasing their
fire, were waving white flag as sum-
mons to surrender.
''Don't answer" he cried, without
removing his eyes from the boy, who
was already in the plain, but who was
no longer running, and who appeared to
be dragging himself along with diff
Guilty.
'IBut get on run :" said the Captain,
grinding his teeth and clinching his
fists; "kill yourself, die, scOundrel, but
go on" Then a horrible oath burst
from him. "Ah the infamous coward,
he has sat down." In fact the boy,
whose head till now he had seen pro-
jecting above wheatfield, had disap-
peared, rs if he had fallen. But in a
moment his head came into view again;
| &ao1lxx l., l~ol,.,1 Ao1<,1.
and the Captain saw him no more.
He then flew down stairs; it WAS rain
ing bullets; the rooms were encumbered
with the wounded, some of them reeled
about like drunken men, catching at the
furniture; walls were spattered with
blood; corpses were lying across the
doors; the Lieutenant's arm had been
broken by ball; everything was in a
whirl of smoke and dust.
"Courage!" yelled the Captain.
"Stick to yourposts. Relief is coming.
Courage for little while longer" The
Austrians had drawn nearer yet, their
contorted faces loomed through the
smoke. Above the rattle of the firing
rose their savage cries, insulting, de-
manding surrender, threatening
slaughter. Occasionally soldier, ter.
ror stricken, retreated from the window
the sergeant drove him back. But the
defenders fire was slackening; their
faces showed discouragement;i it was i'm.
possible to prolong the resistance. Sud
denly the firing of the Austrians slack
ened and laundering voice shouted in
German, then in Italian:
"Surrender
"No!" howled the Captain from q
window. And the firing began again
steadier and fiercer on both sides. More
soldiers fell. Already more than one
window was without defenders. The
fatal moment was close at hand. The
Captain was muttering between his teeth
in broken voice: They're not coming
They re not coming!" and he ran fur.
iously about twisting his sabre in his
clinched hand, resolved to die, when q
sergeant, coming down from the garrett
cried in a loud voice: They're com
ing!"
"They're coming !" the captain repeat
ed, with shout of Joy. At the shout
all, unhurt, wounded, sergeants, and of
ficers, rushed to the windows, and onot
more the resistance grew fierce. A few
moments later, sort of uncertainty
and beginning of disorder were remark
ed in the enemy. Immediately, in grea
haste. the Captain formed small com
eany down stairs, with fixed bayonets
all ready to make sally. Then he flew
upstairs again. He had scarcely got NJ
there when they heard hurried tread
accompanied by a formidable hurrah, ,ant
from the windows they saw advancing
through the smoke the two corneret
hats OF the Italian carbineers, q squad
ron dashing along ut full speed, and TIN
flashing of sword blades brandished il
the mir, descending on the heads. should
ers and back of the enemy. Then tn,
little troop rushed out of the door will
lowered bayonets; the enemy wavered
became disordered and took to flight
the ground remained clear, the hOus,
was free, and short time after tn
height was occupied by two battallion
of infantry and two cannons.
The Captain, with his remaining
soldiers, rejoined his regiment, tough
again and was slightly wounded in tn
left hand by glancing ball in the las
bayonet charge. The day ended in vict
ory for us.
But the day after, the fight having be
grya again, the Italians were overwhelm
ed, in spite of brave resistance, by tn
superior number of the Austrians, AM
on the morning of the Goth they wer
compelled to r~reat sorrowfully towar'
Mincio.
The Cap. ,in, although wounded
marched on foot with his soldiers. VIII,
were tired and silent, and toward sun
set reached Goito on the Mincio, ant