Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-06-29
The ORUEHER B0Y HERO.

The Cosmopolitan
On the first day OF the battle OF
CusLOzza- the twenty-fourth of July,
1S49, about sixty soldiers belonging
to one of the Italian infantry regi-
ments, having been sent to occupy an
isolated house on a height, we're IN
expectedly attacked by two compan-
les Of Austrians, who, firing on them
from different points, barely gave
them time to take refuge in the house
and hastily barricadethe doors, Ieav-
ing several dead and wounded in the
fields. After barricading the doors
the Italian soldiers hastily ran to the
windows on the first floor and began
to pour a steady fire into the assail-
ants, who were gradually advancing
in a semi circle, and replying vigor-
Ously.
The sixty Italians were command
ed by two subalterns and a captain,
a tall OLD fellow, lean and severe, with
white hair and moustaches; with
them was a Sandman drummer boy,
a boy not much more than fourteen
years old, and who scarcely appeared
to be twelve; he was small, with an
olive brown face and two sparkling
little deep black eyes. The captain.
was directing the defence from a win
dow on the first floor, shouting his
orders like pistol shots and with no
sion Of av,,oAiov- -, L,5- Lr-5 FOO MI
drummer boy, who was little pale
but firm on his legs, got up on a table
and was stretching out his neck to
see out OF the windows and leaning
against the wall; through the smoke
he saw the white uniforms of the Aus
TRANS, who were slowly advancing
through the fields. The house was
situated on a summit of a steep slope
and on the side towards the slope had
but one small window, high up, which
looked out from the garrett; therefore
the Austrians did not threaten the
house from that side and the slope
was clear; their fire was directed only
towards the front and the two sides.
1t was an internal fire, a hail oflead-
en- bullets, which on the outside crack
ed the walls and crumbled the tiles.
and. on the inside smashed ceilings,
furniture, window frames, and door
posts, filling the air with splinters, /
clouds of plaster and bits OF pottery /
and glass; Kissing. rebOunding. crash |
ing into. everything with a noise fit to |
drive one, mad From time to time /
one OF the soldiers who were firing /
from the windows fell back on the /!
dOOr, and was dragged to one side. !
Some tOttered from room TO room, !
pressing their hands on their wounds. /
In the kitchen there was already one |
lead man, with a ball through his
forehead. The semi circle Ofthe 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 SER
geant- About three minutes after
wards The sergeant came rushing back /
and called the-drummer boy, beckOn-
no him tO'follOw- The boy ran after
lim up a wooden, staircase, and went
With him into an empty garnet, where
le saw the captain. who was writing
With pencil on a sheet OF paper, lean
~ against the window, with a well.
'Ope on the floor at his feet
The captain folded the paper and
cooking with his cold. gFayish eyes,
before which all the soldiers trembled,
ntO the eyes OF the boy said abrupt
Y:
Drummer. boy!'' The drummer
BOY saIuUed. The captain said,
You've got grit The boys eyes
ighUed up.
eyes, captain ~ he answered.
Look down there" said the cap
ain, rushing him to the window, in
he plains near the houses Of Villa.
ranca, where there is a glittering OF
)ayOnets. Those are our friends,
tanding idle. Take this note catch
lOld of the rope, slide down from the
window, run down the hill. go through
he field and give the note to the first
officer you see. Chuck away YOUR
)elt and knapsaek."
The boy took of his belt and KNAPP
ack and put the note IN his breast
pocket; the sergeant threw out the
Ope and grasped one end of it with
10Th hands; the captain helped the
10Y pass backwards through the lit
lie window TAKE care. he said to
i'm, 1.-THE safety Of the detachment
depends upon your courage and on
,OuT legs"
Trust me. captain" replied the
RUNNER boy, swinging himself out.
''Stoop as you 60 down." said the
aptain again. helping the sergeant to
iOld the rope.
''Never fear"
''GOd help your
In q few minutes the boy was on the 1
round; the sergeant drew up the rope
md disappeared; the captain sprang
o the window and saw the boy flying 1
.Own the hill.
He was already hoping that be had j
ucceeded in escaping unObserved,
When FIVE or six little clouds Of dust
which rose from the ground both be
ore and behind the boy warned him