The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-06-22
He then flew down stairs: Il Vas

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corpses were lying across the doors;
the lieutenant's arm had been broken
by ball; everything was in a whirl OF
smoke and dust.
"Ccurage!" yelled the captain.
"Stick to your posts! Relief is com.
ing! Courage for a little longer!"
The Austrians had drawn nearer
yet, their contorted faces doomed
through the smoke; above the rattle
OF the firing rose their savage cries, in.
sulting. demanding surrender, threat.
ening slaughter. Occasionally a sold
Ter, terror-stricIen, retreated from
the window, the sergeant drove him
back, but the defenders fire was slack.
ening; their faces showed discourage.
ment; it was impossible to prolone
the resistance. Suddenly the firing OF
the Austrians slackensd and q thun.
dering voice shouted, first in German,
then in Italian:
"SurrenGer!"
NO." howled the captain from
window.
And the firing began again steadier
and tiercer 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 a broken voice: "They're
not coming! They're not comingl"
and he ran furiously about, twisting
his sabre in his clenched hand, resolv-
ing to die, when a sergeant, coming
down from the garnet, cried in u loud
voice, "They're cOming!"
They're coming" the captain re-
peated with u shout OF joy. At this
all shout, unhurt. wounded, sergeants
and officers rush to the windows. and
once moro the resistance grew fierce.
A few moments after u sort OF uncpr.
tainty and beginning Of disorder were
remarked in the enemy. Immediately.
in great haste. tho captain formed a
company down stairs. with fixed
bayonets. ready to make a sally.
Then he flew up stairs again. He had
scarcely got up there when they heard
~ heavy tread, accompanied by a
formidable hurrsLl,, and from the win
dows they saw advancing through the
smoke the two.cornered hats Of the
Italian carbineers,a squadron dashing
along at full speed. and the
flashing Of sword blades bran
dished in the air, decendiDg
OH the heads, shoulders and backs OF
the enemy. Then the little troop
rushed out Of the door with lowered
bayonets; the enemy wavcred, be.
came disordcred and took flight; the
ground remained clear, the house was
free, and u short time after the height
was occupied by two cannons.
The captain, with his remaining
soldiers, rejoined his regiment, fought
again and was slightly wounded in the
left hand by glancine ball, in the
last bayonet charge. The day ended
in victory for us.
But the day after the fight having
whelmed, i'll spite Of ~ brave resis-
tnnce, by the superior numbers OF
the Austr'tins, and on the morning OF
tho 26th they were compelled to re-
treat sorrowfully towards the Mincio.
Tho captain, although wounded.
marched on foot with his soldiers,
who were tired Ind silent. and to.
wards sunset reached Goito on the
Mincio and Immediately sought out
his lieutenant, who had been picked
up, with u broken arm, by our
ambulance. and who had arrived
there first. He was directed to
a church, whore u field hospital
had hastily been installed. He went
there. The church was full of wound
ed, reclining on two rows of beds and
mattresses stretched on the floor;
two doctors and various assistants
were anxiously going and coming,
and stiiled cries and groans were
heard.
On entering, the captain stood and
looked about him, in search OF his
officer. Just then he heard a faint
voice close by calling him:
Captain"
He turned around; it was the drum
mer boy; he was stretched on q trestle
bed, covered up to tho chest by a
coarse window curtain with little red
and white squares, with his arms out;
he was pale and thin, but with his
two eyes still sparkling, like two black
gems.
care you here7" the captain asked
him, in an astonished but stern man.
ner. "Bravo! You did your duty"
II did what could" answered the
drummer boy.
"Have you been wounded?" said
the captain. looking around for his
officer in the beds near by.
"What would you have?" said the
boy, who took courage to speak from
the proud pleasure of being wounded
for the first time, and without which
he would not have dared to open his
II int i,o &c
~ had to run like u hunchback. they
saw me immediately. l should have
arrived twenty minutes sooner ii
they hadn't hit me. Fortunately
found u 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 Iage to think that every
minutes delay some one was going to
the other world up there at tho house.
Bah! did what could. am con.
tented. But, allow me, captain.
Look AT yourself. You are bleeding"
In fact, from the captains badly
ban,lagcd palm few drops of blood
were trickling down his fingers.
"Do you want me to tighten the
bandaee, Captain? Hold it out q
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 heatl again.
Enough. enough" said the captain
looking at him and drawing away his
bantiaged hand, which the boy wished
to keep, "take care ofycurself 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, look
ing at him attentively "you must
have lost good deal Of blood, to be
as weak as, that"
"I4ost much blool?" answered the
boy, with a smile. "More than blood.
Look"
And with a jerk he pulled off the
covering.
The captain stepped back. Mortified.
The boy had but one leg; his left ley
had been amputated above tho knee
and the stump was bandagetl with
rags which were covered with blood.
Just then q fat little army surgeon
passed III his shirt sleeves.
'Ah, Captain" he said, quickly, mod.
ding ut the drummer boy. .tthat IL an