The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-11-21

rose their savage cries, insulting, de-
handing surrender, threatening slaugh-
ter. Occasionally a soldier, terror
stricken, retreated from the window;
the sergeant drove him back. But the
defenders firing was slackening; their
faces showed discouragement; it was
impossible to prolong resistance. Sud
denly the firing of the Austrians slack
ened, and laundering voice shouted
in German, then in Italian:
Surrender"
Ono !" howled the captain from the
window. And the firing began again
steadier and fiercer on DO 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 furiously about, twisting his sabre
in his clenched hand, resolving to die,
when sergeant, coming down from
the garnet, cried in a loud voice:
"They're comingp' "They're COM
ing!" the captain repeated with shout
of Joy. AT this shout all, unhurt,
wounded, sergeants and officers, rushed
sistance grew fierce. A few moments
after sort of uncertainty and begin
ming of disorder were remarked in the
enemy. Immediately, in great haste,
the captain formed a small company
down stairs, with fixed bayonets, all
ready to make 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 ad
advancing through the smoke the two
cornered hats of the Italian carbineers,
squadron dashing along at full speed,
and the flashing of sword blades bran
dished in the air, descending on the
heads, shoulders and backs of the ell
envy. Then the little troop rushed out
of the door with lowered bayonets; the
enemy wavered, became disordered,
and took to flight; the ground remained
clear, the house was free, and short
time afterward the house was occupied
by two battalions of infantry and two
cannon.
The captain, with his remaining SOL
diers, rejoined his regiment, fought
again, and was slightly wounded in the
left hand by a glancing ball in the last
bayonet charge. The day ended vic
tory for us.
But the day after, the fight having be-
gun again, the Italians were over
whelmed, in spite of brave resistance,
by the superior numbers of the Aus
TRANS, and on the morning of the Goth
they were compelled to retreat sorrow
fully toward the Mincio.
.l.., Id
marched on foot with his soldiers, who
were tired and silent, and toward sun
set reached Goito, on the Mincio, and
Immediately sought out his lieutenant.
who had been picked up with broken
arm, by our ambulance, and who had
arrived here first. He was directed to
church, where field hospital had
hastily been installed. He went there.
The church was full of the wounded,
reclining on two rows of beds and mat
tresses stretched on the floor. Two
doctors and various assistants were anx-
iously going and coming, and stfed
groans and cries were heard.
On entering, the captain stopped and
looked about him in search of his Off
GER. just then he heard faint voice
close by calling to him:
Captainm
He turned around. 1t was the drum
mer boy. He was stretched on tres
tie bed, covered up to the chest by a
coarse window curtain with little red
and white squares, with his arms out.
He was pale and thin, but his eyes still
sparkled like two black gems.
- Are YOU here?n the captain asked
] u In oCIa ,ioh hut OF
"Bravo! You did your duty"
did what l could" answered the
drummer boy.
Have you been wounded?' said
the captain, looking around for his Of
ficer 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
mouth in the presence of his captain
81 had to run like hunchback they
saw me Immediately. | should have
arrived twenty minutes sooner if they
hadn't hit me. Fortunately | found a
staff officer directly to whom to give
the note. But it was hard coming
down after that lick. l was dying OF
thirst, kept thinking that l shouldn't
get there, and was crying with rage &c
think that with every minutes delay
some one was going to the other world
up there at the house. Bah. / die
what / could. l am contented. Blu
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, captain? Hold it out mo
ment."
|, The captain held ont his left hand
and put out his right to help the boy t.
, undo and retie the knot; but no sooner
/, had the boy raised himself from the
pillow than he grew pale, and was com
PEELED to rest his head again.
Enough, enough" said the cap
, tain, looking 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