The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-02-23

L
roism, love of ones country and 9th
er such things. They saw that
| strove after the virtues they sc
lauded, and still they called ms
"madman."
Ige to k,shihov; a knapsack and
cther military Announcements arr
put upon my shoulder. Igo with
/ many thousands, of whom there are
however, but few like me who &c
voluntarily,
The shrubs began slightly to shake
in the informing breeze; and the
drowsy birds fluttered: the stars
were extinguished; the dark blne
skies became gray. The third day Of
my misery dawned.
The sun had arisen. The large
disk, divided and streaked by the
branches, is red like blood. 1t will
be very hot to-day, l think. Neighbor,
what will become of thee? Thou art
horrible: Yes, he is wholly horrible.
His hair is falling out, his dark skin
turned pale and yellow; the face has
swelled to such q degree that it has
burst. A mountain of q body.
What will be the result of to- days
burning sun? To be so near to him
becomes unbearablel must by all
means drag myself away, Will I be
able to do 50? l tah yet lift my
hand, open the bottle and take a
drink Of water, but have strength
enough to move my heavy hodyP
All the morning passed in this NOV
ing about. The pain is intense, but
what is it to me? I haveforgotten how
the sound in body feel about it. 1t
seems grow accustomed to pain. AS
the result OF my mornings toll l find
myself on the old spot, but l cannot
enjoy the fresh air for any consider
able time. Indeed, how can the air
remain pure in the neighborhoud ola
body in a state, Of decomposition.
The Wind has changed again and
blows such a pernicious odor in my
face that l feel very sick: My empty
stomach contracts convulsively; my
interior is turning topsy turvy.
l am despairing and cry-cry like q
baby.
Exhausted and completely worn
out, l lie almost senseless. Suddenly
does my imagination deceive me?
I think not. Yes, 1 hear the hoofs Of
horses and the speech Of men. 1
want to cry aloud, but keep quiet,
What If they are Turks? What will
become of me then? My pains will be
augmented by fortunes, the descrip-
tion of which alone caused our hair
to stand on end and filled us with
terror. They will strip the skin off
my body, and roast my feet. Is it
better to die in their hands than ex-
pire here? But what ifthey are ours?
Alas, these bushes, why do you grow
fence-like around me? lean see moth
ing through them. At one space
there is d windoW-like opening, and
the view leads into the distance.
There is a brook from which we drank
before the battle: Yes, there is the
slab which serves as a bridge. They
will undoubtedly pass over it. The
sounds cease to be audible, I cannot
even distinguish the language they
speak; my sense of hearing is impair
ed. God, if they are ours, Twill cry,
they will hear me. Why do they lin
ger? Impatience fatigues me; l do
not mind the stencil of the body.
Suddenly some Cossacks appear
on the crossing. Blue uni
forms, red stripes and lances. In
front of the sotnia rides the COM
handing officer on a beautiful horse.
When the last man crossed the brook
the officer turned in his saddle and
gave the command:
''Full trot, march, I1a-rch!" :.
"Stop, for heavens sake, stop; help,
help, brothers!" | cried with what
strength there was left in me, but the
stamping OF the hoofs, the CHATTER of
sabers and the loud talk of men rose
above my rafting voice. They do
not hear me.
Great God! Exhausted l fall on
the ground, with my face downward.
From the overturned flask runs out
the water, my lite, my hope, the only
thing that can delay the visitation
of death. l become aware of itwhen
there is not more than half glass
left.
| am quite stunned after the terri
BILE event. l lie motionless, with my
eyes half closed. The wind changes
and brings now and then a breath of
pure air. My neighbor becomes terri
BILE beyond all description. Once
when l looked upon him become
terror stricken. There was no face
to be seen. This skeleton in a uni
form, with bright and shining but
tons, made me shudder. ''This is
war-here Is its personifcation,"
thought.
The sun scorches as before. My
hands and feet are burned. / drain
the remaining water. Though decid-
ed to drink a little at a time l could
not withstand the temptation. Why
did I not call at the Cossacks when
they were so near me? Even if they
were Turks it would be better. /
would have to suffer one or two
hours the most; this way l don't
know how long I'll have to drag such
q miserable existence. Dear, dear
mother.
But thou and Masha will never
know of what have endured. Fare
well, mother; farewell Masha, my be-
loved bride; farewell. Oh, how pain
full, how bitter.
Again the little white dog The
cur has suffered only one day and /
endure these three long weary days.
Tomorrow will be the fourth, then
the sixth. Death where art
thou? Come, come and embrace me.
But death does not come. / must,
in spite of myself live and suf-
fer. And l lie thus unprotected
from the scorching rays OF the sun,
without q drop of water to refresh my
infamed throat. And the body?
Myriads of worms creep upon it.
How they swarm! When it is con-
sumed by then, and there will remain
nothing but bones and uniform, then
they will feast upon the body.
The day passed, the night went by.