Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-01-13
A BABY IN THE BATTLE.
AN INCIDENT IN THE CAREER o.
HEROIC LORD CHARLES HAY.

heiloi WhatB Young SAhcaAnoer
up to nowS'
Mad. I fancy. or else be wants to get
killed"
"And 20 he will. whether he wants it
a. not. IL he goes running in among the
bullets ike THAR
In truth Young Schumacher tocher-
wise Lord Charles Hay Of the First Life
Guardsl did seem to be running q fearful
risk without any reason whatever. One
Of the hardest battles ever fought be-
tween the French and English in Bel
GUM was at its hottest. The French
army was much the stronger Of the two,
and although the English held their
ground as stubbornly as bulldogs 1t
seemed very doubtful which way the
fight would go. Just then, in the thick
Of the uproar and confusion, the rolling
smoke and the flying shot, young Hay
Whose bravery under fire had long since
earned him the nickname Of 'Salaman-
der from his adoring soldiersl was seen
TO step forth from the English line and
advance straight toward the ene.ny.
4 DESPERATE VENTURE.
more desperate venture could hardly
be imagined, for 10 thickIy were the bull
let's flying between the two opposing
lines that the little Jets Of dust which
they knocked up from the dry earth
formed cloud almost as dense as the
smoke itself Nothing mortal surely
could live in such a storm Of shot; and
what could he possibly be going to do
there;
Come back. my lord; come back, for
heavens sake" shouted dozen deep
voices at once.
.'Ths young fools mad-stark madr'
roared the English colonel, recovering
from his stupor Of amazement. Come
back this minute. you young idiot! Do
you want to be killed.
But Lord Charles still went forward
without moments pause, as II he had
not heard them. Then the English
ceased firing in sheer astonishment; but
lust at that moment the flash and crackle
of fresh voiley burst forth like storm
along the giittering line Of French bayo-
nets, and all was hidden in smoke. When
the smoke cleared again every one expect
ed to see the brave lad lying dead. But
Hay was still on his feet. His cap
had been struck off, and some said that
they could see blood on his face, but he
was still marching onward as steadily as
ever.
And now the French grenadiers, begin
ming to descry him through the rolling
smoke, stopped firing In their turn, sup
posing that this single man who was
coming toward them SO boldly from the
English line must be the bearer Of some
message from the British general, and
the attention Of the two contending hosts
was bent upon the solitary figure be-
tween them Just then sudden gust of
wind whiried aside for moment the
cloud Of smoke and dust, and every one
saw for the first time what Lord Charles
Hay was about
A little to the left Of the English line
of battle stood a cluster of miserable
novels, and the Flemish peasants who in
habited them, instead of running away
when the battle began. as one might
have expected. had stayed where they
We're, seeing that the fight seemed to be
rolling away from them, and not liking
the idea of abandoning their huts. which,
poor and wretched as they were, were
the only home that they had. But they
soon found that they were mistaken, for
a sudden change in the position of the
two armies brought these unluckv cot
tagcs right into ths, line of fire, and the
terrified peasants, finding the cannon
balls falling thi,kly on every side Of
them. took to their heels at once, drag
ging with them their children and what
few goods they could manage to carry
In the hurry of this panic flight a tiny
girl, hardly old enough to walk alone,
bad fallen or been left behind, and was
now lying on the ground midway be-
tween the French and English lines, cry
ing bitterly while her mother could be
seen in the distance shrieking wildly and
tossing her arms in the air and strug-
Cling to break loose from her hus band,
who was holding her firmly, for, count
ing his child already lost, he had no wish
to lose his wife as well
APPLAtDED BY THE ENEMY.
Coolly As if on parade the brave young
guar,Isnan strobe onward TO the spot
where the helpless child lay his fair hair
and bright Young face showing through
the billowy smoke like those of an angel
in some old Italian painting He raised
it tenderiy in his arms. and some who
saw it said afterward that the poor little
trembler ceased crying at once, as if
soothed and comforted by his gentle
voice and kindly smile. Then, keeping
his own body as much as possible be-
tween the child and the leveled muskets
of the French. he went straight on. as
calmly as ever. toward the dark mass OF
his enemies.
Don't fire, comrades-don't fire.
shouted tall stern looking French
soldier, whose grira face was black with
dust and gunpowder If he were
twenty times an EngIishman, he's as
good as a saint from heaven. for all that"
Atthat moment a mighty shout, which
was heard high above the roar of cannon
and musketry from the other side Of the
battlefield. burst from the English ranks
as they saw their young hero bearing
the child unharmed across that deadly
space. and scarcely had the cheer died
away when it was echoed by an answer
in cheer from the French, which rolled
along the vast plain like a peel of dis
tant thunder. Meanwhile the young
officer. passing close to the cruel points
of the French bayonets as coolly as if
they had been only bulrushes, with the
tiny face nesting trustingly against his
shoulder. went straight up to the dis
tracted mother and placed the child in
her arms
Then he kissed the tiny thin little
cheek tenderly. and was just turning
away to go back to his own men when .
stately old officer with long gray mus
tache. whose broad breast was covered
with crosses aud decorations. stepped
forth from the French line and held out
his fAnd
Monsieur. said he, bowling cour-
teously. permit me to have the honor of
shaking hands with the bravest man l
have ever met"
An hour later Lord Charles Hav was
lying face downward upon the earth,
sorely wounded b, chance bullet which
had hit him just as the enemy were Civ
ing way and beginning to retreat But
though his wound was a severe and pain
full one. and though he lived to become
one of the richest and most popular men
in all England. he always spoke of that
day as the happiest Of his whole life
Montreal Star
Engiand's water supply.
Taking England all over. it may be e.