Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-03-07
IT GEAvEL0TTE.

lies ~, pa' regiment was first ordered 70
DO hls ~ fnot of a hill covered with
oaapy AZ far off was q thunder q can
| ynes, -" sonadrons of cavalry ap.
| ponadlng ,nakinp the ground trem-
groacheo, or the hoofs of their
Bio u'u's standards glimmered in
bGse' the vine poles shonc
the sun ;obt Through the blue ar
2 W W. the mountain shelts Wnls.ieu,
sbSss Al As they approached from the
oo lnse ike tiny white clouds. Gradu-
dlda' .bo air filled with powder smoke.
Oily W., little like a storm, seemed to DC
Iho an toward tbelS but this did not
last long on,,oared foI,owcd nv
~" 20 Of artillery; the whole valley
s sTi with troops, and resonndea WIN
llle s,s If command; the aid De camps
snou'pb H. on horseback in all directions.
new n :, soldiers began to whisper to
Inc a,. "Our orders will soon come. "
amour nuttered in anguish of suspense
NJ, Men ! over ever going to begin" And it be-
ID y awfnl earnest Everybody feels
gushing enigmate, something I'M
sonsan drawing nearer and nearer.
alyWn if is death, for each and
le m If them. In the fog OF
an mole that hides the nil sud
snOAU thunder burst is heard--it is
aep prnssian artillery redescending the
u, lDabt Then cracking like a mighty
hs5 s,orm those are the mitrailleuses
n ,. ro o, Again the earth trembies; the
y ~. ~ conyulsed. Something screams
A. their heads. Bartek looks up. A
a aO'"lendent rose surrounded by a thin
laid laid of smoke, approache shrleking,
ssshjng roaring. The soldiers cry "A
nhaIi . shelf 1t PUSHES on like
s ."rm arrives, falls and bursts A
sv;ahtfnl defamation. The earth seems
i ihs"t 70 burst asunder. Confusion in
a A. ranks moment but ut the order:
,rlose M every man obeys and takes
Ii. nlace, Bartek stands in the front
-, ,snE sbouldering his rife, with his head
vel, no. and his chin a little forward,
AZ under drill; but his teeth chatter
Imnossble to move; he must stay
,bare he cannot have even the consola-
tion Of firing. Stay and wait, Another
iomb comes whistling-then third-a
hurth-a tenth hlh one great gust
tbp wind sweeps away the curtain of
smoke that hides the hill. The French
have driven away the Prussian battery
which held it: French battery now oc-
eupies the summit and sweeps the val
ley below with its mitrailleuses. Out of
tbe vines at regular intervals rises a
hing immense streak of white smoke;
and Immediately after vast crash of
dqtODations. 1t is the French infantry
who. protected by the artillery, are
Mening fire Now the red trousers and
red caps can be plainly seen tri-coiored
fags are diStnguishable on differ
ent parts Of the hill Rifle
shots thicken irregular, rapid, fe-
wrsh firing succeeds. Cannonade
answers fusiade the shells pass through
the air in huge curves. Cries are heard
in the vines; from time to time the Ger
man hurrah resounds. Then the noise
Of the fusilade becomes so frightful that
one wants to stop his ears. Neyerthe-
less Bartek's regiment does not move a
foot. 1t is surrounded by the French.
Balls buzz by like cock chafers or whistle
like thrusheS Their number steadily
Increases; they whistle close by heads,
eyes, noses. shoulders. There are thou
sands millions yeritable hail. Be
hind Bartek Or close by him every mo
ment some one means: 80, Lord Jesus"
then is heard the brief command:
'Schliess' CLOSE upD Then again:
"ltsousS. And then again 'Schliess.' y
Finally nothing is heard behind, before
in front, but groans, dying gasps; the
brief command is heard continu-
Ousy; the dead heap up higher with
every new crash of rifle volleys, and the
smoke hides the hill. 1t is the Day of
the Last judgment.
Are you afraid" asks Woitek of
Bartek.
Yes; how can one be not afraid" he
answers.
They are still on their feet, and the
Mea has not yet fully impressed them
llat one of those little leaden balls
might throw them to the ground. Bar
lex Hes. lie is not half SO much afraid
@he wants to appear. He is only
lalnSlng of the awful punishment he
would receive for trying to run away
nose men fear discipline more than
leatl ltSelf-Bartek does not see the
real horror of the battle. Still he be-
gins to think that he might possibly get
Killed He ventures to transmit this
thought to Noitek.
Inc world won't perish because there
sohe fool less on it,, answers Woitek
ma yexed tone.
IheSe words calm Bartek at once; yes,
.IV great question is to know whether
@F world Is all right or not, isn't it,
~ lie remains there shouldcring his
hue' without thinking of anything in
PARTICULAR, though he feels the sweat
Yarms down his forehead. Still the
nue IRE becomes heavier. New regi-
ITals OF the line come to the assistance
y Tue French; the Poles are falling
' %S'er ana faster. 1t is no longer pos
TOe 70 move the dead and wounded
t hue rEcolered flags draw nearer; the
taple eeomes still more murderous
~ fon par'ek comrades; they keep falling,
qair ''0 '''0'' no 'i'' Il w
nu' with the increase of their despair
# fut ~ Ill rmnrs of Impotence and rage.
yan sue soldiers were only told to adj
b gpV' i1h3ey would rush upon the French
o anI VIVA beasts. But they are still
tbr se,eu 10 wait patiently. One soldier
m m."S ILLS helmet on the ground, crying
to, MS ms is good enough for dogs, not
-, rE Iea-thls is dying like dogs"
tb1, ug o1tery Gains Burtek down so
+ TS So, 1e mas no more fear at all. Why,
lec So,aICfs are dying like dogs, it is only
WrreI Ie nothing serious has yet oc,