Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va) 1886-1890, 1890-01-19

poor and wretcLed rs they were, were
the only home tina, they had. But they
soon found that they were mistaken, for
4 sudden change in the position Of the
two armies brought these unlucky cot
tages right into the line Of fire, and the
terrified peasants, finding the cannon
balls falling thickly on every side Of
them, tool; 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 fight tiny
girl, hardly old enough to walk alone,
had 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
20 lose his wife as well.
APPLAUDED By TEE ENEMY.
Coolly as if on parade the brave young
cuardsman 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 tenderly in his arms, and some who
saw it lid afterward that the poor little
Srembler ceased crying at once, as if
5oothed 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 musketa
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 a tall stern looking French
soldier, whose grim face was black with
dust and gunpowder. "H he were
twenty times an Englishman, he's as
good asa saint from heaven, for all that!'
Atthat momenta 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 unframed across that deadly
space, and scarcely had the cheer died
away when it was echoed by an answer.
ing 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 cooly 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 60 back to his own men when
stately old officer with a long gray mus
tache, whose broad breast was covered
with crosses and decorations, stepped
forth from the French line and held out
his hand.
"Monsieur, said he, bowling cour-
feously, "permit me to have the honor Of
shaking hands with the bravest man l
have ever met.
An hour later Lord Charles hay was
living face downward upon the earth,
sorely wounded by chance bullet winch
had hit him just as the enemy were CIV
ing way and beginning to retreat. But
though his wound was 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.