The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-11-08
ghe aaliha Badly Eagle saturday orims gomueber, 8,

don't stir from the canteen, and who toss
off twelve small glasses at the twelve
strokes of noon. He was sergeant Of a
company when l was quartermaster, and
he marched by my side as file closer. A
good soldier, very good soldier, drunk
ard, roisterer, fond OF rows, with all the
bad habits of Africa; but brave as bayo-
net, with cold, steel blue eyes, brown face
and red beard. Not an easy man to get on
with. When reached the depot of the
war battalion Thirsty had just completed
his service. He re-enllsted, took his bounty
and went on a three days spree, during
which he rolled through the low quarters
of Algiers with four or five other rakes
! like himself piled up in a caleche, and
carrying a tricolored flag, with these
words, This will not last always
"They brought him back to the barracks,
his skull cracked by saber's stroke. He
had been in a row with some loafers at the
house of a Moorish woman, who had re-
ceived during the squabble a kick which
proved fatal. Thirsty recovered. He was
put in the stocks for fifteen days and
stripped of his sergeapt's stripes. 1t was
the second time that he had lost them. If
it had not been for his bad conduct Thirsty,
who was of good family and fairly edu-
Gated, would have been an officer long ago
Now, after the affair of the Moor his
stripes were taken off; but six months
later, as | passed the quartermaster ser
geant's, saw that he had them on again,
thanks to the indulgence of his captain, an
old African campaigner, who had seen his
bravery in Kabylic.
Before long theold campaiener was pro-
NOTED to be chief of the battalion, and they
sent us new captain, a young Corsican
named Gentle, of 25, just from the military
school, cold, ambitious, full of merit, they
said, but very exacting, hard on his men,
giving you six days in the guard house for
a spot of rust on your gun or button
missing from your CATERS; moreover, hav-
ing not yet served in Algiers and admitting
no sort of laxity or frolicking. Capt. Gen
tile took a dislike to Thirsty at once, and
the dislike was reciprocated Indeed, it
could not be otherwise. The first time that
the sergeant did not respond to the even
ing call, eight days in the stocks; the first
time that he got drunk, fifteen days. While
the captain, small brown man, stiff as
wire, and with the bristling mustache of
a frightened cat, would throw his punish
ment in his face, saying in hard voice, i
my boyP Thirsty did not say anything, and
walked quietly to the side of the guard
house, but the captain would have spoken
more mildly, perhaps, if he had seen the
angry flush which mounted to the SER
geant's cheek when he had turned his head,
and the CLEAN of rage which shot from his
terrible cold blue eyes.
THE emperor declared war upon Aus
tria, and we embarked for Italy But we
are not concerned with the story of that
campaign. | will go on with ours. Dur
ing the preparations for the battle of
Melegnano, when ! lost my arm, you
know. our battalion camped in the middle
of a small village, and having broken
ranks, our captain made a brief address,
proper thing for the captain to dO-to re-
mind us that we were in a friendly coun-
try, and that our honor demanded good
behavior from us, adding that any annoy
ance to any Of the inhabitants would be
punished severely. While he was speak
ing, Thirsty, who was standing unsteadily
by my side, leaning on his gun (he had half
emptied since morning the keg of the can
tiniere), shrugged his shoulders lightly,
but happily the captain did not see it.
"In the middle of the night | started out
of my sleep. jumped off from the bundle
of straw on which was sleeping in a farm
yard, and ] saw in the moonlight group
of soldiers and peasants, who were tearing
from the arms of Thirsty, furious as a wild
beast, pretty girl, who was invoking to
her aid the Virgin and all the saints in
Paradise. | ran to hold him, but Capt.
Gentle reached him before me. BY one
glance of his eye 0he little COrsican had
the look of n MASTERY he stilled the SER
geant; then having Gained the Lombard
by some words that he said to her in
Italian, he turned and stood before the
culprit and said, shaking his trembling
hand in his face:
"'They ought to blow out the brains of
such wretches as you. In the meantime |
will see the colonel, and you shall lose
your stripes again and for good this time.
We shall fight tomorrow; see that you get
yourself killed
I'VE turned in again, but the captain
was right, and at break of day we were
reused by the firing of cannon. We flew
to arms, formed in line, and Thirsty (his
cold blue eyes had never looked more crueD
stood by my side. The battalion began its
march. 1t was to dislodge the white coats
pieces of artillery, in the village of Mele-
gnano. Forward march, We had scarcely
gone a couple of kilometres when, whizzl
the grapeshot of the Austrians struck us
in the flank, and some forty of our COM
pany went down. Then our officers, who |
were awaiting the order to charge made !
us lie down in the corn fields as sharpshoot- |
ers. But the officers naturally remain /
and l tell you our captain was
by no means the least erect OF the lot. We, |
on our knees in the corn field, continued 10 |
fire on the battery which wss within |
range. Suddenly some one touched my ell |
bow, and turning | saw Thirsty looking at
me, his lips curved in a wicked smile as he |
loaded his rifle.
You see the captain, he said to me, |
nodding toward him with his head.
Yes; well?' l replied, looking at the |
officer, who was about twenty PAGES |
from US
"'Well, he shouldn't have spoken to me
as he did last night
Then, with a quick and rapid gesture. !
in two movements he brought his piece to |
his shoulder, fired-and | saw the captain |
twist, throw back his head. beat |
the air for a second with his two hands, /
drop his sword and fall heavily on his back /
" Assassin cried, Selling TIE sergeant's !
arm. But he threw me three PAGES from 4
him by blow on my chest
Fool, prove that killed him.
Il rose in fury, but the rest of the COM
pany rose too. Our colonel was there. /
bareheaded aud on a smoking horse, point /
ing with his saber TO the Austrian battery /
and shouting at the top of his lungs:
" Forward. zouaves. with the bayonetr |