The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-01-30
HEROINE AND MARTYR.

For the last three hours the soldiers
crossed the village Of Chaille. The
retreat had commenced Cannon,
baggage, infantry, cavalry, all were
mixed together. The officers tried no
more to bring order and regularity
among their men, or to stop their
disaster
Towards the evening the retreat had
become helter-skelter, the vanquished
decreased In number. few cavalry
men and then-nothing.
But In the last rays of the sun the
people Of the village saw dozen of
soldiers coming ON the road. From
time to time they turned around and
fired shots at the enemy.
Far of, black spot. then two, then
twenty, then q hundred. detached
themselves on the line of the majestic
trees.
These black spots were the Ger
mansi
Arriving in the village, that dozen
of soldiers forming the rear guard. or,
was what was left of the rear guard
of the army of La Loire; they stopped.
The captain who had commanded
them had chosen a good position be-
tween two big houses.
Hurry up, boys said he TO his
men; 1--WE will erect barricade here.
1t shall not be said that those sauer-
kraut eaters have entered this village
as in a church Burst open the doors,
If 1t Is necessary, and once more hurry
mp"
That captain had the tone firm. and
his face expressed anger and deter
mination; his men, old African
zouaves and Tureos. enraged fighters,
were not apprentices in the art of
building barricades. In less than a
quarter of an hour the street was made
impossible by ears of manure. mat
trasses, doors, shutters, in fact, every
thing bulky was employed for that
purpose.
The captain. who had picked up a
gun on the battlefield. was reloading
it when tall man with pale face APP
preached him.
Excuse me, captain, are YOU the
officer in commando"
Yes
believe me, sir. renounce to defend
this village against an enemy twenty
times, one hundred times more num-
erous than you are. You shall not be
successful, of course, and you will
cause our village to be set on fire by
the Germans.
The captain looked Mt his interlocu-
tor with an immense expression of
disgust.
What do you sayP viii you go
away mighty quick, or else | shall send
you to-"
And the captain took the man by
the neck and was in a way TO strangle
him, when tall old man with white
hair emerged from house near by.
Let him go. captain, he is not
worth the strangulation. My name
is Pierre and l am a vine dresser,"|
said the old man addressing the
officer. Then, turning to the coward,
he added; "Go to your home, monsieur
the mayor; If you are unwilling to do
your duty, at least do not prevent
others to accomplish il. You see, cap
tain, that mayor is a monsieur from
the city, sent to us by the imperial
government; all his fortune Is i'm
this village, in which he owns several
buildings, and If the Germans set
them on fire he shall be ruined. / am
myself in the same case; if my cabin is
destroyed do not know what will re-
main for my granddaughter Jacque-
line. But what do you want, sirP
France, our country, before any
thing"
The captain was touched, and
his cap he said to the patriot:
You are n brave man and God bless
you"
''And an old sollier," replied the
vine dresser, strengthening himself.
'sFhere is my Cross of the Legion of
Honor given to me by the emperor
the great Napoleon! Now,
captain, if you have gun to lend me
l will show that know how to handle
it."
At this moment lively musketry was
heard from the other side of the
barricade. The Germans were com
ing.
The village was deserted by its in
habitants women, children, cripples
and old people had departed, taking
with them everything they could
carry.
The able-bodied men were in the
army.
The battle begun; the bullets whis-
tied in the air and flattened themselves |
against the walls. The French held |
the place well and Papa Pierre, the |
vine dresser, bareheaded. his hair to |
the wlnu, nred his gun brayely, while |
his granddaughter loaded the fire-piece |
after each discharge.
Suddenly, bombshell burst at ten |
yards from the barricade.
''Sacre N de d." exclaimed the cap
tain, "they lombard us now, in ten
minutes we will have to go if"
He had not time to end his phrase |
when a second projectile passing
through the roof of the shelter COW
cred him and his soldiers with dust;
happily no one was wounded, alone |
had uttered cry. The
emotion was too much for the poor
yirl-she tainted.
You must retire, captain" said
Papa Pierre to the officer; but will re-
main here. have some cartridges
eft; shall fire them off, Cor
''Neverl" exclaimed the captain.
1--WE shall die here"
81 tell you to retire, you are re-
'ponsible before God and before the
country for the life of your men. To !
remain here is simply madness and
lot bravery. How can you defend this
Tillage with guns against cannons,
With twelve men against five hun
lred?"
1T is better to die on French soil in
lighting than in German prison."
But you win not be taken: leave