Middletown transcript., 1892-03-03

then, the first thing knew, up came
corporal and file of men and ar
rested me.
g. What am ! arrested forY i
asked.
m' For being absent without leave
from your regiment during battle, 8
said the corporal, and marched me off
to The guard-house. Then I was not
proud al all. But I was very angry.
That I should be arrested in this
fashion did not seem to me fair.
g In half an hour back came the
corporal and his file of men. This
time they took me to headquarters.
In we went; and the corporal stood
beside me, and his men behind me in
a row. Il semed as though half the
officers Of four army were there; my
colonel, the general of our brigade,
the general ofour division, half,a dozen
other generals, three or four English
officers in their smart red coats
presently there was stir-and in
came the Emperor What the deuce
it all meant I could not tell at all!
"t Private Labonne,' said my
colonel, he spoke in a very harsh tone,
vet it seemed to me that there was an
odd sort of twinkle in his eye you
deserted your post, and yon were abb
sent without leave when your regi-
ment went into acton
I" Yes, but
" Not word of excuse, Private
Labonne. You know the penalty" |
did know the penalty, of course; it
was to be taken out and shot. be-
gan to think that this was worse than
the Russians
l"t When shall I order the court
martial, your Majesty ? asked my
colonel.
"tI will be the court.martial,' said
the Emperor. This is a serious mat.
ter this is matter to be dealt with
in hurry. The case is proved.
There is no need for trial. / order
Private Labonne to be shot right
away
"I shivered all down my back. 1t
was worse than the Russians; very
much worse.
"'Take him away said my col
onel.
The corporal put his hand on my
shoulder and the guard closed in
March = said the corporal.
"'Stopp said the Emperor. Pri.
vate Labonne, before you are taker
away and shot, tell me what you wer'
doing in that battery
I" Nothing, your Majesty
Nothingi thought that | heard
something about guns being spiked
Did not you spike a gun, Privat'
Labonne
"' Yes, your Majesty
"Dld not you spike two guns
and both of them after the gunner
and the officer in command of tn
battery had run away? ?
:" Yes, your Majesty
"'And why did not you run ava,
too, Private Labonne ?
"sBecause / wanted to spike tn
guns, your Majesty
+" You do not think, then, that
was you duty as one Of my soldier
to save your life by ranning with th
others p
"This question puzzled me, for
certainly never had thought Of tn
matter in that way at all. 1t occur
red to me that perhaps ! really ha
not done my duty. But what the En-
peror said, for all that he was tn
Emperor, did not seem reasonable
and I made bold to answer him
1 had taken care of my own life, you
Majesty a great many of your sol
diers would have died to pay for i
It would have been bad days. wor
if those two guns had not been spiked
for the Russians certainly would ha7
turned them on our lines
The Emperor turned to M
colonel. There is something in wha
Private Labonne says, eh, colonel
I suppose there really would hav
been the very devil to pay had th
enemy turned those guns?'
".I suppose there would said m
colonel, a little grimly.
; "sThen the case is not quite 8
black against Private Labonne as
at first appeared?'
Not quite so black said my Co
onel.
, Perhaps we need not have hir
shot. alter all?'
Perhaps not-not this time, q
least
"We might even compliment hir
a little upon his bravery. For it ws
rather brave-eh, colonel ?-to sta
in that battery and spike those gun
. while hundred Russians were tumb
ling in upon him, and his own com
!, rades had run off and let him to d
: his duty and to die for it there alone
. "tMy colonel's voice broke a litt
J, as he answered. { 1t was very brav,