Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1893-09-22
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE POLES ANGELUS.

"You ask why it is that the sound O
the Angelus-bell echoing through tn
silence of the evening affects mo s.
strongly. There is story connected
with the matter, Listen, and will tel
it to you"
So saying, Monsieur Bazilewith light
ed cigar and then, seeing that hi
audience was all attention, he continued
81 must 60 back to the days of m,
youth. had just left the military
school, and was very proud of the swor'
| carried, and anxious for an opportu
nifty of giving it its baptism of blood
had not long to wait, for trouble brok,
out in Varsovia, and my regiment
with many others, received orders to Sc,
out for Poland, where campaign seem
ed imminent The Poles, both noblei
and peasants, had grown tired of th,
restraints imposed upon them, and had
determined to make desperate effort to
free themselves from the yoke which
was weighing them down, and then be
gan that heroic and bloody contest
Russia's eternal shame.
"Wc had the advantage of numbers
bat Our adversaries, who were fortified
by their strong faith and ardent patriot
ism, knew the country thoroughly. ant
they waged war on US without truce o
mercy. Their commander-in-chief di
vided his troops into flying column
which overran the country, just as tn
Republican troops did in France at th
time OF the first revolution.
81 arrived, one evening, in comman
of detachment, at village calle
Kurwo, where expected to surprise
band of Polish patriots. They had beef
warned of our approach, however, an,
had taken fight, and discovered tha
they bad agreed with the villagers to re
turn during the night and massacre II
in our sleep.
Fortunately for US a miserable fel
low told US, in exchange for few rou
bles, that it had been arranged that th
ringing of the Angelus- bell should b.
the signal for the rebels to return TO th
village Tor the purpose OF slaughterlnI
US.
81 waited several hours and thel
went to the church myself, intending T.
give the signal which would call tn
Poles from their hiding place, but
could not find the bell-rope. After
long search, | became convinced tia
the rope had been purposely cut Oh
81 was furious, and ordering oil tn,
people to gather on the village green,
announced to them that, II within iv
minutes time some one OF them wer
not ready to climb tho beethoven an'
ring the Angelus, the village should b.
set on hire and every one OF them put u
the sword.
1.-THE minutes passed slowly, and th
people stood silent with calm, reslgne'
faces awaiting death suddenly DO.
OF fifteen approached me, and said tina
he was ready to do my bidding.
I" Here, said ], take this roublc an
use it TO drink the Cars hcal.h. MOI
go up, and ring loud and long.
without making any reply, the DO
sprang like a cat up to the belfry
perched aloft and seized the bell-claE
per in both hands.
"But Misericordia! IL was not til
musical Angelus | heard 1t was III
tolling of the solemn funeral bell ! Th
patriots would be on their guard, anC
warned by tho bell, would not come OF
and fall into the trap had prepared f
them
"Breathless and blind with rage,
snatched gun from one Of my mel
pointed il at the child in the belfry an
took aim. But suddenly, il seemed I
if a mist passed before my eyes quic
az fash Of lightning, | realized the sui
Unity Of the fifteen year-old hcros a,
ton, and without firing I lowered IN
arm.
Twenty years passed away, aud the
began that terrible struggle betwee
Russia and Turkey which was as dlI
astrous for the one as for the other {
the two powers, and which terminate
with the memorable taking OF Plevna.
"My chivalrous adventure IN PoIan
had lnteriered with my advancement
materially that | was only captain, an