The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-01-07

Win exhaustion. 1at1gue. anxiety, and
the agony of his dreadful situation, that
the unhappy prisoner fell almost sense
less on his hard couch. Night soon
closed i'll and left him to realize in its
gloom the full horror of his hopeless
situation. He was brave, of course, but
to die at e~ighteen-'tis sudden. But
youth and fatigue finally yielded to the
approach of sleep and he was soon buried
i'll profound slumber.
He had slept perhaps two hours when
the door Of his dungeon opened slowly
and some one entered with cautious
steps. hiding with his hand the light OF
a lamp. The visitor ben over the pris-
--- ---
Cner'S couch, h hand thai shaded the
lamp touched him on the shoulder, anG
d sweet and silvery voice-a woman's
~voice-asked him, DO you want eat::'
The young Pole, awakened suddenly
by the glare of the lamp, by the touct
and words of the female, rose up on hi:
couch and with eyes only half opened
said in German, what do you want"
Give the man something to eat al
oil1t. SdIl 1dSlILOS, NlItl IC 1lGdIu LIZ
result of the first experiment. land lei
him go. He is not a Frenchman. How
could he have been SO far master of him
self? The thing is impossible"
But though Leckinski was ~suppliec
with food he was detained a prisoner
The next morning he was taken to a p
where he could see the mutilated CORPSE
of the Frenchman, who had been cruel
ly massacred by the peasantry of Truxil
10, and he was threatened with the SAINT
death. But the noble youth had prom
lsed not to fail, and not u word, not al
accent, not d gesture or look betrayed
him.
L~eckinski, when taken back to hi.
prison, hailed it with a sort of joy. Fol
twelve hours he had had nothing bui
glbbets and death i'll its most horriC
forms before his eyes-exhibited to hin
by men with the looks and the passion.
OF demons. He slept, however, after the
harrassing excitement of the day, an6
soundly, too, when in the midst of hi.
deep and deathlike slumbers the doo1
opened gently, some IL drew neal hi:
couch, and the same voice whispered il
his ear:
"Arise and come with me. We wish
to save your life. Your horse is ready
And the brave young man., hastily
awakened by the words, I'VE wish t.
save your life; come" answered still il
German, What do you want!'
CastanOs, when he heard of this expert
ment and its result, said the Russian
was a noble young man; he saw the true
state of the case.
The next morning early four mel
came to take him before a sort of courl
martial, composed of officers of Castanos
staff. During the walk they uttered the
most horrible threats against him, bui
true to his determination he pretended
not to understand them.
When he came before his judges he
seemed 20 gather what was going OF
from the arrangements of the tribuna.
and not from what he heard said AROUND
him, and he asked in German where hi.
interpreter was? He was sent for, ant
the examination commenced.
1t turned at first upon the motive o.
his journey from Madrid to Lisbon. He
answered by showing his dispatches te
Admiral Siniavin and his passport
Spite of the presence and the vehement
assertions of the peasant, he persisted il
the same story and did not contradict
himself once.
ASK him" said the presiding Officer
at last, IF he loves the Spaniards, as Ii,
is not a Frenchman?"
Certainly" said Leckinski, Il lik.
the Spanish nation, and 1 esteem it fol-
its noble character. l wish our two ma
lions We're friends"
Colonel" said the interpreter to the
president, "the prisoner says that he
hates us because we make war like ban
dlttl: that he despises us, and that his
only regret is that he cannot unite the
whole nation in one man, to end thi
odious war at a single blow"
While he was saying this, the eyes o.
the whole tribunal were attentivel,
watching the slightest movement of the
prisoners cOuntenance, in order to see
what effect the interpreters treachery
would have upon him. But Leckinski
had expected to be put to the test il
some way, and was determined to BAT
file all their attempts.
Gentlemen" said Castanos, sit seem:
to me that this young ma cannot be
suspected; the peasant must be deceived.
The prisoner may pursue his journey
and when he reflects on the hazard Of
our position he will find the severit,
we have been obliged to use excusable.'
Leckinski's arms and dispatches were
returned, he received a free pass, and
thus this noble youth came victorious
out Of the severest trial that the human