Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-08-22
THE ANGELUS.


was very proud OF the sword carried and
anxious for an opportunity Of giving IL iss
baptism OF blood. bad not long 70 wait.
for trouble broke out ip varsovis, and my
regiment, with many others, received orders
to set out for Poland, where q campaign
seemed imminent The Poles, both ndhles
and peasants, had grown tired OF the re-
straints imposed upon them and had de-
termined TO make desperate effort to free
themselves from the yoke which was weigh
ing them down, and theV began that heroic
aud bloody contest-Russia'se eternal shame
arrived cne evening in comms0d Of a
detachment at a village called Kurwo,
where expected TO surprise band Of Pol
ish patriots. They had been warned Of our
approach, however, and had taken flight,
and discovered that they had agreed with
the villagers TO return during the night
and massacre US In our sleep.
Fortunately for us miserable fellow
told us in exchange for few rubles that
II had been arranged that the ringing OF
the Angelus bell should be the signal for
the rebels TO return to the village for the
purpose OF slaughtering us.
waited several hours and then went TO
the church myself, intending to give the
their hiding place, but could not find the
bell rope. After a long search, became
convinced that the rope had been purposely
cut of.
was furious, and ordering all the pso-
pie to gather ON the village green i an
nounced to them that II within five min
utes' time some one of them were not ready
to climb the bell tower and ring the Ange-
lus the village should be set on fire and
every one of them put to the sword.
The minutes passed slowly. and the peo-
pie stood silent, with calm, resigned faces,
awaiting death. Suddenly boy Of Is ap-
preached me and said that he was ready to
do my bidding
Here" said I, "tske this ruble and use
1t to drink the cars health. Now 20 up
and ring loud and long"
Without making any reply the boy sprana
like cat up to the belfry, perched aloft
and seized the bell clapper In both hands.
But Misericordiai 1t was not the music
al Angelus heard; it was the tolling Of
the solemn funeral bell. The patriots
would be on their guard, and warned by
the bell would not come out and fall into
the trap had prepared for theml
Breathless and blind with rage, snatched
the child in the belfry and took aim. But
suddenly it seemed as If mist passed from
before my eyes. Quick as "a flash of light
ming realized the sublimity Of the l5-year-
old hero's action, and without firing low
cred my arm.
Twenty years passed away, and then be-
gan that terrible struggle between Russia
and Turkey which was rs disastrous for
ha nm. for ha nfh Of he txxa
and which terminated with the memorable
taking of Plevna
One day while reconnoitering ventured
too far from the outposts, and fell into an
ambuscade Of Turks. In the twinkling of
an eye l was seized, bound, gagged and
carried on a mans back into the enemy's
camp, and when the bandage was removed
from my eyes / found myself surrounded
by about a dozen men attired In a strange
looking uniform, which seemed to be half
Turkish and half Russian.
One glance sufficed to assure me that
there had been an engagement on this spot
the night before. On the long grass were
stretched the corpses OF the cars soldiers,
and crouched beside them were Mussulmans
tearing off the clothing and quarreling and
swearing as they divided among themselves
the garments of the dead.
My attention was soon diverted from this
horrible sight, for the men around me be-
gan to despoil me also of my clothes, and !
could hear them dividing In advance the
different articles of my apparel. They had
already unfastened my coat. when l sud-
denly caught the sound of a few words
spoken in the Russian language.
81 am not surprised" cried, lat being
rx1hhaI hx ithaca Lob 10 L,,t
that a Russian should stoop to such con-
duct"-
"You mistake" said the same voice, VI
am not Russian; am a Pole"
The speaker turned toward me, and I
looked at him In surprise, as he continued
angrily:
YES, am Pole, and when my coun-
trymen bowed their necks to the yoke and
resigned themselves with hatred in their
hearts to the Russian rule fled from my
home What longed for most was to find
the means of meeting you Russians face to
face, and to avenge the death OF my coun-
trymen and the humiliation of my coun-
try"
While he spoke, could not take my eyes
from his face, and It seemed, through the
mist Of memory, that had seen that face
before.
"You are from the village Of Kurwo" I
said suddenly.
"How do you know THAR" he stammered,
changing color
"Do you not remember the Angelus belli"
He looked at me fxedly, then seized my
hand, mutteripg,
"You were the commanding ofiiceri"
II was"
"You could have killed me, and owe my
life to your generosity. 1t must not be said
that Pole was guilty Of ingratitude to-
ward an enemy, even though it were to a
Russian"-
He said few words to the Turks, who
instantly moved away, and then, signing
me TO follow him, he silently led me to one
of our own outposts.
you are free" he said. "and we are
quits. pray heaven that we may meet In
the battle tomorrow, face to face"
And he turned on his heel and disappear
ed In the thicket.-Romance.