Grand Rapids herald., 1893-11-19

wouid IA me - h1&t1nx co&1-
On The a.r.Srs Ehss hsppen>1 after
shis 1 csnnos sps..s wath any Iainuie-
49, To fhlnk bsck =. ~ wseas u1as
sesns hire blurred dream. tsok~a ey
snasches u dead sle<p know1 ssaned
my point os the river hank. sezns Enl.,ss
above The village. and catered the ws
~ there. 6ndins Il chill - icsl ] think
u wss . small fence gsss thai sidsd my
pAssags
IcSn only recollscf elsAriy th4t ths
thing elnng to>vsss tsrrsb,y nnstabls.
and that On being landed by chance
eddy on . strip Of shosl ] lsy thers for
fully half IN hour, listening 10 . sentry
plodding past and past through the mud
10 yards away. uDkble 10 move . hmb.
Then ! gathered s'irength. and crawling.
sos only from s,aut,on. bat shroegh
sheer helpls~spe<. made nay steslthy
way sill farther along the shore.
Four baksefsn eonmandsd ths sp-
proaches 70 the tridge Two were On
either flank. 10 deliver . convsrging ere;
two. one above the other. wers In Q di-
rect line with it. 80 that the csusswsy
could b swept from end 10 end.
II was in tho loser Of these last that
found mysslf-hy what route come
cannot sAy. Only thsn my ,snses seemed
10 return 10 me. l WAS lying In an
smbFssure Overhead wss the round
black chase Of % pcnndsf. Icrawled
further and looked down the line six
more guns doomed through the night
making seven in all.
The rpin was coming down In torrents.
sending 6p spurts of mud. There were
men within dossn yarda. wskeful men.
and thsn. and not before. did IL fash
upon ms that my fArrisr's hammer was
. useless weapon. Fool that ] was 20
bring It. Idiot must have been 70 for
get that the 6rst clink would awaken the
redoubt Ny hfes No. pahi ] didn't
count that But it would mean oaly
one gun spiked enectually. II % much.
drew back into the embrasurs and
knitted ray forehsad afresh. The right
thought was tardy. but IL came I
drew of my boot. Il was new and It
was Bodybuilding had been poured
out by my comrades over its heaviness
The strong sewed heel would drive like
calker's mallet.
Then I got to work. The guns were
loaded and primed. The locks were
covered with leather aprons. used in
finite caution, crawling like q Cat, crouch
ing in deepest shadows. stopping. max
ing detours. not for mere LIES sake. be
IL understood, but because life was want
ed for work yet undone.
The seven guns were put out Of action.
and still the night was dark. and the
Austrians were ignorant behind the cur
tain OF rain. And then ON 20 the upper
battery. Two, four, eight gunsi
Three spiked, and the night began 70
gray. Three more, and men were stir
ring. got reckless and sprsng openly
at another. The air was filing with
shouts and sinking powder smoke and
crashes and the red fash Of cannon.
The French were advancing to the
storm in the wet. gray dawn. Both
fanking batteries, fully manned. had
opened upon them. but of the guns which
had direct command Of the bridge only
one spoke.
Into the roar of artillery the wind
brought up yells and osths and bubblng
shrieks. And then the eagles came
through the smoke. There was no stop
ping that rush.
Somehow found myself among CON-
rades, fighting with . claw backed far
rier's hammer. knowing nothing Of or
der or reason or bow these things came
TO pass. but heated only by an insane de-
sire to kill and kill and kill And then
l grappled wih man who was strug-
Cling of with flag. and wrestled with
him in q crimson slough, and choked
him down into 1T. while heavily slod
feet trampled madly on both Of rs. And
afterward there was more shouting and
cheering. and mighty hand claps be-
tween my shoulder blades. and the old
major gave me cognac out OF silver
fask-cognac which seemed to have been
sadly overwatered.
And that Is all remembered till
woke up In the afternoon from the sofa
In that village inn. Reveille had sound
ed. We mustered under arms. and the
roll was called. Many did not answer.
And then, Stand out. Lieutenant
Ramardr' said the colonel.
advanced and saluted.
"You will consider yourself under ar-
rest, sir, for desertion before the enemy
Presently You will surrender your
sword and report yourself at headqusr-
ters."
The colonel turned and exchanged
some words with little. pale man near
him, who sat awkwsrdly on q white
stallion.
He resumed. "The emperor has con-
ndered your case. cir, confirms the ar
rest and orders you to be reduced 10 the
ranks" The colonel paused and con
tinued:
But ne . reward for your gallantry
your commission Of captain viii be made
out with promotion TO the first vacant
majority. and you viii also receive .
decoration"
And then I was ordered 70 advance
again. and the emperor transferred .
Cross Of the Legion from his own breAs,
TO mine
Captain Of the Twenty-second." be
sAid. thou art my brother"
l never asked for the colonels apology.
&C. J. c. HAyne in Washington Ssws
Lived OF Ms Sister.
Not long ago young man whose scls
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