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

anxious to communicate with Junot III
Portugal, bnt all the roads to Lisbon
swarned with guerrillas and with the
troops composing Castan0s' army.
He asked Krasinski, the commandment
of the ~lancers, to find him a brave ane
intelligent Young man. Two days after.
ward the commandment brought the
prince a young man of his corps, fo1
whom he pledged his life. His name
vas Leckinski. and he was but eighteen
years old.
Murat was moved at seeing 50 youngs
ma court so imminent 4 danger, for il
he were detected his doom was sealed.
Murat could not help r~emarking to the
Pole the risk he was about to run. Tbs
youth smiled.
LET Your imperial liighness give ms
my Instructions" answered he respect
fully, and | will give Il good accoun
of the mission | have been honore,l
with
The young prince augnred farorably
from the young mans modest resolu-
ton. The Russian ambassador gave
him his dispatches; he put on a Russian
uniform and set ont for Portugal.
The first two days passed over quietly.
but on the afternoon Of the third Leck-
inski was surrounded by d body of Span
iards, who disarmed him and dragged
him before their commanding officer.
Luckily for the gallant youth it was
Castanos himself.
Leckinski was aware that he was lost
if he We're discovered to he IL French.
man; consequently he determined Oh
the instant not to let a single word oi
French escape him, and TO speak but
Russian and German. which he spoke
with equal fiuency.. The cries of rage
of his captors announced the fate which
awaited him. and the horrible murder
of General Rene, who had persisted il
the most dreadful fortunes but a few
weeks before as he was going 10 ioir
Junot, was sufficient to freeze the very
blood.
who are you:' said Castanos il
French, which language he spoke per
fectly well, having been educated il
France.
Leckinski looked at the questioner
AiduO d SlSH anu diIS pISu III GERMAN
Il do not understand you"
Castanos spoke German, but he die
not wish to appear personally in the
matter and summoned one of the officer.
of his staff. who went on with the ex
animation. The young Pole answered
in Russian or German, but never let {
single syllable of French escape him
He might. however, easily have forgot
ten himself, surrounded is he WAS by :
crowd eager for his blood. and who
waited with savage impotence to have
him declared suiity-tlIat is, d French.
man-to fall upon him and murder him
But their fury was raised 10 Il height
which the general himself could not con
troll. by an.incident which seemed to cu:
off the unhappy prisoner from every
hope of escape. One OF Cast;nus' aids q.
camp, one uf the fanatic:iliy patriotic
who We're 80 numerous III his war, aEl
who from the first had d~cLounced Leck
inski as a French spy, burst in the room
dragging with him a ma wearing the
brown jacket. tail hat and red plume 9.
Spanish peasant.
The officer confronted him with tn,
Pole and said:
Look at this man, and then say. if il
is true that he is a German or Il Rus.
sian. He is Il spy, | swear by my soul
The peasant meanwhile was ewing tnt
prisoner closely. Presently his dar1tyt
lighted ZIP with the fire Of hatred.
"Es Frances. he is d Frenchman." ex.
claimed he. clapping his hands. Ano
he stated that having been III Madrid :
few weeks before he had been put :.
requisition to carry forage to the Frencl
barrack, and, said he, Il recoliect that
this Is the man who took lay load Of
forage and gave me Il receipt. | was
near him an hour and recnllrct him.
When we caught him l told my comrade
this is the French officer | delivered INV
forage TO-"
This was correct. Castanos probably
discovered the true state Of the case. but
he was Il generous foe. He proposed tc
let him pursue his journey. for Leckinsk
still insisted he was Il Russian. and could
not be made to understand a word Of
French. But the moment he ventured
a hint of the kind, a thousand threaten
ing voices were raised against him and
he saw that clemency was impossible.
But said he, will you then risk a
quarrel with Russia, whose neutrality
we are SO anxiously asking for::''
NO" said the officer, but let us try
this man."
Leckinski understood all, for he was
acquainted with Spanish. He was re-
moved and thrown into a room worthy.
to have been of the dungeons of the
inquisition in its best days.
When the Spaniards took him prisoner