Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1894-1895, 1895-11-22


hearted fellows 1 have ever known.
We were educated together, together
we left college. together had we passed
many happy days, and together we
were ready to die for liberty. Oh, l
can truly say that he was more at
tached to the liberal cause than any of
us, and his loyalty was never QueS-
toned. Yet. even so. n certain injustice
committed by our chief. one of those
abuses Of authority that wreck the
most honorable career. made the cav
airy lieutenant desert the ranks OF his
fellow soldiers. the friend leave his
friend. the liberal abandon his cause
for that of Il hated faction. the subor-
dinate desire 10 Kill his superior Off
Ger.
Neither my warnings nor my entreat-
les availed To dissuade him from this
rash step. 1t WAS n thing decided. He
would change the helmet for the cap.
despising as he did the rebels and their
cause
At that time we found ourselves in
the Principally of -. three miles
from the enemy. Ii was the night In
which Ramon was To desert-a cheer
less evening. cool and wet. on the eve
of battle. At midnight Ramon en-
tered my tent. | was asleep.
''Basilio." he whispered in my ear.
WHO'S there" l asked, waking with
n start.
1T is |; good-by"
''You are going already"
''Ies; gOOd-by." and he Srasped my
hand. Listen" he continues; ''if 10
morrow there is Il great battle. as is
the rumor. and we come face TO face in
it"
Il know, know" | interrupted.
We are friends"
'Good-we clasp hands and fight af
forwards. | shall die to- morrow sure
ly, but not until / have fought my way
10 the side of the Lieutenant Colonel
As for you. Basilio. do not expose your
self. Glory is but Il vapor.
And life:"
We'll said, Make yourself com
mandant The pay is not ethereal
that is. not till one has smoked it away.
All. but all that has now ended for me. =
What melancholy thoughts.' l cried.
not without Il sinking at the heart
To morrow we shall both survive the
battle"
point a meeting place
"Where:'
''In the Hermitage of st. Nicholas at
| o'clock tomorrow night He who
is not there by that time shall be given
up for dead by the other. 1t is agrecd:"
Agreed"
"Well, then, goOd-by."
"Good by"
We embraced affcctionately and part
cd Ramon disappearing under shelter
of the darkness.
AS we had expected. the rebels at
tackled us the following day. The ac-
ton was n bloody one and lasted from
3 o'clock in the afternoon until night
fall. About > o'clock my battalion was
seS, led by Ramon. He then wore the
uniform and decorations of command
ant and on his head was the white cap
Of the Carlists. l ordered my company
10 fire upon RamOn's forces; he retail
lated: and soon orr battaliOns were en-
gagged i'm q hand-lo-hand struggle We
We're victorious and Ramon was forced
TO retreat with the scattered remnants
of his band; not. however, before he
had slain with his own hand our lieu
tenant colonel. who opposed a despcr-
ate but vain resistance TO the fury of
his antagonist.
Toward sunset the fortunes Of war
turned against us and part of my I'M
fortunate company was. with myself.
cut off from the main body and forced
to surrender. | was taken prisoner
to the little village of -, which the
Carlists then occupied, and us the war
was without quarter on their side
expected TO be Immediately put to
death
While confined. disheartened and
weary in the village jail | heard the
hour of | ring out. the time for my
meeting with Ramon. l asked for my
friend and was told: He is Il hero.
Killed lieutenant colonel with his
own hand, but lie must undoubtedly
have persisted in the last hours of the
battle"
why do you think so:" | asked.
"BecauSc he has not yet come back
to camp and those he commanded can
give no account of him..
oh. what | suffered that night. But
one hope remained to comfort me--that
Ramon was still awaiting me at the
Uermita &c and for this reason had not
returned. How troubled he will be
when he finds | do not come" | said
to myself '.Je will believe NE dead.
and, indeed, am very far from being
so? Ny last hour cannot now be far
| Distant
At daybreak a chaplain entered the
prison. My companions in misery were
sleeping.
Death" i exclaimed upon seeing the