The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-03-08

gotten in other things, for we were
now on the march again.
with the history of this campaign
my story has nothing to do. | need
only remind you that from the time OF
our arrival at Moscow mlsfortunes be-
gan the cold and the devastation de-
priving us of all cur resources. Fam
inc struck us, and soon the retreat
was ordered-the retreat across a des-
ert country covered with endless
SHOWS. The memory of that horrible
disaster is too painful for me to enter
into details.
Everyone returned as best he could,
and II was with difficulty that few
regiments could be kept together to
represent the body OF the army and
obey the orders Of the general. Bill
boquet's was one of these, and he was
of the rear guard that prevented the
thousands of Cossacks who followed
the army from massacreing the unfor-
tunate and solitary soldiers.
One day they had Just retreated
across a little river, and to retard the
pursuit of the enemy the general had
ordered the destruction Of the bridge
over which they had passed, fragile
wooden one but the barrels OF gun
powder hastily placed produced but
little effect, and though the arches
were displaced and thrown into the
water, the framework caught and re-
mained resting upon a single beam,
which 30 held it that the enemy on
arrival could easily secure and recon-
struct it.
n I'm hat n n n
of the entire army depended upon the
destruction of the bridge, ordered back
the sappers to cut the beam and tear
away the clinging framework.
AS they were ready to embark, how
ever, the enemy arrived on the other
bank of the river and began such a
rain of bullets that it seemed impos-
sible for any sapper to reach 1t alive.
They were about to give 1t up and to
defend themselves as best they could,
when all at once they saw a soldier
leap from their ranks into the river,
his ak upon his shoulder.
The plunge carried him out of sight
of course but soon he reappeared, his
long, flowing beard and peculiar cap
showing him to be a sapper-thus Of
fering himself as a sacrifice for the
safety of others. That the water about
him boiled with the bullets of the
enemy, you can be sure, nevertheless
he continued to advance bravely, Wig
orously, and five minutes later was at
work upon the beam, sheltered behind
the broken framework. A dozen blows
and it crashed into the river, and the
sapper was on his way to the bank
again.
But picture our amazement, as mad
with joy, we rushed to the edge to greet
him, to find that it was the little Bill
boquet, with a black and glossy beard
suspended from the end of his chin.
what does this mean? What Is
this masquerade" cried the voice Of
the general behind us, rs 1t you again,
giddy-head?"
Yes, my general, it is I, Bilboquet,"
answered the child; you said you'd
give me cross when I'd beard upon
my chin. Here it is, famous one, for
l wasn't stingy and spent the whole Of
the money you gave me for it!' and he
drew himself up with an air of pride.
The general thunderstruck at such
bravery and shrewdness, held out his
arms to Bilboquet as If he had been a
man, and taking the cross from the
lapel of his own coat fastened 1t with
his own hand in the button hole of his
drummer's jacket.
1t Is upon the shoulders Of the other
petit tambours, you can rest assured,
that the drum-major now establishes
the time.