The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1896-10-10

w. CA6AOWt0 00eAA tuo AlcA s
hearts gre, sick as they realized how
they were t their opponents mercy,
and they langed for the dawn, when
they should meet their skulking fec face
to face.
It was N thing, the west indians
thought, to stand back to hack and face
any Gods in the cpcn, Tut to see a com-
rade by enc's sidc iccsen his grasp Oh
his weapon and roll ever, tearing at the
leaves CT lie still aud cough away his
Nfe.s blood AID tie able to do nothing;
but be still ard bear it was Il different
nattc-. So the rnon fdgetod ard mt
tered until Tie colonel realized that if
this kind Ct thing went ca much longer
they wcIld be beyond all control.
While the cficcrs, with smoke grimcd
! faces I'D fclcd Up threats, walked up
AID down the line, exposing themselves
rceElessly e the Gesnltcsy firing to en-
courage their n:en, there was a stirring
III the forest, and presently in grim ST.
lence and spread u we'll the fee rushed
toward the amp.
STEADY, men-steaGy-wait @ lit
tle.!h roaIes the ccllEel, as with over
strained nerves a few CT the soldiers
putted their triggers al;. the pullers
tore up the grass aarrai,ss.y 9 few yards
ahead.
"A company fre--1eady No. 2!'
shcuscs. the l~icutenants, Lut tic !rca
were roy, past all control. They had
comrades bleed to avenge and shouted
L yelled as they thrust cartridge after
cartridge into the chamber as fast as
they could turn the snicers over. The
fever Of the fight was on them, for they
now felt their time had come after the
weary waiting.
Meet them with the bay oret!' The
coloEel hardly knew his OWE voice, it
sounded SO hoarse ard cracked. Then he
gasped: Good heavens! What was
that?" For above the rattle Of the rifle
the words Courage. mes brarcs!' rang
out sharp and clear through t1ee smoke.
Dropping his smoking revolver he
sprang among his men shouting, sCease
hre!' But the hammering of the sniders
drowned his voice and the acrid smoke
choked him, and he stood in silent hor-
ror and watched the fight. It did not
last long. The swarm Of savages had
not nerve to rush upon tie unbroken
line OF flashing bayonets-they turned
and fled from the impregnable breast
work. Then came the turn Of the de-
fendes-, and with hoarse shouts the
west Indians leaped over the brushwood
and with dripping bayonets drove the
foe through the forest.
The colonel sat down with his back
to a tree, a horrible fear in his heart, /.
and longed for the dawn as he had never
longed fer anything in his life. Fortu-
nately there was net long to wait, for
the suspense was deadly. The shadowy
palm fronds sharpened into shape; o
soft gray light, growing rapidly clear
er, filtered through the overhangine
branches and a broad crimson streak ap-
pearod ever the forest. Then morning
cane suddenly. as it always does in the
The colonel looked around. The
enemy had gene, leaving only dead and
wounded, but his first care was to see
after his cwn men. Three white officers
and q sergeant major Of the west Indians
had fallen at their pests, with faces to-
the fee. Six privates were killed
a score We're badly wounded, and
colonel groaned, as with dry Inns
and contracted brow lie recognized the
pity Of it and the uselessness Of his
waste Of life; for there was verse to
The bright sun rays fell on the scene
Of the fight, and the gloomy forest clear
ing became at once a place Of warmth
and hight, but the space in front Of the
square was dotted every here and there
with a rigid, m%otionless figure and the
surrounding bushes were full Of wound
I'd men. Fer a few moments the officer
hardly dared 60 forward and examine
he slain, and when at last he slipped
over the breastwork and stood over tie
juliet dead the sight was what he ex-
were not Sofas.
Many were naked savages, auxiliaries
,nly, but ten of the chief assaiIants Law
here, with distorted features, clad in t,
inform OF the French Senegalis. TIC
'olonel wondered who would be call |
Q account for this nights work, but tie
'rown1ng horror OF the whole affair was
cached when Haussas carried in a
White officer and laid him on the dewy
'rass, coughing up gulps Of blood.
He smiled as an Englishman raised
us head and he saw the plying faces
'ent over him, for the defenders had al
eady solved the riddle, then gasped,
'Helas, mes amis!'' and swooned away.
a few drops of spirit were poured
own his throat, and then after awhile.
eyes recpened and he murr1ured the
tory how. deceived BY a native chief, /
Aoronah, he supposed the British force ]
0 be Sofas and did not find nut tho mis :,