The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-06-09
HIS FIRST FIGHT.

IOllONS.
| Joined my regiment on Sept. A. 1t
was evening. found the colonel in the
camp. He received me rather brusque-
". but having read the generals intro
ductory letter he changed his manner
and addressed me courteously.
BY him ! was presented to my cap
tain. who had just come in from recon-
noitering. This captain, whose acqualnt-
ance | had scarcely time 60 make, was
n tall. dark man Of harsh, repelling as
pect. IIe had been private soldier ana
had won his cross and epaulets upon
the field of battle. His voice, which was
hoarse and feeble, contrasted strangely
with his gigantic stature. This voice OIL
his he owed, as / was told, TO bullet
which had passed completely through
his body at the battle OF Jena.
On learning that had just come from
college at Fontainebleau, he remarked
with wry face MY lieutenant died
last night
understood what he implied 1t Is
for YOU 10 take his place, and you are
good for nothing.
A sharp retort was on my tongue pu'
restrained It,
The moon was rising behind the re-
doubt OF Choverino, which stood two
cannon shots from our encalnpment
The moon was large and red, as IS com
mon at her rising. but that night sire
seemed to me OF extraordinary SIZE. for
an instant the redoubt stood out coal
black against the glittering disk IL re-
sembled the cone Of avolcano at the mo-
ment Of eruption.
An old soldier at whose side found
myself observed the color Of the moon.
"she is very red, F." he said. ut IS a
sign that it viii cost us dear to WIN TINS
wonderful redoubt F"
was ALWAYS sdporstitio1s, and this
piece Of augury, coming at that mo
ment. troubled me. ! sought my coueh,
| but could not sleep. | rose and walked
. about awhile, watching the long line OF
/ fires upon the heights beyond the village
of ChCverino.
: When the sharp night air had thor
! oughly refreshed my blood, / went baci
G 10 the fire. rolled my mantle ronh'
y me. and shtNtm eyes trusting NOT q
4 omen them till daybreak. But sleep re
. fused to visit me Insensibly N,
n thoughts grow doleful | told nlysei
Il that | had not friend among the ioo'
{, 600 men who filed that plain. IL
u we're wounded, should be placed Il
y. hospital i'm the hands Of ignorant an
Is careless surgeons. | called to mind VIVA
I had heard of operations. My heal
" heat violently, and l mechanically al
IA. RANGED rs a kind of rude cuirass IN
II handkerchief and pocketbook upon III
n hroost. Then. ovcrpowered with wear
=. ness. my eyes closed drowslly, only
I'd omen the next instant with start
a some new thought of horror.
q. Fatigue, however, at last gained u
~. dov. When the drums beat AT dayhrcal
n | was fast asleep. We were drawn up
he ranks THE roll was called, then v
to stacked our arms, and everything a
nouuced that we should pass moth
uneventful day.
But about 3 o'clock an aid-dc-can
nd arrived with orders. we We're COZ
ca mandcd 70 take arms.
H. Our sharpshooters marched INTO I
We nlain. We followed slowly, and III
~ r,inntes we saw the outpos's OK [
&c Russians falling back and entering I
n ,odonbt. We had battery OF artllle
he. OH our right, another ON our iel',
II Moth some distance in advance OF
is They opencd sharp fire upon the ci
,cn INV. who returned it briskly, and
ng redoubt of Cheverino was soon CONGO
me cd by volumes of thick smoke. Our &c
lly ment was almost covered from the IL
the slams fire by piece of rising groui
ON Their bullets (Which besides were rar
re- aimed at as for they preferred to
the mon our cannmeers) whistlcd over
Of or nj worst knocked up n shower
led earth and stones
&C. Just as the order to advance was :
,ot- an the captain looked at me intentiy
the stroked my sprouting mustache WIN
ere air of unconceln. In truth, was
frightened and only dreaded lest ml
ons. he thought so. These passing bul
l.c73 eided nv heroic GOODNESS. while my
h..s respect assured me that the danger
) esS a real'one, since l was veritabiy vi
FIRE. was delighted at my self pos
,ole sion and already looked forward TO
the Measure Of describing in Parisian or
we're inc rooms the capture of the redono
ors, ! Cheverino
inly The colonel passed before our c
ans pany. well, - he said 70 me, you
sea. going to see warm work in your hrs'
tom ton"
ath. cave martial smile aud bTu
and of my cuff, on which a bullet VI
med had struck the earth at 30 PAGES dis
as had cast little dust.
nry. II appeared that she hnssians had
,,vorcd that their bullets did no ha
for they replaced them ly hr
/ shells. whith began to reach us IN
'Vln,i hollows where we lay One Of thes
W ~ its explosion knocked on my shake
'a"a' killed a man beside me.
VIZ VIZ, IL congratulate you, said the
VIM .ain as picked up my shake you
,afc,now fer the day.
uscd Il knew the military superst'
only which believes that the axiom mo-
= pa. In idcm'' j. az applicable to the "a
rr field as TO The courts Of justice
placLd NV shalo with n sNyngaer.
me st "'That ia rldc way to make ono
tb mes hat said as lightly as c.
49,. -. .,,,od niece Of wit We