Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-01-11


when he saw the little drummer rise.
"Ah. it was but fall" said he, and
breathed again.
The drummer again ran on, but be
limped.
"He has sprained his foot. " said the
captain.
a little cloud Of dust rose here aud
there around the boy, but always far
thev from him.
He was beyond their reach. The cap
tain uttered u cry Of triumph. but his
eyes followed him tremblingly. for il
was a question of minutes. IL he did
not soon reach the regiment with the
note asking for immediate succor. all
his soldiers would be killed. or he
would be obliged TO surrender and be-
come prisoner Of war with them.
The boy ran for awhile rapidly, then
he stopped 20 limp; again he ran ON,
but every few minutes be stopped TO
limp.
Perhaps ball has bruised his
foot, thought the captain, and he
tremblingly noted all his movements,
and IN his excitement he talked 10 the
drummer as if he could hear him. Ev-
cry moment his eyes measured the dis
lance between the boy and the bayonets
that glistened below Oh the plain in the
midst of the golden wheatfields.
Meantime he heard the whistling
and the crash of the balls In the rooms
below. the voice of command, the shouts
of rage Of the officers and sergeants. the
sharp cries of the wounded and the noise
of broken furniture and Crumbling
plaster
Courage! Valor - he cried. his eyes
following the drummer in the distance
Forward! Run! Malediction He
stops Alb, he is up again. Forward -
An officer. out of breath, comes 10 tell
him that the enemy, without ceasing
the fire, wave a white handkerchief
demanding their surrender.
Let no one answer" shouts the cap
tain. without taking his eyes from the
boy. who was now in the valley, but who
no longer ran and who seemed hopeless
of reaching the regiment.
Forward Run" cried the captain,
with teeth and fists clinched Bleed
10 death, die, unfortunate boy. but reach
your destination :" Then he uttered a
horrible oath. "Ah. the infamous idler
has sat down -
In fact, mp TO that MON ent the boys
head. that could be seen above the
wheat, now disappeared as If he had
fallen. After moment his head was
again seen. Then he was lost behind the
wheatfeld. and the captain saw him no
more.
Then he FASTENED down. The balls
rained. The rooms were full Of wounded,
some Of whom rolled over like drunken
men, catching at the furniture. The
walls and floors were covered with
blood. Dead bodies lay across the
threshold The lieutenant's arm was
broken by ball. Smoke and powder
filled the rooms.
Courage" shouted the captain.
"Stand to your post! Succor is coming
Courage a little longerr'
The Austrians had approached closer.
Their disigured faces could be seen
through the smoke. Through the crash
of balls could be heard the savage cries
insulting them, demanding their sur
render and threatening to cut their
threats. y soldier, terrified, withdrew
from the window, and the sergeants
again pushed him forward.
The fire of the besieged Stacked Dis
couragement showed on every face. Re
sistance was no longer possible The
moment came when the Austrians re-
doubled their efforts, and a voice thun-
dered, at first in German, then in Ital-
ian:
Surrender
MOI shouted the captain from a
window. The fire became more deadly,
more furious on both sides. Other sol
diers fell. There was more than one
window without defenders. The fatal
moment was imminent. The captain s
voice died away in his throat as he ex-
claimed:
They do not come! They do not
comet
And he ran furiously from side to
side, brandishing his saber convulsive-
ly, ready TO die. Then ii sergeant, rush
ing down from the garrett, shouted with
stentorian voice:
They comet
"Ah, they comet joyfully shouted
the captain.
On hearing that cry all-the well.
crowded TO the windows and again the
ferceness of the defense was redoubled.
In short while there were noticed
among the enemy n species of vacilla-
ton and a beginning of disorder. Sud
denly the captain gathered few sol
diers together on the lower floor TO re-
sist with fixed bayonets the impetuous
attack on the outside. Then he went up
stairs. Scarcely had he mounted when
he heard the sound Of hurried footsteps,
accompanied by formidable "Hurrah u
and the pointed hats of the Italian car
bineers appeared through the smoke, &
squadron at double quick. a brilliant
flash of swords whirled through the all
above their heads. their shoulders, theil
backs. Then out charged the little de
tachment, with fixed bayonets, led 10y
the captain. The enemy wavered, raj
lied, and at last began to retreat. The
field was evacuated, the house wa
saved, and shortly after two bGttalion
of Italian infantry and two cannon oc
cupied the height.