The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1899-04-07

night. Dfy-J can got q cut on Inc |
head from a tringlO that nearly fin
ished him, fortnight in the guard
room aud the loss of his stripes-the |
second time he had lost them.
"Of well-to-do parents and with |
some education, he would have risen
to be an officer long before if it had
not been for his conduct Eighteen
months later he got his stripes back
again, thanks to the indulgence Of the
old African captain who had seen him
under fire in Kabylie Hereupon our
old captain is promoted chief of bat
TALON, and they send us out captain
of %, a Corsican named Gentili, Just
out of school, cold, ambitious, clever
fellow, very exacting, hard on his men,
giving you eight days for speck of
rust on your gun or button off your
CATERS; moreover, never having served
in Algeria, not tolerating fantasia or
the slightest want of discipline. The
two took hatred to each other from
the first; result, the guardroom for
Dry-Jean after every drinking bout.
When the captain, little fellow, as
stiff as bristle, with the mustaches
of an angry cat, flung his punishment
at Dry-Jean head, adding CURLY, L
know you, my man, aud I'll bring
you to order' Dry-Jean answered
never a word and walked away quietly
to do pack drill. But all the same the
captain might have come off his high
/ horse bit had he seen the rage that
I Redeemed the sergeants face as soon
! as he turned his head and the hatred
F.: that flashed through his terrible blue
eyes.
| "Hereupon the emperor declares
t war against the Austrians, and we are
s shipped off to Italy. But let me come
at once to the day before the battle OF
t Melegnano, where left my arm, you
J. know. Our battalion was camped in
Q little village, and before breaking
!. the ranks the captain had made us 9
Q speech-rightly enough-to remind us
n that we were in friendly country and
that the slightest injury done to thu
i inhabitants would be punished in al
s exemplary way. During the speecl
Dry-Jean "a little shaky on his pin
lie that morning, and for the best of rea
ID sons shrugged his shoulders slightly
Luckily the captain didn't see it,
!" cat midnight Dry-Jean was en-
CO gagged in brawl with some peasant
r and was being prevented from modest
ing young girl when Captain Gen
till arrived. With one look-the lii
at tie Corsican had paralyzing way-h
of cowed the terrified sergeant; then h
ed said to him:
it " Dogs like you deserve to hay
{ a their brains blown out; as soon as
can see the colonel you lose yor
re stripes again, this time for goo,
mt There's to be fighting tomorrow; II
re- to get killed.
IN: sat dawn the cannonade awoke III
nl- The column formed, and Dry-Jean.
!" never had his blue eyes glittered mo
he ominously-placed himself beside m
it The battalion moved forward; we we
,he to dislodge the white coats, who wi
le- their cannon, occupied Melegnan
- Forward, march! At the second XII
nv: meter the Austrians' grape shot c
Inv down Is of our company's men. Th
Rry our officers, waiting for the order
,gi- charge, made us lie down in the grf
ave field, sharp-shooterwise; they remain
it. standing naturally, and our capt'
wasn't the least straight of the
yio- Kneeling in the rye, we kept on fri
ter at the battery, which lay within ram
mic Suddenly some one logged my elbC
1 turned and saw Dry-Jean, who \
ans looking at me, the corner Of his
ef- raised leeringly, lifting his gun.
DO you see the captain?' be SO
ory; nodding in that direction.
nix. 4" Yes, what of it?' said 1, glanc
nv at the officer, 20 PAGES of,
II / He was foolish to speak to m'
Their he did
inc "With swift, precise gesture
q he shouldered his arm and fired. l
lean the captain his body bent backwi
} 10 his head thrown up his hands beat
the air for an instant drop his sw
il of and fall heavily on his back,
rood :" 'Murdererp l cried, Selling
rink sergeant's arm But he struck
rican with the butt of his rife, rolling
cold, over aud exciaimlng;
,eard Fool! prove that I did it,
I en- 81 rose in rage, just as all
lust rp-shooters rose likewise.
aud colonel, bareheaded, on his smo
, and horse, pointed his sabre at the Aust
dney battery and shouted:
# All. Forward, Zouaves! Out
bear your bayonetsr
yer. ''Could I do otherwise than ch
down with the others9 What TAI