Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-03-16

the boy. "But the tree shelters me. Have
no fear. It's about the left you want to
know?"
"Yes, the left" answered the officer,
"but come down."
"On the left, " cried the boy, inclining
his body in that direction, lover there by
the chapel, / think l see'-
A third sinister hiss shot through the
upper air, and almost simultaneously the
lad was seen to drop. He sustained him
self for a time by ~clinging to the trunk
and branches of the tree, then, his hold
loosened and with neryeless arms, he fell
headforemost to the ground.
"Malediction!' cried the officer, dart
ing forward.
The lad had struck heavily on his back
and lay at full length with arms extend
ed. A tiny rivulet of blood flowed from
his left breast.
The sergeant and two soldiers leaped
from their horses. The officer stopped and
opened the boys shirt. The ball had pene-
trated the left lung.
He is dead!' exclaimed the officer.
"No; he lives!" replied the sergeant.
"Ah, poor boy, brave lad!' cried the
officer. Courage, courage, my boy!"
But even as he uttered the words and
while pressing his handkerchief to the
wound the boys eyes rolled wildly, his
head fell back-he was dead!
The officers face blanched. He looked
at the lad fixedly for a moment, then
gently laid his head upon the grass, rose
and gazed down upon him. Even the
sergeant and the two soldiers stood mo-
t%ionless, i~ntently regarding him. The 9th
ers never turned, keeping their gaze fixed
i~ntently in the direction of the enemy.
"Poor boy! !" repeated the officer sadly.
Poor, valiant lad!'
He went to the house, took from the
window the tricolored flag and spread it
like a funeral pail over the little lifeless
form, leaving the face uncovered.
The sergeant gathered up the scattered
shoes, cap, little walking stick and knife
and laid them beside the dead boy.
Again there ensued a few moments Of
silence. The officer then turned to the
sergeant and said:
"We will send the ambulance for him.
He shall have a soldiers burial"
By a movement Of the hand he waited
a kiss to the dead and commanded:
"Io horse!''
All sprang to their saddles. The troop
formed into line and once more resumed
it's march. And a few hours later the little
fellow received his honors of war. At
sunset the entire line Of the Italian van
guard was advancing on the enemy, and
marching two by two in the selfsame
path taken by the little troop of cavalry in
the morning wa a large battalion Of
sharpshooters, the anne who a few days
previously had fought so ~valiantly, moist
ening with their blood the heights Of San
MARITIME.
The news of the little lads death had
already spread among the soldiery before
their leaving camp. The pathway, follow
ing the course of a tiny stream, led to
within a few steps of the house.
When the chiefs in command of the bat
TALON saw the little corpse extended at
the foot of the ash tree, enveloped in the
tricolored flag, they saluted it with their
sabers, and one of the number, STOPPING
down, plucked two blossoms from the
flower besprinkled bank of the tiny rivu-
let and threw them on the diminutiye
bier.
Then each and every sharpshooter in
passing plucked flowers and strewed them
over the dead boy.
In a few minutes the little form was
covered with blossoms, and officers and
soldiers alike saluted him as they marched
past:
"Hurrah, little Lombardl' "Farewell,
my lad!' II salute thee, golden hair!'
"Vivat!' "Bravo!'' "BravissimoI'
"Adieu!"
One officer cast him his costly medal;
another bent to kiss his childish brow.
And flowers continued to shower down
upon his barred feet, on his blood stained
bosom and his sunny hair.
And lying there on the green grass he
slept, enveloped in his banner, his coun-
tenance pale, but almost smiling, poor boy,
al if he heard these greetings and rejoiced
that he had given his life for his cher
ished Lombardy.-From the Italian For
Short Stories.