The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1899-05-25

enemy had held our little garrison
blockaded like fox In its hole. 1t was
terrible winter. Ii showed inces
sanity. Cold and hunger were harder
to contend with than the enemy him
self, and the fever Trimmed our ranks
faster than his bullets.
In order 10 warm our blood from time
10 time we made little sorties; but il
was labor in vain. for we were Enclosed
In n circle of fire. Those who fell sur
fered no more, and those who survived
continued to deceive themselves with
the hope of escape. In our home there
remained hut my mother and me. My
father was sergeant and color-bearer III
one Of The companies which the citl-
zens had formed from the first moment
Of the invasion.
One morning he came home, having
fought through the entire night. and,
embracing my mother inquired for me.
My mother replied that | was at the
military school. where he had entered
me. Just then came in with my drum
on my back and my drumstleks thrust
through my shoulder belt, happy 10 be
alive in spite Of the misery of the time,
and whistling like blackbird. My
father fixed his eyes on me.
TELL me, my sou, if you have not al
ready learned something Of the art of
war;"
Il felt very proud. and answered:
81 believe so, my father"
In fact knew there was no one who
could teach me how to better handle a
drum.
LET me see how you can beat your
drum" said my father. Very well.
Now beat for a charge"
beat my drum 50 furiously that
under the inspiring call l felt that |
could lead an assault OH the bells of
the cathedral tower.
"Well donew said my father; that is
first-rate."
Then he said nothing more until my
mother had gone TO her chamber, when
he drew me closer to him, and said,
gently:
Listen my son; the enemy has kill
ed many OF our men, and, besides, 100
men, at least, are wounded. The drum
mer of our company has two bullets in
his breast. We must have another. In
this hour every one ought TO be willing
to do his whole duty-wilt thou take his
placer
Ny heart filled my throat and choked
my answer | do not know that this
was from pleasure. but it certainly was
not from fear.
The day passed. That night, while
my mother slept, my father, with his
gun on his shoulder, and | with my
drum on my back, set out for the camp
Thus | became n soldier.
For one month all went smoothly.
This did not prevent me, however, from
bringing down with my fathers gun a
brigand Prussian who showed his head
at the corner OF the woods. | had a
steadier aim than the old soldiers even,
man.
One morning at daybreak the cap
tain. who had collected his men on the
parade ground near the old gate of st.
Claude. called TO my father, who was
drilling his men.
"Sergt. Bigorne," he said, "the enemy
presses us each day more closely; II
this continues, in eight days he will be
within our walls. This must not be.
Tonight the commandment has ordered
u sortie In order to REINFORCE the troops
Mt Luneyllle, who hold the country in
{ hn ~ Xnnrs 1iVisinu ia A
be the advance guard, sergeant. 1t is
the question to pass the enemy or die
in the attempt"
80 be it, answered the father; eve
will 60"
And we went. This was a dreadful
day. The enemy had been Informed
aud received us with volley of grape
shot However, we held out firmly
until evening, so firmly that not one of
us heard the order for retreat, and
when night fell we were enclrcled by
the enemy, with no hope of escape
All the same, these civic guards, shop
keepers as they were, did not know
when they were beaten, and when q
comrado fell they simply fought fol
two.
OF our own section only two were
left. | counted for nothing, being sc
slender that think must have passed
between their bullets. My father hat
received saber wound in the shoulder
but could see him still bearing aloft
the flag above the smoke of the battle
Our fire slackened; the ammunition
had given ont; the end had come. The
word strangles me yet when think Of
tive were forced to surrender.
Two hours later they imprisoned Il.
in farmhouse that the fires of wal
had spared. A Prussian field marshal
followed by his chief of stafr. dismount
ed for look at his prisoners.
!, His men showed In their eyes tn,
pleasure our capture gave them; bu
their white uniforms, blackened will
powder and the marks of our sabe
tlirusts, showed the evil we had don
them.
The field marshal ordered the wound
cd to be attended to, and, stepping Il
front OF my father. demanded the fial
MY father, whose hands we saw wer
empty, declared he did not know wher
! Il was. The field marshal turned to tn
officer of the post and said;
VERY well, IL he does not remembt
by tomorrow morning. shoot him."
When they had relieved us of OF
arms. and placed MS under guard, M