Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1899-05-25
THE OLD UNIFORM.
A Story of the Zouaves.

out Of school, cold ambitious, clever
fellow, very exacting, hard on his mon,
giving you eight days for a 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-J cans head, adding CURLY, 4
know you, my man, and 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
Redeemed the sergeant's face as soon
as he turned his head and the hatred
that flashed through his terrible blue
eyes.
"Hereupon the emperor declares
war against the Austrians, and we are
shipped off to Italy. But let me come
at once to the day before the battle of
Melegnano, where | left my arm, you
know. Our battalion was camped in
little village, and before breaking
the ranks the captain had made us a
speech-rightly enough-to remind us
that we were in friendly country and
that the slightest injury done to the
inhabitants would be punished in an
exemplary way. During the speech
Dry-J can "a little shaky on his pins
that morning, and for the best of rea-
sons shrugged his shoulders slightly.
Luckily the captain didn't see it."
cat midnight Dry-Jean was en-
gagged in a brawl with some peasants
and was being prevented from modest
ing young girl when Captain Gen
till arrived. With one look-the lit
tie Corsican had a paralyzing wayne
cowed the terrified sergeant; then he
said to him:
Dogs like you deserve to have
their brains blown out; as soon as I
can see the colonel you lose your
stripes again, this time for good.
There's to be fighting tomorrow; try
to get killed
sat dawn the cannonade awoke US.
The column formed, and Dry-J can
never had his blue eyes glittered more
ominously-placed himself beside me-
The battalion moved forward; we were
to dislodge the white coats, who with
their cannon, occupied Melegnano.
Forward, march, At the second kilo-
meter the Austrians' grape shot cut
down 10 of our company's men. Then
our officers, waiting for the order to
charge, made us lie down in the grain
field, sharp shooterwise; they remained
standing naturally, and our captain
wasn't the least straight of the lot.
Kneeling in the rye, we kept on firing
at the battery, which lay within range.
Suddenly some one logged my elbow
l turned and saw DryJean, who was
looking at me, the corner of his lips
raised leeringly, lifting his gun.
" DO you see the captain?' be said,
nodding in that direction.
Yes, what of it?' said I, glancing
at the officer, 20 PAGES off.
He was foolish to speak to me as
he did.
with swift, precise gesture he
shouldered his arm and fred. I saw
the captain his body bent backward,
his head thrown up his hands beating
the air for an instant drop his sword
and fall heavily on his back.
" Murderer / cried, Selling the
sergeant's arm. But he struck me
with the butt of his rifle, rolling me
over and exclaiming:
Fool! prove that I did 'itp
ST rose in rage, just as all the
sharp-shooters rose likewise Oul
colonel, bareheaded, on his smoking
horse, pointed his sabre at the Austrian
battery and shouted
" Forward, Zouaves Out will
your bayonetsl'
"Could / do otherwise than charge
with the others? What famous
charge it was, too! Have you evel
seen high sea dash on a rock? Eacl
company rushed up like breaker OF
reef Thrice the battery was GOV
cred with blue coats and red trousers
and thrice we saw the earthwork re
appear with its cannon jaws, i'm
passable.
''But our company, the Fourth, wa
to snatch the prize. In 20 leaps
reached the redoubt; helping mysel
with my rifle butt / crossed the talus
| bad only time to see blonde mus
tache, a blue cap and carbine barre
almost touching me. Then though
nv arm few off. / dropped my gun
fell dizzily on my side near gun-car
rage wheel and lost consciousness.
"When / opened my eyes nothin
, was to be heard but distant musketry
| The Zouaves, forming a disordere,
half-circle, were shouting 'Vive FEN
+ pereurr and brandishing their rifles
. San old general followed by hi
staff galloped up. He pulled up hi
+ horse, waved his gilded helmet gayl
!, anu cried: