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

On the cath of July. 1913. the first
day Of the battle of Custoza, 60 soldiers
belonging to one of our regiments of
infantry, ordered to garrison a lonely
house on n height near by, were sad
denly attacked by two companies of
Austrians who, assaulting them on
several sides, scarcely gave them time
70 take refuge within the house, and
hastily barricaded the door, leaving
their dead and wounded on the field
The door being well secured, our
soldiers FASTENED to the windows on the
ground floor as we'll az TO those on the
upper floor and opened a deadly fire on
the besiegers, who replied vigorously
as they slowly approached in the form
OF a semicircle.
The 60 Italian soldiers were com
manded by two subaltern officers and
by tall, silent, grim old captain with
white hair and whiskers
With them was a little Sandman
drummer, a boy scarcely more than II
years old, but who did not look even 10,
with his dark, olive skin and black,
deep set eyes that flashed fire.
From a room on the upper story the
captain directed the defense, every order
sounding like a pistol shot, his iron
countenance showing not the slightest
emotion.
The little drummer, pale, but with
his feet firmly planted on the table, and
holding fast to the walls, stretched out
his head and neck 10 look from the
window, and saw through the smoke
the Austrians steadily advancing over
the fields.
The house was near the top of q very
steep hillside, so that but one small,
high window in the upper story looked
ont over the crest. The Austrians did
not threaten that side, nor was there
anybody on the hilltop. The fire was
directed against the front and the two
sides
The firing was infernal-a close
heavy hailstorm of balls rained upon
the walls and through the broken roof,
tearing out the ceiling, SCATTERING the
beams doors, furniture, filling the air
with fragments, plastering and clouds
of lime and dust, utensils and broken
glass whizzing, gathering over their
heads, rebounding from the walls with
a noise and clash that made the hair
stand on end.
Now and then "A soldier stationed at
the windows fell inward and was push
ed one side. Others staggered from room
TO room, stanching their wounds with
their hands. In the kitchen lay one SOL
dier, pierced through the forehead. The
enemy was closing in. At last the cap
tain. until then impossible, began to
show signs OF uneasinsss, and hurriedly
left the room, followed by a sergeant.
In few moments the sergeant came
rushing back and called the drummer,
telling him 10 follow. The boy raced up
the stairs after him and entered a di-
lafidated garnet, in which he saw the
captain with pencil and paper in hand
leaning on the window sill, and lying
ON the ground al his feet was q rope be-
longing TO the well.
The captain folded the paper, and,
fixing on the boy those cold, gray eyes
before which every soldier trembled,
said abruptly:
Drummer ~
The little drummer's hand went up
10 his cap.
The captain said:
''Thou art brave"
The boys eyes flashed.
Yes. captain, he answered.
Look down yonder," said the cap
tain, taking him to the window, "or
the ground, near the house of Villa
franco, where those bayOnets glisten
There is our regiment motiOnless. Take
this paper. grasp this rope, let yourself
down from the window, cross the hill
like lightning, rush through the fields
reach our men and give this paper Il
the first officer you see. Take off you
belt and knapsack."
The drummer took of his belt anC
knapsack and hid the paper in his breas
pocket The sergeant threw out tn
rope. Holding fast one end, the captain
helped the boy jump through the win
dow, his back toward the fields.
"Be careful, " said he. 1.-The salvation
of this detachment depends OH thy valo
and thy legs"
Trust me, captain. said the drum
mer, sliding down.
Crouch low when you drop" agai
said the captain, taking hold of tn
rope too.
Have no fear. -
God speed thee!'
In few moments the boy was on III
ground, the sergeant drew up the rop
and disappeared, while the captail
hastened 10 the little window and saw
the drummer racing down the hill. H
now hoped he would escape unseen. bu
five or six little clouds of dust risin
from the ground warned him that tn
boy had been discovered by the Aus
trians, who were firing down from tn
top of the hill. Those little clonds wer
the earth torn up by the balls, but tn
drummer continued running at ful