The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-27

the crucifix in the middle of the grave yard. A shell has dashed open the door of the vault and hurled out the skele- tons, which now greet the new visitors. A path of glory is beautiful; at every step there is a corpse. Mapasseh must take care lest he push against those lying in his way.
 When he and his comrades gained the summit of the hill they had an unob- structed view of the scene beyond 1t. It had been hidden before by the tall cy- presses.
 On the other side of the hill lies an ex- tensive farm, the historic name of which | is Madonna della Scoperta." They found why the troops which had before occu- I pied the cypress hill did not return. The | Frenchmen who were driven from it con- | stantly returned to the farm buildings. | But these were & genuine citadel. On ! the other side a steep mountain wall led | up to it, and there it was protected by | terrace wall two fathoms high. in which | there was neither door nor window, but only loop-ho1es. From the: south the buildings could be approached over a | slope covered with vine bowers and fig ] tree hedges. The battalion of chasseurs I which had advanced before had attacked ] this strong point of defense from the southern slope. Divided into lines of skirmishers. they had endeavored to ad- vance through the labyrinth of bowers | and bushes.
 1 The brushwood, however, offered the de- lenders more advantages than it did the assailants. The former could shoot from l secure hiding place at those approach | ing. Thus within a short time this gall l lant chasseur battalion shared the fate | of the others. Man fought against man. | They had shot away all their cartridges | and in the wild light they hurled the stones of the terrace at the enemy. Fin ally, after futile efforts, the battalion was crowded back and fled in disorder from the terrace they had taken; the | waving helmet plumes gradually, disap- | peared between the living hedges of the | valley.
 l On the cypress hill Manasseh's com rades received the command: Stand at | easel" They must defend the hill. Ma nasseh leaned with his back against a \ cypress tree with a broken crown and overlooked the landscape swimming in the powder smoke. An order now came from the supreme commandery. The bat talio occupying the cypress hill is to take the Madonna della Scoperta." The chief of the battalion orders: Shoulder arms!' and cries: Onward boys!' The whole battalion looks at Manasseh, and should he shake his head. the whole troop would certainly set down l the butt of the guns and refuse to go forward. The commander is surely a | courageous soldier, but still he knows that what Is impossible for others is also impossible for him; 1t often happens that troops commanded to rush into death sit down upon the ground instead of march, ing onward.
 Manasseh looked up to the sky. which | ruyifH nd rio iorha ad kdeeply. Now the hour has come in which he must bow before the iron will of fate. He, the apostle of peace, must partici- pate in the work of bloodshed. '1Thy will be done"
 With this he took up his gun. stepped forth from the ranks and called to his | comrades. Onward. brethren!' And, leveling their guns, they all followed him. They began to sing "A mighty fortress Is our God" and thus they began to storm the fort.
 But they did not follow the path which the troops before him had taken, the pos- sible one, but they rushed up the impos- sible one. They advanced directly over the steep slope of the terrace wall of the Madonna della Scoperta," over a road on which the assailants were not protect ed by a tree or shrub.
 Thus they rushed forward, and in the meantime fired not single shot, while they were received by a murderous fire from behind the, walls. Many of the | faithful boys did not finish the song Their comrades strodS over their corpses and sang on, "a bulwark never failing"
 Quick as thought they reached the ter race wall, and did not allow their march to be arrested by 1t. They pushed their bayonets into the wall, supported one an- other and climbed up When they were singing the last verse of the psalm they had reached the top of the, wall. Ma nasseh was the first one up. And during the whole assault they had not fired sim gle shot. The Madonna della Scoperta," about which they had fought all day, was taken. The commander of the bat talion was beside himself with joy. He embraced and kissed Manasseh
 Tomorrow you will be an officer with a medal on your breast for your brav- cry"
 Manasseh smiled sadly. He thought he knew better what he would be on the morrow.
 But the enemy did not give up their cause as easily as this. From all sides, French troops advanced to retake the edifice. The flourish of their trumpets, signaling for the onslaught, resounded on all the covered paths on the heights. The drummers beat the drums for the attack. The imperial guard itself appeared on the battlefield.
 ''Let them come" said the commander. Here we can defy force outnumbering us tenfold We will beat them back be- fore our own troops arrive here Give fire, boys!'
 Manasseh now beckoned. at the same time shaking his head, upon which the whole troop put down their guns.
 What is that?P asked the commander in astonishment.
 Manasseh raised his fist, with his thumb extended toward Heaven, and said:
 '"There Is a God"'
 All his comrades did the same and cried:
 There is a God!'
 But what does this mean?'
 "God, who has forbidden, homicide"
 But you are soldiers. and stand on the battleield!'
 /. I've do our duty; we go whither we are sent; we can die, but we can not kill" ~"But the enemy will kill your
 Let them do so."
 Il The commander threatened, cried, beg ged, but all in vain. They always ans | swered:
 There is a God."
 They could be commanded to shoot, but that would be a mere waste of powder, tor they would shoot into the air.
 And none of them fired a shot at the