El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-12-04
A Living Torch
By Rene aIaizerOy.

" AR away on the distant horizon the
sky was trembling with a strange
light. The stars were growing
pale and looked like nightlamps going
out from lack Of oil The roar OF the
guns began again, violent. inexorable.
Corporal Baucarel was polishing and
sharpening the point Of his bayonet
With quiverlng nostrils and beaming
eyes he inhaled with delight the smell
Of powder in the air
They are awakened by music; that
will wake them UP, the little lambs"
he cried.
The drummer, Lacremade, who was
beating the signal to attack. on his
drum, picked up his knapsack and said;
4 wonder what we are waiting for 70
drive them out of their skins?"
We were standing in our trenches
ready for an assault
Leaning against a post, the colonel
was putting on his gloves as If about
to attend a ball.
DO you believe in ghosts, Thorail-
les" he asked me. brushing a few
grains OF ashes off his Immaculate
coat
did not know what to answer to this
unexpected question. so ne began lo
T believe" he said, that an invisi-
bic tie binds US closely to the souls OF
those who have loved US and gone pc
fore US One cannot help believing IN
their presence everywhere ana az AL
times. fnvfsible and helpful. They take
part in your life, enlighten your con-
science, follow your every step Iney
protect YOU and sustain your strength
IN the moment Of supreme danger Iney
last night my mother appeared to me.
Her pale, beautiful face was covered
with tears and she was wringlnS her
slender white hands, crying; Pity on
do have pityr'
The noise Of a falling wall thrown
down by our shells cut short MS words.
A cloud Of smoke and dust arose ana
hid from sight the monastery OF santa
Engracia at which our gunners were
aiming. An immense tongue Of flame
shot up and Illuminated the magniIl-
cent front Of the building with all It's
marble statues Of Catholic saints and
flames, the roar Of the guns, the
screening Of the shells, was heard the
despairing OratoriO; Parce. domino,
parce populo tuo," sung with all their
power by hundreds Of ardent voices
trembling with fanatical hatred and de-
spair.
NJ LIE Piquier d'Almayrac said:
Remember what I say today. The
some dirty trick. Ny road is mapped
out toward eternity, and, after all
what does it matter? little sooner,
or a little later, we ali have to pass
Surrounded by his staff. the duke Of
Monticello came down the road. The
companies lined up and presented arms,
The field marshal raised his hand to his
cooked hat and saluted
IN d'Almayrac," he cried in a loud
voice, your regiment is to have the
honor Of entering the breach first"
The soldiers raised their caps on the
point IF their bayonets and shouted.
Forward! Forward Long live the
marshal"
I shall not try to describe in detail
the capture Of SaragOssa. the murder
Gus fighting in the streets, the Eand
to hand struggle with horde of furi-
Gus demons. When I think OF It now
after ali these years, it appears to me
like a foretaste Of the inferno
We had reached Gale San Gorge
fighting every step, and had only a
| handful Of men left Ny uniform was
| torn and I was bleeding from many
wounds. Almost blind, maddened with
pain, I was barely able to stand on
my feet and dying with thirst.
In the great tower Of the church Of
Santa Cruz, furious monk was cling
ing to the bellrOpe still sounding the
tocsin. Baucarel aimed at him care
fully and picked him down like q bird.
Courageous and alert as ever, Juana
came toward me, poured a goblet OF
wine from the small barrel hanging
at her waist in a tri-color scarf
As I stretched out my hand to take
| It, shot rang out from behind a
barred window. The young girl clasped
at her heart with both hands, a torrent
of blood gushed from her lips and she
/ fell to the ground dead.
VI. lie Piquier d'Almayrac turned pale
and cried: Poor little onei Death to
! her assassin
Mad with fury, seeing red like Achil-
/ les when he rushed into the thick of
the fight to revenge the death Of his
! friend Patrocles, the colonel rushed
| into the house from which the shot had
/ been fired. We had no time to follow
Z him. The heavy gate, bound with iron
bands, studded with nails moved on
/ its massive hinges with a sound which
( ground into our hearts. The unfortu-
nate man had been caught in the tran
How were We TO help him? How set
| him free?
] We broke the butts Of our guns. our