The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-10-13

from the bed of suffering, dragging
| after them their sheets, like shrouds,
to perish at the hands Of foreign sol
diers on the threshold over which the
day before had passed the Viaticum! !
I saw lying In the street the body of
a woman they had slaughtered, and
at her side her infant still nursing at
Its dead mothers breast
Dangerously wounded aud unable
to take further part in the conflict. I
fed to Clara's house.
Full OF anguish and terror, she
stood at the window fearing for my
life and risking her own to see me In
case l should chance to pass through
the street
II entered and fastened the door,
but my pursuers had already caught
sight OF Clara-and she was SO beauti-
full!
"They saluted her with roar OF
savage joy and burst of brutal laugh
ter. A moment more and the door
would yield to the ak ana the flames.
We were lost!
"Clara's mother, carrying In her
arms her year-old babe, led US to the
cistern or reservoir of the house,
which was very deep and which was
now dry, as no rain had fallen for sew
eral months, and there we concealed
ourselves.
THE child I have spoken of, whose
name was Miguel. was Clara's brother.
In the cistern we four might find
safety. Seen from the yard the cistern
seemed simple we'll. The French
would think we htd made our escape
by the roof
They soon declared that such was
the case, uttering horrible oaths while
they rested themselves in the shady
yard, in the center Of which was the
cistern.
"Yes, we were saved! Clara bound
up my bleeding hand, her mother
nursed Miguel, and /. although l was
shivering from the chill which had
followed the fever caused by my
wound, smiled with happiness.
"At this moment we noticed that the
soldiers, wishing, doubtless, to slake
their thirst, were trying to draw water
from the cistern in which we were
concealed.
Picture to yourselves our anguish
at this instant!
1--WE drew aside to make way for the
bucket which descended until it
touched the floor.
"The bucket was drawn up again.
1.-THE we'll is dry!' cried the SOL
diers.
There must be water upstairs
exclaimed one.
"'They are going away!' we all said
to ourselves.
What if they should be concealed
In this well! cried voice In Catalan.
1T was renegadel "a Spaniard
who had betrayed us!
What nonsense!' responded the
Frenchman; they could not have get
ten down there SO suddenly
That is true responded the rene
gade.
They did not know that the cistern
could be entered by an underground
passage, whose door or trap, carefully
concealed in the floor of dark cellar,
somewhat distant from the house, it
would be almost impossible to discov
er. We had, however. committed the
impudence Of locking the iron grating
which cut off the communication be-
tween the cistern and the passage, and
1yfr
great deal of noise.
"At this moment the babe Miguel
began to cry.
But at his first whimper his mother
silenced the sounds that threatened
to betray our hiding place, pressing
the infants tender face into her
bosom.
Ibid you hear that?' cried some
one in the yard above.
"I heard nothing responded one of
the soldiers.
"Let US isten,' said the renegade.
Three horrible minutes passed.
Miguel struggled to get his voice,
and the more closely his mother
pressed his face into her bosom.
"It must have been an echo!' eI-
claimed the soldiers.
"'Yes, that was IT, assented the
renegade.
And they took their departure. and
we could hear the noise of their steps
and the clanking of their sabers slowly
dying in the direction of the gate
"The danger was passed!
"But, alas! our deliverance had
come too late.
Baby Miguel neither cried nor
struggled now.
HE was dead!"