Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1921-02-25

NJ tho gnnners. so that three pieces
out or six on our left were lying with
their men Strewed in the mud all
round them. But the Duke hnd his
eyes everywhere, and up he galloped
at that moment a thin, dark. wiry
man, with very bright eyes. ooked
nose. and big cockade. on his cap.
There were n dozen officers mt his
heels, all as merry as II II We're a fox
hunt; but Of the dozen there WIS not
one left In the evening.
Warm work. Adams" said he as
he rode up.
"Very warm. your grace" said our
general
But We can outstay them at II.
think! Tut! tut! we cannot le' Skin
mlshers silence battery. Just drive
those fellows out Of that. Adams"
Then first l knew what devils
thrill runs through a man when he is
given bit Of fighting to do. Up to
now we had just lain and been killed,
which is the weariest kind of work.
Nv" II was Jul luIll, anu, my WOTu,
we were ready for It. Up we jumped.
the whole brigade, In a four-deep line.
and rushed at the cornfield as hard as
we could tear. The skirmishers snap
ped at us as we came. and then away
they bOlted like corn-crakes, their
heads down, their backs rounded, and
their muskets at the trail. Half of
them got away, but we caught up the
others, the officer first, for he was a
very fat man who could not run fast.
1t gave me quite turn when I saw
Rob Stewart on my right stick his
bayonet into the mans broad back and
heard him howl like lost soul. There
was no quarter in that field, and 1t
was butt or point for all of them The
mems blood was aflame. and little won
der, for those wasps had been sting
ing all morning without our being able
so much as see them.
And now, as we broke through the
farther edge Of the cornfield we got
in front of the smoke, and there was
the whole French army in position be-
fore us, with only two meadows and
narrow lane between us. We set up
yell as we saw them, and away we
should have gone. slap at them, If we
had been left to ourselves, for silly
young soldiers never think that harm
can come to them until 1t is there in
their midst. But the Duke had can
tered his horse beside us as we ad-
vanced, and now he roared something
to the general, and the officers all
rode in front Of our line, holding out
their arms for us to stop. There was
blowing of bugles, a pushing and q
showing, with the sergeants cursing
and digging us with their halberts,
and in less time than it takes me to
write it there was the brigade in
three neat little squares, all bristling
with bayonets and in echelon, as they
call it, so that each could fire across
the face Of the other.
1t was the saving of u.s. as even so
young soldier as l was could very
easily see. And we had none too
much time, either. There was low.
rolling hill on our right flank, and
from behind this there came a sound
like nothing on this earth so much
as the beat Of the waves on Berwick
coast when the wind blows from the
east. The earth was all shaking with
that dull, roaring sound. and the air
was full of It, STEADY. Seventy-first,
for Gods sake, steady!" shrleked the
voice Of our colonel behind us, but In
front was nothing but the green, gen.
tie slope of the grassland. all notified
with daisies and dandelion.
And then suddenly, over the curve,
we saw eight hundred brass helmets
rise up, all In moment. each with
long tag of horsehair flying from its
crest, and then eight hundred fierce
brown faces. all pushed forward, and
glazing out from between the ears Of
ms many horses. There was an instant
of cleaning breast-plates. waving
swords, tossing names, fierce red nos
trils opening and shutting. and hoofs
paving the air before us, and then
down came the line of muskets, and
our bullets smacked up against their
armor like the clatter of hailstorm
upon window. / fired with the rest,
and then rammed down another charge
as fast as could, staring out through
the smoke In front of me, where l
could see some long, thin thing. which
tapped slowly backward and for
ward. A bugle sounded for us to
cease firing, and Whit of wind came
to clear the curtain from In front Of
us, and then we could see what had
happened.
(TO BE CONTINUED)