Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1921-02-18


score of BUSHES breaking through the
shadow. Then we closed up again.
while the growing ahead OF us grew
louder and deeper than ever.
There's three batteries there" said
the sergeant '"There's Bulls and
Webber Smiths, but the other is new.
There's some more on ahead of us.
for here's the track Of a ne-pounder.
and the others were all twelyes. Choose
twelve IL you want to get hit for
nine mashes you up. but twelve
snaps you like carrot"-and he went
on to tell about the wonderful wounds
that he had seen until my blood ran
like iced water In my veins. and you
might have rubbed all our faces in
pipeclay and we should have been no
whittier. AYE. you'll look sicklier yet
when you get hatful Of grape into
your tripes." said he; and then. as
saw some Of the cid soldiers laughing.
/ began to understand that this man
was trying to frlghten us, so l began
to laugh also. and the others as well,
but 1t was not very hearty laugh
either.
The sun was almost above us when
we stopped at a little place called Hal,
where there Is an old pump from
which l drew and drank a shake full
Of water-and never did mug Of
Scotch ale taste as sweet. More guns
passed us here, and Vivian's hussars
three regiments of them, smart men
with bonny brown horses.:N,a treat to
the eye. The noise Of the cannons was
louder than ever now, and 1t tingled
through my nerves just as 1t had done
years before when. with Edie by my
side. I had seen the merchant ship
fight with the pri ateers. 1t was so
loud now that II seemed to me that
the battle must be going on just be-
yond the nearest wood, but my friend
the sergeant knew better.
ITS twelve to fifteen miles on" said
he. "you may be sure that the general
knows that we are not wanted. or we
should not be resting here at Hal"
What he said proved to be true, for
a minute later down came the colonel
Will ohuCAo lhat VIC SHVulu StuIA
and biyOuac where we were, and there
we stayed all day, while horse and
foot and guns, English, Dutch and
Hanoverians, were streaming through.
The devils music went on till evening,
sometimes rising into roar. some
times sinking into grumble, until
about eight o'clock in the evening 1t
stopped altogether. We were eating
our hearts out, as you may think, to
know what 1t all meant, but we knew
that what the Duke did would be for
the best, so we just waited in patience.
Next day the brigade remained at
Hal In the morning. but about midday
came an order from the Duke. and VIE
pushed on once more until we came to
village called Bralne something. and
there we stopped, and time. too. for
sudden thunderstorm came on and a
plump of rain that turned all the roads
and the fields into bog and mire. We
got into the barns at this village for
shelter. and there we found two strag-
glers, one from killed regiment and
the other man Of the German legion,
who had tale to tell that was as
dreary as the weather.
Boney had thrashed the Prussians
the day before. and our fellows had
been sore put to 1t to hold their own
against Ney, but had beaten him Oft at
last. 1t seems an old. stale story to
you now. but you cannot think how we
scrambled around those two men in
the barn. and pushed and fought just
how those who had heard were In turn
mobbed by those who had not. We
laughed and cheered and groaned all
In turn. as we were told how the Forty
fourth had received cavalry in line.
how the Dutch Belginns had fed. and
how the Black Watch had taken the
lancers into their square, and then had
killed them at their leisure. But the
lancers had had the laugh on Their
side when they crumpled up the Sixty
ninth and carried of one of the colors.
To wind 1t all up. the Duke was in re-
treat, In order to keep In touch with
the Prussians. and 1t was rumored that
he would take up his ground and fight
big battle just at the very place
where we had been halted.
And soon We saw that this rumor
WAS true for the weather cleared
toward evening and we We're all out
on the ridge to see what we could see.
1t was such q bonny stretch OF corn
and grazing land. with the crops just
half green and half yellow. and fine
rye as high as a mans shoulder. A
scene more full of peace you could not
think of, aud look where you would
over the low. curving. corn-covered
hills, you could see the little village
steeples pricklng up their spires among
the poplars. But slashed right across
this pretty picture was a long trail
OF marching men. some red, some
green, some blue. some black, zigzag-
ging over the plain and choking the
roads. one end so close that we could
shout to them as they stacked their
muskets on the ridge at our left, and
the other end lost among the woods
as far as we could see. And then on
nfhnr rnaAa ua co~ &hn faavnu ne