Year: 1860

In the year of 1872, in the ninth regiment
of the line, (which formed part of the great
army that Napoleon lost in Russia there was
a little drummer-boy named Bilbouquet. Of
course, that was not the name his Godfathers
and Goduothers had given him in baptism,
but it was the only enc by which he was
known throughout the regiment. The sol
diers, and especially the grown-up drummers,
and above all, the terrible drum-major, were
IN the habit of teasing little Bilboquet, as boy
never had been teased before. The drum-ma-
jor used even to beat him across the shoulders
with the heavy cane which these military bead
les are in the habit of swinging and twisting
at the head of the regiment. At first little
Bilboquet used to cry, but then his comrades
only laughed at him, and the teTTlbse-druna
major beat him all the more. Yet little Bill
boquet never did any thing wrong-not in one
sense. that is to say, for in another, he never
did ANYTHING right. He was neither lazy, nor
untidy, nor greedy, nor mean, nor revengeful,
though he certainly did owe grudge to the
drum. major, which he was resolved one day or
otter, to pay, but he always had his drum
slung little too much on one side, or got oat
of step in marcAiag, or stood in the wrong
place when the company was drawn up in line,
or committed some mistake, which was natu-
raj enough on the part of the boy who had
just left his top and marbles, to join the great
est general of the age, but which was looked
upon by the drum major and other rigid dis
ciplinarians, as quite unpardonabfe.


The ninth of the line, with Bilboquet at its
head-the drummers always march in front
was on the banks of the Dwina, and on the
high road TO Moscow, when the general COM
manding the brigade of which this regiment
formed part, was ordered by the Emperor, to
occupy position on the other side of an enor-





Tase ravine was defended by a battery of
six guns. These guns were of large calibre,
and were we'll served by the Russians.


care those anything ike the pop guns you
used to play with at school, young Bilboquet!"
asked the magnificent, but slightly brutal
drum-major, as he twisted his long moustache
between his finger and thumb.


The little drummer bit his lips, for he felt
that the tall oppressor doubted his courage;
but he did not utter word.


"Do you hear how the ground shakes?''
continued the giant. "Ahl it's lucky your
| head is not so high as mine, and it's luckier
still that the Cossa cks have a very excellent
habit of firing into the air"
But the Cossacks (the French call all Rus
sian soldiers Cossacks,) lowered the muzzles
of their pieces, and then the drum-major and
his little pupil, saw the whole files of soldiers
knocked down like kittles-with this differ
| ence, that it would be impossible ever to make
! them stand up again.
An aid-de-camp now galloped up to the
colonel of the ninth, who was in front OF the
regiment close to where Bilboquet and the
! drum-major were standing.


"Take the battery with two hundred men, .
were the concise orders.


"Yes!" it's easy enough to say stake the
battery with two hundred men," muttered an
old sergeant, but should like to see twenty
of them get there.
sThe Emperor is waiting" added the aid
de-camp, observing that the soldiers were not
oyer-pleased with the work they had before
them. 6sz r.


/ The captain of Bilboquet's company was to
Head the assault with two hundred voltiguers.
| NIf the emperor is looking at us, we must
be quick" said the old sergeant, as he fixed
his bayonet to his fre-lock. afa,


| The captain noticed considerable hesitation
| in the ranks. Twice he had ordered the
drum major to take couple of drummers, go
to the front and beat charge. The drum
major was evidently in no hurry. He was
leaning on his long cane and shook his head
from side to side as he examined the drum
mers without the slightest appearance of en-
/ thusiasm. -ts'f+s 2t+


In the meanwhile, Bilboquet set astride on
his little drum whistling marshal air between
his teeth; and beating tattoo with his fingers
on the parchment. IS. = g


At length the captain lowered his brow, and
in voice of thunder, roared out the order for
the third time. The gigantic drum major
nevertheless seemed inclined to spend a
| few minutes more in the selection of his drum
me1s, when suddenly, young Blbcquet sprang
fastening his drum to his side, seized his drum
sticks convulsively, and passing close to his
tyrant, looked at him from head to foot, and
exclaimed with an air of triumph


@Now, who's afraid of the pop-guns?"
The drum major was about to strike him,
but Bilboquet was at the head of the two com
panie: beating the charge in furious style
The soldiers advanced. Bilboquet hurried on,
and the men rushed after him towards the
terrible battery.