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Show A SALAMANDER. It wa n warm corner. Day after day the Frm-h soldiers had pushed their batteries nearer nrd roarer toward the besieged town, and now one cnill bok iut from behind the breastworks and plainly see ihe faces of the Austrian artillerymen i they stuck to their guns with grim determination determina-tion iinJ sent their shots flying into the French In cr.e of these mud-constructed forts a small party f French soldiers under the command of a j rrrp,,raj va re busily engaged in returning the fire if memy. Th'1 croral. a tall, gaunt young fellow of ttrriity. wps directing the work of his men. Often he Iraprn to the ramnarts to note what effect the r.:c -.f hi runs -was producing. "Truly, aid one of the soldiers, as the corporal cor-poral jumped back among them, "thou art a veri-lablf veri-lablf salamander, for thou canst stand fire." '"h is a salamander?" inquired a gruff voice :mm :h rr of the smoke-filled battery. The s.rlliers turned and saw standing there a rosi!. pale-faced man in a general's uniform. rV t-f the men pointed toward the corporal. "h i ho. perioral."' be replied. 'jamr.nder! We will see!"' reiterated the '"':, i.s. he ran his eye over the corporal. "Can ysTrriiet" he inquired. "'r-. my general." ioliow Up? then." Out into the shot-swept 'Y'' !) tw.i passed, walking side by side. i Wi sorm." remarked the general, pleasantly. I hr at lat a foot taller than T. Kindly walk y M -idc." and he indicated the side nearest ';,rrn- "It will be a great protection to me." I'l'hoijt a word the corporal took the place. , at tliat moment a shell burst directly over -ilif-ads. but did them no harm. I ho ...ffieer cast a quick glance at his compan-K)t!. compan-K)t!. lie v;is not in the least flurried. He did not nai.-ken his pace. P'f-f-ntiy they reached and entered a battery, niciMv;. rir;m.st nf aj t0 tie Austrian lines. It s tiiir j vjth dead and wounded soldiers. Only ''VJ' T' mained standing. r. ''rr'h' "-'ating himself on a broken gun car-n-.- general gave the corporal paper and !'U l: y.'i'l ink. 2nd commanded him to write as he 'fpan -, diotate a letter. v '" , r,i r,ra',s hand did not shake. He wrote -'nt'-r rapidly 8s the general spoke. ':'! !' tjjy. jnst as the letter was finished, there '-a:ening report, and a huge cannonball f' 'nr' a')0VP them and buried itself with a ? l1r,iI'! the earth beyond. The wind caused . J'- pnace overturned the two, and dust and jrr. fr,mr,f.tr.v covemJ them. f II,.- pp,f.ra plcked himself up in an instant, '.m v .; UU)g up0n the ramparts, the corporal "8U" lini-hed letter defiantly toward the Aus- "ian i:,;Pc. "Tl i my friends." he shouled. "You have tlv"'i n.r ihf. 1 rouble of blotting it." I' k penuine admiration crept into the : iir jreneral. ( your name?" he asked harshly. rjH.rjii Junot of the Ninth Foot, general." v, 1 3y r;'1r'r 'Captain Junot,' for I cannot afford r' 'U'h fellows as you remain corporaK" and CT' 'r'TiaP,rt1 for it was he clapped the ' ir.sn on the shoulder. , ft -V'nrR atpr Marshal Junot was decorated thT.- r'ran'' (vn of the Legion of Honor by k, , ni,u r Napoleon Frank E. Channon in Despatch. |
