FOR THE CHILDREN'

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2740, 19 February 1910, Page 4 (Supplement)

FOR THE CHILDREN'

THE LITTLE LOMBARD SENTINEL

The event written clown in this little story happened m the year a le w days alter the battle of Solicrino and •San Martino, won by tne Italians and Erench over tJie Austrians, during the war tor the liberation of Lomoardy from the oppressive yoke of the latter. One early d line 'morning a little company of the Saluzzo cavalry wound its way slowiy by a lonely pathway in the direction of the enemy. J.t was inspdctmg tlie country on ali s:oos. ’liie coißpany was led by an olbcer and a sergeant; and ali gazed silently into the distance, their eyes iixecl, ready to see at any moment tne White, nnifoams of the outposts o! tae enemy between the trees.

In this way they came lip to a small cottage surrounded by trees- in mint or tiie door a bo} r was standing; lie might have been twelve years oiu. He was peeling a thin branch, with his penknife to make himself a slide. Irani a window of tiie cottage a large Italian llag was flying. The cottage itsell was deserted. The peasants, having hung out the llag, iiau run away ior rear or the Austrians. The moment he saw the horsemen the boy threw away his stick and lifted his cap. He was a handsome lad, possessing an open face, with big bide eyes and fair hair. He was in his shirt-sleeves; and the unbuttoned collar showed his bare neck.

"What are you up to there?” asked the officer, stopping Ins horse. "Why didn’t you leave with your family:-” “I have no family,” answered the boy. “I am a foundling. I work a little for everybody. lam waiting here just to see rhe war, and watch the Italians defeat their foes.”

“Have you seen any Austrians pass ?” “No, not for three days.” The officer sat still, thinking a moment ; then lie dismounted, and, leaving the soldiers, he went into the house and up on to the roof. The cottage was low, and from the roof he couid see only a small stretch of country. “One wound have to climb a tree,” thought the officer, and came down. J ust in front of the court a tall tree shot its leafy top into the blue sky. The officer was still lost in thought, looking first at the tree and then at the s oldiers. All of a sudden he turned to the boy and said:

“Can you see well, young one?’" : Ale? Oh, I could see a sparrow flying a mile away!” answered the boy. “Could you climb to the top of that tree?” “To the top of that throe? In half a minute!”

“And could you tell me what you see from there—if there are any Austrian soldiers in that direction, or clouds or dust, or guns that shine, or horses?” “Of course I could.” “And what shall I give you for being such a help to us?” “What shall you give me?” repeated the boy. “That’s good! Nothing! If it were for the Austrians—never! But for ours! lam Lombardo!”

“Very well, then, climb up the tree.”

“A second, while I take off my boots.” said the lad.

He pulled off his boots, tightened the strap round his waist, threw his cap on the grass, and flung his arms round the trunk of the tree.

“But look out,” exclaimed the officer, putting out his hand to stop the boy. as though a sudden fear flashed through his mind. The boy turned round to look at him. a question in his frank blue eyes. “It is all right,” sa:id the officer. “Go on, climb up the tree!” The brave boy climbed like a eat. “Look in front of you!” shouted the officer to the boy. In a few seconds the boy was at the top of the tree, his body clinging to the slender trunk, his legs hidden by the branches, but from his waist upward there was nothing to shield him.. The sun beat on his fair head, making it almost golden. The officer could hardly see him, he looked so small up there. “Look right in front of you !” shouted the officer cmxiouslv, as he gazed up.

The boy, to see better, loosed Ir’s right hand from the tree, and -shaded his eyes with it.

‘What do you sec?” asked the offi-

cer. The boy leaned towards him. and putting his hand to his mouth, shouted: “Two men on horseback on the white road.” “How far from here?” “Half a mile 1” “Are they moving?” “Xo, they’re not.” “What do you see?” asked the officer, after a moment’s silence. “Look to the right.” The hoy looked to the right. Then he said: “By the cemetery, through the trees, there is something that glitters. 1 don’t quite know, but I think it's bayonets.” “Do you see people?” “Xo; I expect they’re hidden by the cornfields that lie beyond the tree*.” At that moment' a bullet whistled high through the air and buried itself in the ground behind the cottage. “Como down at once, boy!” the officer. “They’ve seen you. I don’t want anything else. Come down!” “I am not afraid,” answered the boy. “Come down!” repeated the officer. “What is there to the left?” “To the left?” “Yes, to the left of you.” The boy leaned to the left. At that instant another bullet whistled through the air. Lhe ball had passed very near him. “Come down !” shouted the officer in a sort of frantic, fierce command. “I’ll come down at once,” answered the boy; “but the tree shields me. Do you want to know what iis t-o the loft?” “Yes,” answered the officer. “But come down!” “To the left,” shouted the boy, stretching his body to that side, “where there’s a little chapel, I think I see—” A third ball cut through the air, and the boy turned. For a moment he seemed to cling to the -trunk and

branches, and then he fell head fore r most, with open arms.

“Malediction!” cried the officer,, rushing up. ■j’lie body fell on his back, his arms outstretched; a stream of blood flowed from his left side. The sergeant and two soldiers leapt from their horses. The officer bent down and unbuttoned the boy’s shirt/ Tiie hall had entered the left lung. “He’s dead!” exclaimed the officer. “No, lie’s alive!” answered the sergeant, holding his hand. "Boor boy—brave little fellow!” cried the officer. “Courage, courage!” But while he was saying “Courage” and pressing his handkerchief to the wound, the boy opened bis eyes wide/ and seemed to look at him, his head fell back, and he died. The officer turned pale. He held him for a moment longer, gazing at him, then lie laid him on the gra;s. lie got up and stood looking down at him; and the sergeant and the two soldiers stood motionless over him. “Poor bt>y! Poor boy!” the officer repeated sadly. Then he went into the house, took away the Italian flag, and spread it over the little dead body, leaving only tiie lace uncovered. The sergeant picked up the boots, the cap, the half-peel-ed stick, the knife, and put them ail together at the hoy’s side. They stood silent for a moment, then the officer turned to the sergeant. “Wo will send the ’ ambulance for him, ’ lie said. “He has died as a soldier; the soldiers .shall bury him!” When he had said this, lie kissed his hand to the boy and shouted, “To horse!” The soldiers jumped on to their saddles, the company formed again, and they resumed their march. By the same road that the cavalry had trod that morning, passed in the'evening a large battalion of soldiers who had fought valiantly a few days before at the great battle of San Martino.

The story of the boy s death had already spread itself among the soldiers before they left camp. The path, which was on the bank of a little stream, ran within a few steps of the cottage. "When the first officers of the battalion saw the little body sretebed at the foot of the tree and covered by the flag, they saluted with their swords; and one of them, as he passed, snatched a few blossoms and threw them on the little form. "Bravo, bravo, little patriot !”

One officer threw him his medal for valour: another stooped t<> touch the boy’s forehead. And the flowers still rained, on his fair head. And lie slept on in the grass as though he was glad to have given his life for his dear country, Lombardia.