A CRIMEAN WAR STORY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 83, 7 April 1900, Page 13 (Supplement)

A CRIMEAN WAR STORY.

One of the stories of the Crimean War

told by the novelist Turgenieff, and well authenticated by existing letters, is peculiarly touching. Sergius IVanovitch, a young Russian lieutenant, was one of an attacking party which was ordered out on a cold night to drive a body of French from a position in front of the Russian lines. In order to be as free as possible in his movements, the j young lieutenant left his military cloak [ behind. I i The French were found well posted in the edge of a wood. A desperate fight followed, at the end of which the Russians were compelled to withdraw, leaving their | dead and wounded behind them. Amongthe grievously wounded was the young Russian lieutenant, and all about him were Frenchmen in like case. Sergius suffered worse even from the cold than he did from his wound k and though a bullet had penetrated his leg he was sure that the exposure of the night, rather than the wound, would be the end of him. Groaning and shivering, he was about to examine as best he could the wound in his leg, when someone said in French: "You had best let your wound alone. Suffer, and disturb it as little as possible." The Russian found that the man Who had spoken was a veteran French captain, wh6, even worse wounded than himself, lay close by. "No doubt you are right," said Sergius, "but I shall perish of cold before morning." Then the Frenchman reproved him for coming but in the show without his cloak. "Experience has taught mfc," lye said, "never to go without my cloak. But this time it is not likely to save me. I am mortally wounded." "Oh, they will come and get you." "No, my dear enemy. It is all up with me. The shot has gone deep—l shall not last till help comes. Here, take my cloak and wrap yourself in it and sleep. At your age one can sleep anywhere." Despite his protests, the young Russian felt the Frenchman's cloak laid upon him. Exhausted, he fell asleep under Its warmIng Influence. When he awoke In the morning he found the French captain dead by his side.