e he was! With what pleasure would I not have said
frankly to his face: "Derossi, you are worth more than I in everything!
You are a man in comparison with me! I respect you and I admire you!"

THE LITTLE VIDETTE OF LOMBARDY.

(_Monthly Story._)

Saturday, 26th.

In 1859, during the war for the liberation of Lombardy, a few days after
the battle of Solfarino and San Martino, won by the French and Italians
over the Austrians, on a beautiful morning in the month of June, a
little band of cavalry of Saluzzo was proceeding at a slow pace along a
retired path, in the direction of the enemy, and exploring the country
attentively. The troop was commanded by an officer and a sergeant, and
all were gazing into the distance ahead of them, with eyes fixed,
silent, and prepared at any moment to see the uniforms of the enemy's
advance-posts gleam white before them through the trees. In this order
they arrived at a rustic cabin, surrounded by ash-trees, in front of
which stood a solitary boy, about twelve years old, who was removing the
bark from a small branch with a knife, in order to make himself a stick
of it. From one window of the little house floated a large tricolored
flag; there was no one inside: the peasants had fled, after hanging out
the flag, for fear of the Austrians. As soon as the lad saw the cavalry,
he flung aside his stick and raised his cap. He was a handsome boy, with
a bold face and large blue eyes and long golden hair: he was in his
shirt-sleeves and his breast was bare.

"What are you doing here?" the officer asked him, reining in his horse.
"Why did you not flee with your family?"

"I have no family," replied the boy. "I am a foundling. I do a little
work for everybody. I remained here to see the war."

"Have you seen any Austrians pass?"

"No; not for these three days."

The officer paused a while in thought; then he leaped from his horse,
and leaving his soldiers there, with their faces turned towards the foe,
he entered the house and mounted to the roof. The house was low; from
the roof only a small tract of country was visible. "It will be
necessary to climb the trees," said the officer, and descended. Just in
front of the garden plot rose a very lofty and slender ash-tree, which
was rocking its crest in the azure. The officer stood a brief space in
thought, gazing now at the tree, and again at the soldiers; then, all of
a sudden, he asked the lad:--

"Is your sight good, you monkey?"