Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1854-12-21

ue comrads, bilooquet, with inhamed cheeks
and fearful eyes.
But, general. was there too said BilbO-
quet, almost angrily. Twas who beat the
charge in front-'tWas who was the first 10
enter E
What would you have. my boyl You eer-
tainly have been forgotten replied the gener.
al Moreover he added, remarking that be
was nothing but child, you are still very
young, and you will get the cross when you
4:;s is Ge:;4 Ge::4 On your cain. Meanwhile, here
is something to console you little
So saying, the general held out forty
franc piece to poor BilbOquet, who looked at it
without seeming willing to take it, A deep
silence had fallen on ell present. Every one
observed him atientively, aud remained mo-
tiOnless in front Of the general Those who
had most i'll used him were touched; and per-
hsps there would have been general petition
in bis favor, If he had not abruptly raised his
head, as if he had just formed great resOlu-
tiOn. and said to the general;
1t is better than nothing. You may give 1t
me If you please; will look forward to another
opportunity
; Aud without further ceremony he put the
piece Of gold into his pocket, and returned to
his rank, Shistling with deliberate and salts
fed air,
From that day forward. NO one ever made a
laughing stock Of little Bilboquet; but be did
not become the more communicative for that.
On the contrary, he seemed to be turning over
some famous project in bis head; and instead Of
treating his comrades with the money. as they
expected, he kept it, and carefully treasured
itup,
Some time afterward the French troops en-
tered Smolensk victorious, and full of ardor.-.
BilbOquet was among them; and the very day
Of his arrival, he went to take a walk through
4, the town, appearing to be extremely charmed
. with nearly all the male counLenances he met.
: He gaEed at them with smiling face, and
i, seemed to be examining them exactly in the
A way an amateur does when he is choosing some
/ article of fancy goods.
A must tell you, however. that he thus re-
q garded only those Of the peasantry who wor
. long boards. These were, undoubtedly; very
we'll shaped and very thick, but were all OIL
. such bright and ugly red, that after a mo-
ment's examination, Bilboquet turned on bis
. iceland went further on Att last by continuing
4 this process ofinspectiOn, our round headed
6 drummer reached the Jews Quarter. The
Jews at Smolensk. as throughout the whole oI
Poland and Russia, deal in all sorts of articles
a and inhabit particular quarter by themselves
!. Bilboquet had not walked about it long, before
A he felt in state of the highest delight. Fan.
= cy 9 collection Of the most beautiful boards in
. the world, black as ebony; for the Jewish ma.
ton, dispersed as it is, universally retains its
dark complexion, and the brilliant blackness Of
= its hair. Bilboquet was perfectly enchanted
, At last he made up his mind to enter small
, shop which was tenanted by a Jew with mag
niGcent beard, The dealer advanced to NEE
our friend, humbly asking him, in very bat
French:
Vat do you want, my little MOnsheer?'
1 want your beard cavalierly answered
Bilboquet.
e my peardp said the dealer, thunderstruck
You must be shokng.'
:. Not joking at ALL replied the proud con
queror, putting bis hand to the sabre. i tell
. you, slave, l must have your beard; but d.
! not fancy that l wish to rob you Of it. There
!. there's forty y,franc Napoleon. Give me ny
\ lchange.'
"A The dealer tried to make Bilboquet listen I,
a reason, but in vain, He insisted upon having
- bis own way as obstinately as blind horse;-
and fierce dispute soon commenced betweel
:. them, which attracted the attention of the sol
). diers. They entered the shop to learn the sui
~ ject OF the quarrel, and they found the drum
is mer's icea so drOll and original, that they in
j. sisted on the jews yielding up his beard =
y. One of them, a GasCOn and the regimental bar
i. oer drew MS razors out OF his pocket, and be
10 gan shaving the unfortunate Israelite, whethe
ls he would or no, without the aid Of either waite
p or soap, and without being nice whether be Gu
n him or not The operation ended, he formally
delivered the nky fleece to Bilboquet, who a
once carried il off in triumph. On reaching
O. his regiment, he got the tailor to sew the raw
q shed tresses to piece of ass's skin, which hat
once been drum head; and without saying
. word of his plans to any one. he put the whole
at the bottsm Of his knapsack. The msttel
was much talked of for several days. but thC
P soldiers had more important things to attent
IN to. They were again upon the march. ant
lis BilbOqnet was as good as forgotten when thsl
arrived at Moscow.
e. Then followed those terrible disasters whicI
ms are familiar to the world. The French army
es was compelled to retreat across desert coun
Al. try coyerd with interminable snow I have n,