Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1871-01-26
RENE, THE C0NSCRIPT.
PART l..


iT was in a dull garrison town in
France. | was was utterly weary of the
place, Business took me there, and bust,
ness detained me longer than suited either
my pleasure or my pocket. | had reason
to hope that the affair | was engaged in
would prove lucrative in the end, but the
that end was long in coming, and in the
meantime | was not flush of cash, and had
to economist strictly
With this laudable end in view, gen.
orally dined at small restaurant in one
OF the streets leading from the market
place 1t had the advantage Of being de,
Gently kept and was much frequcnted
by the subalterns of the regiment in gar,
rison.
One of the most regular customers at
THIS restaurant was souslieutenant. He
was man OF middle age; his grave coun-
tenance was tinged with melancholy.
Ills thick moustachc was already griZzled,
ana scar across the cheek added to the
general grimness of his appearance.
There was something about this man that
attracted me in spite of his grimness. BY
tne medals on his coat he had evidently
been distinguished in active service, and
ny the manner Of his brother officers, he
was as evidently held in respect What
attracted me SO much in this man was the
singular change that came over his coun.
tellance when he spoke and smiled 1t
was as II he had two natures, one over
laying and keeping back the other that
was only allowed TO appear on the sur
face at rare intervals That man has
history, said to myself, and | watched
him with interest.
The good people who kept the restau-
rant had one child, chubby, round faced
urchtn they called Babot what his real
name was | never heard. The favorite
amusement with the boys Of the town was
playing at soldiers Babot had one day
got possession Of an old tin saucepan /;
this he had inverted into drum--to his
own intinite satisfaction--w hen party Of
older boys, marching past, seized the
mimic drum and made off with it, leaving
Babot bowling.
Hearing the outcry, Fabre--that was the
rame Of the sous lieutenant | have been
describing-started up from the table and
strobe to the door. followed, fearing the
child had met with an accident Fabre
was first. Finding what had happened
he took the boy in his arms, and carried
hsn to the nearest toy shop, and smart
scarlet, and tinsel drum, soon turned tears
ihto growing laughter
llere' said the sous lieutenant, set.
uhg The child down; "iF any of the boys
,ry p takq this from you, tell them that
apre VIII be after them. Poor little fel.
low We none Of us Ike to lose our treas
ures, do we, BabotYn
AS he spoke, there came into his face
that sudden change have spoken Of He
sighed deeply, and, as he pronounced the
word treasures" his voice faltered.
This trivial incident led to conversation
and from that time Fabre and | became
friends When he was off duty, we fire.
quently strolled together alond the walls
or the poplar-lined banks Of the sleepy
river He had been in both the Crimean
and Italian wars was rnan of keen oh
servaton. and excellent company, when
once the ice of hsbtnal iacitErnity and
reserve was broken through.
One evening We wexc sauntering about
the togn, when a party of conscripts was
marched in. They were evidently country
lads for the most part-the raw material
slauching and awkward Each had the
Number BE-. had drawn stuck IN his hat
Some Tl% indifferent or suilen, others
laughed and shouted--ane or two looked