The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-08-24

through all ages, and posterity will say
OF them, Jacques, Andre, Joseph, were
brave men y"
Frantic cries of "Vive l'Empereur,"
"Vive lie Commandant," applauded this
harangue. The drum beat Farges
pompously drew his sabre, ranged his
little troop in line, and gave the order
to march.
The veterans, full of ardor, obeyed,
while Jean Pierre Noel, his arms crossed
upon his breast, and his wooden leg in
advance, followed them with his eyes
until they had disappeared behind the
esplanade.
The little company under Farges ad-
vanced across the immense forests of the
Homberg, with muskets at the shoulder,
eyes ON the watch, and ears turned to
the wind, as became brave soldiers who
did not care to give their bodies to the
vultures. All were animated by the
iveliest enthusiasm first, because it is
always agreeable to obtain your provis-
ions at the expense of others, to open
stores, confiscate hams, twist chickens
necks, tap hogshesds, explore the cellar,
X
ever your temperament may be, SAN
guine, nervous or even lymphatic, these
things always give pleasure. And then
the French love war nothing fires their
blood like the hope of battle; they
sing, they whistle, they cannot contain
their Joy. Our jolly fellows march for
ward like foxes. 1t was glorious to see
them passing along under the long ave.
nues of oaks and beeches, losing them
selves in the shade, appearing and reap
pearing at the bottom of the ravines,
scratching themselves in the underbrush
and climbing the rocks with marvellous
agility.
Farges marched in the rear of his col
umn by the side of Corporal Lombard.
Fancy fellow of fifty years, wearing a
cooked hat and big grey overcoat. His
large, square form promised extraordi-
nary vigor. His strongly marked fea-
lures, his red beard, the perpetual con-
traction of his brow, gave him hard
fierce air. A long scar furrowed his left
cheek and split open his upper lip, leav-
ing exposed two fine eye teeth, which
appeared through his thick moustache
and bore not little resemblance to the
plete the charm of his presence, this per-
son smoked stump of pipe, and puffs
of smoke escaped from the crevices and
openings in his cheek, from his ear to his
lips. Beriot Lombard had been twenty
nine years in the service, had gone
through thirty-two campaigns, and re-
ceived eighteen wounds. So, thanks to
his bravery and the happy concurrence
of circumstances, he had obtained the
grade of corporal.
"Well, Lombard" said Farges, length
ening the step little, "what do you
think of our expedition Do you think
it will succeed Z"
81 think" replied the corporal, with
smile that laid completely bare one side
of his jaw-bone, al think that if these
beggars of peasants had suspected our
coming visit, they would have got rid of
their cattle. Then goodbye to the COM
pany. know this, sergeant. In Spain
there was but one way to entrap them"
"What way was that, Lombard I"
"We watched for them in their viii
lagos. They came sometime es at night to
bake bread-for don't you see, sergeant,
one must have an oven to bake bread
And then we laid our hands on the nape
of their necks and confessed them-So
gently-you understand"
80, yes, corporal, but we are not in an
enemy's country"
"That's just why it is necessary to fall
upon them like bombshell. We must
surprise them agreesbly, and lay hold of
everything without doing them any in
jury. But it's hard thing to do, SER
geant, hard thing to do"
"How so, Lombard z" ...
In the first place the peasant is sly.
He is determined to keep what he has
got without troubling himself about the
honor OF his country. Then, too, since
1914 he hates US"
"Do you think so 2" asked Farges, in
doubling tone.
Sergeant, mind what 1 say. The
peasants are not fools. They remember
that last year we made tour of their
villages to provision the forts, and am
sure that the first thing they will do on
learning of this invasion, will be to con-
ceal their cattle in the forests"
Thus chatting by the way, they climb
ed the woody slopes of the Homberg. 1t
was about eight o'clock, the light was
fast fading away. and the thrushes,
perched upon the tops of the frs, called
to one another before plunging into the
darkness of the wood.
When the head of the column de-
bouched upon the plateau of Rothielt,
entirely covered with bushes and impen-
etrable underground, the night was so
dark that it was nearly impossible to see
the pathway. Farges gave the order to
halt.
al see nothing out of the way" said
he, Gin every ones smoking his pipe and
speaking his individual opinions; but
being under other orders-muna We
shall resume our march when the moon
rises"
After this speech he placed two senti-
nels, one at the mouth of the gorge, the
other on the side of the mountain, COM
manding a view of long line of peaked
rocks.
The veterans, worn out with fatigue,
threw themselves on the ground in the
midst of the thicket, while Farges and
Lombard, seated gravely ut the foot of
the tree, their guns between their legs,
discussed the plan of attack.
The moon was beginning to mount
above the frs of Oxenleier, and Farges
was thinking of giving the signal for
departure, when confused clamor was
suddenly borne up from the depths of
the valley. The sergeant sprang up in
surprise, and looked at Lombard, while