Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-01-26
MISCELLANEOUS.
RENE, THE CONStRIPT.
PART /.

Al 8a3 III nUii SaEII5Oh gpWu Ii
Fvszes was vas utterly weary Of the
yiarr- EEsiness t5Jk me there. and bust.
nes desAined.me longer than suited either
zg paeAsure or my pocket had reason
- hepe that the affair was engaged in
you'd prove lucrative In the lend, but
fass end was long in coming, and in the
ne~nime was not flush Of cash, and had
u cconoGnise strictly. '
WAh this hudablc end In view, gem
EMILY dined at small restaurant in one
q the streets leading from the market
pkacn 1t had the advantage of being dc.
sentay kept, aud was much frequclted
b. the subaltcrns Of the regiment IN gar
sisoR- ~ FSe t#1i ao r ei
One Of the most regular customers al
siais restaurant was sous Lieutenant. He
vas man Of middle age his grave coun-
tensncc was tinged with melancholy.
His thick moustachc was already grizzled,
md scar across the check added 70 the
gcucxal grimness Of his appearance
There was something about this man that
attracted me Id spite Of his grimnesss BY
80 medals ON his coat he had evidently
bcca distinguished in active service, and
hv tf,c manner OF his brother officers, he
was n evidently held in respect. What
attracted me 30 much In this man was this
aAgIsiaI change that came over his coun-
tcaaisce when he spoke and smiled IL
vns ~ II he had two tnaturesp one over
kying ana. keeping back the Other that
vag x4sy allowed 10 appear on the sur
fscc q rare intervals That mar, has q
kiauy, said TO myself, and l watched
him with interest.
The good people who kept the restau.
nult had one child, chubby, round-faced
ucllir they called Babot; what his real
,nnms wzsy never heard. The favorite
suuscment with the boys Of the town was
nlxSiny at soldiers. Babot had one day
rot pcassession Of an old tin saucepan
~ In had converted into drum--to his
own initiate satisfaction--when party o.
Older boys, marching past, seized the
Minic drum and made oil with II. leaving
Rah0k bowling. 800 ~ 81 .
Wearing the outcry, Fabre--thntw was the
Asmc Of the sous lieutenant have beer
describing started up from the table anc
Asods 10 The door. followed, fearing tht
ehild had met with an accident. Fabrt
was Ant. Fading what had happened
10 took the boy In his arms, and carried
Hin To the nearest toy shop; and smart
acssisA, and tinscl drum, soon turned tears
into growing laughter.
.Therc." said the sous lieutenant, set
ting the child down; II any OF the boyl
m 10 take this from you, tell them that
FnhCe will be after them. Poor little fcl
Lwl We none Of US like to lose our treas
Mos, do we, Bab0t?"
A. 10 spoke, there came into his hct
t1Aat sudden change have spoken ekT-l+'
i4E0a deeply, and, as he pronounced thu
vuCd s treasilres,s his voice faltered.
TIKI trivial incident led to conversation
- from Tint time Fabre and / became
lticndA When he was of duty, we FIRE
auoaely strOlled together alond the walls
z "a poplar.lin banks Of the sleepy
Iivm. 10 had been in both the Crimear
~ IiAlian wars was man Of keen OBJ
nwvzaiOn. and excellent company, wher
Snco tho icel of habitual taciturnity anG
xusurvc was broken through.
One evening we were. sauntering abou
- TOWN, when a party Of conscripts wa
unpched In They were evidently country
N Tor the most part7-the raw material
sspuching and awkward. Each had thu
nruaAer he had drawn. stuck in his hat
1ume were indifferent OF. sullen, other
ASkod and shouted --ona or two looke'
AasGurOus, and few were sunk In tn
fS.e Sssss S;sassi" Fabre exclaimed
vifA IN, emotional ring l0f his voice, re
riding them compassionately as thel
Tvys surprised. sNabre was 90 com
I1etAlv the soldier, that, till that moment
I'D never occurred to me to question
= -. s.. -, fra az ppHxr Thar