The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-03-28
THE INVASION:
YEGOF THE FOOL.

Continued
While Hulln stood silent, the blood frozen
in his heart, citizen, Some, the baker, came
forth from his house, carrying large pot Of
boiled meat. Then you should have seen those
spectres struggle, their eyes glance, their nos
trils dilate; new life seemed to animate
them, for the poor wretches were dying of
hunger
Good Father Some, with tears in his eyes,
approached. saying:
81 am coming, my children. little patience.
and you will be supplied"
But scarcely had he reached the first wagon,
when she huge Gardiner with the sunken
cheeks plunged his arm to the elbow in the
boiling pot, seized a piece of meat, and con-
cealed it beneath his jacket. 1t was done like
q flash. aud savage cries all sides.
Men who had not strength to move would have
'strangled their comrade. lie pressed the
precious morsel to his breast, his teeth were
already in it, and he glared around like wild
beast. At the cries which arose, an old soldier
"A sergeant-sprsng from Il neighboripg
gon he understood all at glance, and with
out useless delay tore the meat from the cara
bineer, saying:
"Thou deservest to have none. Let rs divide;
IL VIII make ten r&Cion9."
eve are only eight" said a wounded man,
calm in appearance, but with eyes glisteniuR
in iis bronzed face. "You see, sergeant, that
those two there are dying; it is no use to waste
food"
The sergeant looked.
{" You are right" he replied. Eight parts"
Hullin could bear more. He He'd pale as
death. to the innkeeper, Wittmann's. Witt
mann was also dealer in leather and furs,
and cried, US he saw him enter:
"Ha it is you, Master Jean-C Claude; yon are
earlier than usual did not expect you before
next week" Then, seeing him tremble, he
asked: "But what is the matter You are ill.'
" have just been looking at the wounded"
" All. Yes. The first time it affects one; bnt
f you had fifteen thousand pass, as |
rave, you wonld think nothing of it,"
"a glass of vine, quick" cried Hullin. 80 !
men men! you who should be brothers!"
Yes, brothers until the purse gives OUT
eplied Whitman. "There, drink, and you
Will feel better"
"And you have seen fifteen thousand of
bese wretches pass" said the sabot-maker.
CAT least and all in the last two months,
without speaking of those that remained in
GU know, wagons could not be procured for
u, and it was not worth while removing
many"
"Ycs, I understand. But why are those
Dfortuuates therei Why are they not in the
ospitalH
The hospital! Where are there hospitals
noH gh for them-for fifty thousand wounded
very one, from Mayence and CobIentz to
is crowded; and, moreover, that
rrible sickness, typhus, kills more than the
,emy's bullets. All the villages in the plain,
IT twenty leagues around. are infected, and
en- die like flea Happily, the city has been
It three days in . state of siege, and they are
Iout to close the gates, and allow no one to I
tier. have lost my uncle Christian and my I
Int Lisbeth, as hale, hearty people as you or I
Jean Claude. The cold has come, too there |
as a white frost last night" q
" And the wounded were in the street all (
ghtT 1
" No they came frOm Severne this morning, '
ID in an hour or two-as soon the horses y
9 rested-they will depart for Ssrrebourg." o
At this instant, the old sergeant, who had G
tablished order in the wagon, entered, rub v
ng his hands. L
" Ha, ba!' he said, dit is becoming cooler, t
.tLer Whitman. You did well to light the S
g in the stove. little glass Of cognac would .
It be amiss to take of the chill" {
His little, half-closed eyes, hooked nose, +
parating q pair of wrinkled cheeks, and o.
in, from which red tuft of beard hung, all 4
we the old soldiers face an expression Of J