Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-12-19

you have something in your pocket every
Saturday night for sunday frolic.
: az accept your offer, thankfully" said
Firmin Bonard, aand you shall see that
y French soldier Is not less faithful to
the pillow by which he gains a, livelihood
than he was to the flag of his distant
country"
As the farm of Peter Baxtan, the peas
ant with whom Firmin Bonard had fall
en- in, was one of the. largest in the island
he soldier returned to his old calling,
did not lack for opportunities to show
his skill aud industry, and speedily con-
vinced the rich peasant of his value.
"My FRIEND" he said to Firmin one
day, II love you as l would my own
son."
"If it were not" replied Firmin, "that
my old father in France waits and hopes
anxiously for my return, should never
care to leave Rugen."
"Yeu will see him once more" said
the farmer; land when you 60 to France
to- see him, why should you not bring
him back to Rugen W tn you2 That how
ever, we can talk of at some future time.
To-day I wish to speak to you concern
ing my: daughter"
A flush covered the young French
mans face, as the peasants keen eye saw
IF I am not wroug,' be continued, "shc
and you are very friendly"
Firmin stammered something unintel.
legible.
"In fact" the old man went on, "the
neighbors say that you are in love with
her."
"What9 Who saps so2 I swear to you,
sir, that 1 have never addressed TO your
daughter one word which would make
her aware"
"Precisely, and that is why she has
desired me to ask yon. You shall marry
her. have already promised her that it
would be so, and she Rugged me so for a
quarter of an hour by the clock that
really thought she would strangle me.''
Firm1n hugged him, TOO, and a fort
night later became the husband of the
old mans only child, the rich, pretty and
amiable Amelia.
-Four years passed already-four years
of toll and love. Firmin Bonard thought
often of France, but came to forget his
technical desertion. The prattling of
his two children, theJ embraces Of his
wife were a present that answered for
the future; small wonder that he forgot
the past.
So matters went on until one morning
the signal was made that several vessels
were in sight; then as they drew nearer
the word went round the island.
ut is the French! They are going to
land!"
TT is the Frenchl They arc going to
landp'
The words came to Firmln Bonard' s
ears like alarm guns, and he felt he was
a lost man. A sudden thought came to
him, however, and treasured him some
what; dashing to his dwelling, he put on
his old uniform and shake and ran to
the spot where, some five years before,
he had been so strangely abandoned.
Some barges filled with soldiers were
seen to put off from the ships that had
rounded to and dropped anchor. In the
bow of ore was big white poodle that
barked joyously on seeing the solid
ground once more.
Firmin BQpard saw the sog and fan
cled that he recognized in him Old Ca
pucin, and his eyes filled with tears.
STILL the barges approached; Capucin
it was CaEucin inaeed-ovidently rec
ognized the island, looked round eager
~, esnied the sentry, then standing on
his hind-legs gave one rapturous howl
and plunging into the sea swan with all
his might seaward.
An instant later and the boats were
within hailing distance.
"Who goes there?" shouted Firmin b.
nard, in voice of thunder.
"Who goes there, yourself, answered
one of Davoust's staff from the leading
boat. "Who are you, anyhow2''
''Firmin Bonard, private of the Sixty
eight Of the liue, on guard
"On guard2 How long have you been
On guard2"
Ssince twelve O'Clock on the night OF
May 10, 1907"
At this reply every one burst out
laughing. The first boats PROV had not
quite touched the strand when Capucin
had scrambled up the steep rock and
with tremendous bound cast himself,
barking turiously, into the arms of his
old friend. Banks, gamboling, sumer-
saults, licking of hands, face, fetal
imaginable demonstrations of canine Joy
500 on, old fellow" sobbed the SOL
der, with tears rolling down his cheeks
"tear my coat and muddy it as much as
you like to-day, and I won't say any
thing. ! remember when I struck you
for showing me all your affection and
intelligence"
When he had somewhat recovered
from his emotion, Firmin Bonard, fol-
lowed by the faithful dog, went do n to
the beach to greet his comrades and tell
his story. Luckily the corporal, now an
officer on Davoust's staff, was there, and
could corroborate it. The regiment feast
ed him royalty and he in return invited
every one to the frrm, where he and his
wife did the honors cordially.
It was not ong ere the news reached
Davoust's ears. He laughed heartily at
Firmin Bonard's stratagem, and having
satisfied himself that the soldiers ante:
cedents were irreproachable ordered his
discharge to he made out in due form.
"Far be 1t from me-" said the Marshal,
"after he has been on watch for FIVE years
without being relieved to send this gal
liant fellow before court-martial."
Firmin Bonard remained on the farm.
he visited France that year and brought
his father back to the island of Rugen.
His children and grandchildren to-day
hold tho most important positions there,
and their family is known as "the family
of the French sentry
When the French again withdrew fiom
the island, Capucin resigned his commits
sion in the Sixty-cighth of the line. He
had had enough glory, and the quiet life
ut abundance and happiness that his
friend led at the farm was more to his
taste. He came to understand-wise dog
that life on the farm might be quite as
pleasant as life IN the camp, and that
there we're infinitely fewer dangers in it.
So Capucin remained at the farm.
SUICIDE OF THE SCORPION.
The Destruction of the Animal by its Own
Deadly Poison.
From the London Times.
Doubts have been expressed at various
times, even by learned naturalists, as to
the reality of the suicide or self-destruc-
ton of the scorpion by means of its own
poison, and these doubts hove been again
stated by Mr.. R. E. Hutchinson of Pesha-
wur, as the result of his own observations.
think, writes Mr.. Allen Thompson to
Mature, it may be useful to give an artic-