The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-07-03

pSt Ol1 s-IiOSo tilC AolAl1Ni ssIiS
came to peasant who was plowing in
field.
.sMy good man, said the soldier, ''can
you tell rae which way the French troops
have gone r.
''By water" answered the peasant
surprised at seeing the solitary soldier:
81 don't know where they have gone,
but at 2 o'clock this morning they sailed
with the greatest haste, and in the com
pletest silence.
"Gone !" said the sentry; ''and they
have abandoned met 7 shall be set
down as a deserter. Damn that corporal
he not only left me on watch six hours,
but he has ruined my reputation-dis-
hono-ed me. Now / understand poor
Capncin's visit; he came to warn me that
they were going, and I, dull fool that /
was, could not understand him. Good
dog, and I kicked him-the first time
one of the men ever struck him. Oh
Capucin, Capucin, why didn't you think
of tearing the corporal's coat too q
And the sentinel burst into tears OF
regret and despair.
As the farm Of Peter Bayen, the peas
ant with whom Firmin Bonard had fall
len in, was one OF the largest on the
island, the soldier returned to his old
calling did not lack for opportunities to
show his skill and industry, and speedily
convinced the rich peasant of his value.
Firmin became the husband of the old
mans only child, the rich pretty and
amiable Amelia.
-Four years passed away, foar years Of
toll and love- Firmin Bonard thought
often of France, but came to forget his
technical desertion. The prattling of
his two children, the embraces of his
wife, were a present that answered for
the future; small wonder that he forgot
the past.
So matters went on till one morning
the signal was made that several vessels
were i'll sight; then as they drew nearer
the word went round the island:
at is the French! They are going to
land y
1T is the French, They are going to
land!'
The words came to Fermin Bonard's
o,c IiIra oIorr, or,,Do aDl I,a goI+ +I,o+ Io
was lost man. \ sudden thought came
to him, however and reassured him
somewhat; dashing to his dwelling he
put on his old uniform and shake and
ran to the spot where five years before
he had been so strangely abandoned.
Soon barges filed with soldiers were
seen to pot off from the ships that round
ed to and dropped anchor. In the bow
of one was a big white poodle that bark
ed ioyously on seeing the solid ground
once more.
Firmin Bonard saw the dog and fan
cied that he recognized in him old Ca
pucin, and his eyes filed with tears.
Still the barges approached; Capucin
it was Capucil indeed-evidently rec
ognized the island, looked round eagerly,
espied the sentry, then standing on his
hind legs gave one rapturous howl, and
plunging into the sea, swan with all his
might shoreward.
An instant later and the boats were
within hailing distance.
"Who goes there! = shouted Firmin
Bonard in voice of thunder.
who goes there yourself?" answered
one of Davoust's staff from the leading
boat; "who are you any how"
'Firmin Bonard, private of the Sixty
eighth of the line on guard"
"On guard How long have you
been on guard ?"
"Since II O'Clock on the night of May
10, 1907"
At this reply every one burst out
laughing. The first boats PROV had not
yet quite touched the strand when Ca
pucin had scrambled up the steep rock
and with Il tremendous bound cast him
self, barking furiously, into the arms Of
his old friend. Barks, gamboling SOM
ersaults, licking of hands, face, feet-all
imaginable demonstrations of canine JOY.
"'Go on, old fellow" sobbed the sol
der, with tears rolling down his cheeks:
''tear my coat and muddy it as much as
you like 10 day, and Iwon't say anything.
L remember when l struck you for show
ing me all your affection and intelli-
gence.
When he had recovered somewhat
from his emotion, Firmin Bonard, fol-
lowed by the faithful dog, went down 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
feasted him royalty, and he in return in
vited every one OF them to the farm.
where he and his wife did the honors
coTdidIiN.
It was not long ere the news reached
Marshal Davoust's ears. He laughed
heartily at Firmin Bonard's strategen,
and having satisfied himself that the
soldiers anteedents were irreproachahle,
ordered his discharge to be made out in
due form.
Ear be it for me-" said the marshal.
'safter he has been on watch for five
years without being relieved to send this
/ gallant fellow before q court-martial.
! a good colored minister who is not
above manual labor on week days, was
at a North End house on Tuesday. put
/ ting down carpets. The master of the
establishment remarked in iocular tone
"Wen, uncle, stretching carpets is bet