The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-08-02
'THE CHILD spy.
rrom ,l,e rre,ln,cll Of A \ Daadst.l

gardens that are surrounded by paVeinS,,i,i l
new Rather Stenne and loved him. Inc!
knew that under his rough mouslucnS'
which was the terror OF dogs ana alstuID-
ers of benches, was hidden klnd, tenuei'
and almost motherly smile, and that 10 OF
der to bring it forth they had only 10 say 10
the good man: !,
For Father Stenne loved bis liltie son 80
much ,,or
He was so happy in the afternoon w ,1 20.
after his school. the little boy Woalu Can ~
him, and together they Woula MAKE LUG
rounds Of the paths. stopping at eacn pens y
to speak TO the hd6aues OF the square anu
to answer their good wishes.
Bnt when the siege began everything was
sadly changed. Father Stenne's square was
closed and filled with petroleum, ana tne
moor man, condemned to an incessant sur
veilIancc, passed his life in the deserted,
unt1rued paths, quite alone, not permitted
to smoke, and only seeing his little son iate
in the evening at lis home. You snouia
have seen his moustache when he spoke OF
tho prussisps. Little Stenne,
however, did not complain OF this ne" me.
A siege! Nothing is more amusing Tor
such urcbins. No more school, no more
studies! Holiday all the while and the
streets as exciting as fair.
The child ran about all day till nigntiail.
He followed the baltalions OF the quarter 70
the ramparts, choosing those that had gooo
band, Little Stenne was weii.postea on
that subject. He would tell you very ghoiy
that the Ninety-siXth's band was not worth
much, but that the Fitty-ffth had an excel
lent one, Sometimes he would watch tne
mobiles training, and then there were the
professions. With his basket under DIS
arm he would join in the long tiles that
were formed in the dark, cold winter morn
ings, when there was no gas. before Tue
butchers" and bakers shops. There, Wild
their feet in the wet, the people would make
acuuaintances and talk politics, and, as ne
was Mr.. Stenne's SOD, everybody Woulo
ask him his opinion. But the most amusing
of all were the afternoon games, especially
the famous game Of galoche, which the Bre-
ton mobiles made the fashion during tne
siege. When little Stenne was not at the
ramparts or bakers shop you would be
sure to find him at the square OF the Cha-
teau d'Eau. He did not play, however; IL
needed too much money; he was sat'shed
in watching the players with all his eyes.
One especially, great fellow III blue
workman's blouse, who only played with
five.franc pieces, excited his admiration.
When he ran one could hear the coins ing
ling under his blouse.
One, day as he was picking up piece
that had rolled under little Stenne's feet,
the great fellow said to him in low tone !:
"T6at makes you wink, hey? Well, If you
like, Fll tell you where they're to be
found"
The game over, he took him to corner
OF the square and proposed that he should
Join him in selling newspapers to the Prus-
SLAMS. That he would make thirty francs
for every trip. At first Stenne was very
indignant aud refused, and what was mole
he remained away from the game for three
DAYS. Three terrible days. lie neither eat
nor slept any more. At night he would see
great heaps OF ealocheS piled on the foot OF
his bed, and fve-franc pieces moving over
il, bright and shining. The temptation was
too strong for him. The fourth day he re-
turned to tue Chateau d. Eau, saw the large
fellow, and was overcome.
They set out one sunny morning, llnen
bag thrown over their shoulders, and their
newspapers hidden under their blouses.
When they reached the Flanders gate it was
vet hardly dawn. The large fellow took
Stenne by the hand and approached the SEN
tinel-a good civilian with red nose and
kind air. He said TO him, with plaintiVe
tone: ....
"Let us pass, my good monsieur. Our
mother is i'll and papa is dead. We are 60
inc to sec-my little brother and LII we
can't find some potatoes to pick up in the
fields" ..
He cried, and Stenne, who was ashamed,
lowered his head. The sentinel looked at
them moment, and then, giving glance
over the white, deserted road, -" Go quick
ly,' said he to them, moving aside, and then
they were on the road to Auberyilliers.
How the large fellow laughed.
Coniusedly, as though in dream, little
Stenne saw the manufactures reformed into
barracks, their courts deserted and hung
with wet rags, their tall chimneys, which
pierced the fog and seemed to reach the
sky, frelcss and battered. Now and again
they would see sentinel and officers, who
were looking far Oft through their field
glusses, and their small tents, wet with
snow, which Was melting before dying fires.
The large fellow knew the way, and would
take short cuts over the fields in order to
escape the Outposts. But suddenly they
came upon large body OF sharpshooters
too late to escape them. They were in
their little cabins, hidden in a ditch half
full of water, and encamped along the
SCISSORS railway. This time, though the
large fellow recommended his tearfnl story,
they would not let him pass. AS he was
ttamenting, an old sergeant,white and wrin-
Killed., and who looked like old Father
Stenne, came out of the post-guards' cabin.
"Wel', little ones, don't cry any more"
said be to the children; 'twe will let you
go after your.potatoeS, but before you leave
come in and warm yourselves little. ~
He looks frozen, that small boy there"
Alas !! 1t was not with cold that little
Stenpe trembled; it was from fear, from
shame. = - In the post-house they
found some soldiers gathered round small
fre-a real Widows fire, by whose blaze
they were thawing their biscuits on the
end Of their Oayonets. They crowded close
together so rs to make room for the chil,
dren. They gave them drop OF VINE anu
a little coffee. While they were diihhlhs
an officer came to the door, called the scr,
geant, spoke to him in low voice: anu
then quickly went away. "BoyS, salu
the sergeant. as he came back radiant, there
will he tobacco tonight. we nave
sound out the Prussiaus' PASSWORD. l
think this time wc will take back from lhem
that D. Bourget! 49,,
:. .Then there followed an explosion OF bra
vos and laughter. They danced and sang
and SWING their sabres in the air. Profit
!; nv bv the iunult. the children disappeared.
Hsvinr PASSED the breastwork, nothing re-
NAMED 10 be crossed but the plain, at the
end of which was a long white wall filled
with loopholes. They directed their steps
towards this, stopping every now and then