The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-08-02
THE CHILD spy,

From the French Of AlphOnSs DaudsL
His name was Stenne, little Stenne. He
was "Chlld Of Paris" thin and pale, and
was ten, perhaps fifteen years old, for one
can never say exactly how old those
children are. His mother was dead, and
his father, an ex'marine, was the guard
ian Of a square in the quarter OF the Tenn
pie. The nurses and babies, the old ladies
who always carry their own folding.chairs,
and the poor mothers, all that small world
Of Paris which seeks shelter from vehicles
in those gardens that are surrounded by
pavements, knew Father Stenne and low
cd him. They knew that under his rough
mustache, which was the terror Of the dogs
and dlsturbers Of benches, was hidden a
kind, tender and almost motherly smile,
and that in order to bring it forth they
had only to say to the good man:
"How is your little SOM" c.
For Father stenne loved his little son SO
much!
He was 80 happy in the afternoon when,
after his school, the little boy would call
for him, and together they. would make
the rounds Of the paths, stopping at each
bench to speak to The habitues Of the
square and To answer their good wishes.
But when the siege began everything
wassadly changed. Father Stenne's square
was closed and filled with petroleum, and
the poor man, condemned to an incessant
surveillance, passed his life in the desert
ed, upturned paths, quite salone, not per.
mitted TO smoke, and only seeing his little
son late in the evening at his home. You
should have seen his mustache when he
spoke OF the Prussians. Little
Stenne, however, did not complain OF this
new life.
A siege! Nothing is more amusing for
such urchins. No more school, no more
studies! Holiday all the while and the
streets as exciting as D fair. : s''-
The child ran about all day till night.
fall. He followed the battalions OF the
quarter to the ramparts, choosing those
that had good band. Little Stenne was
well posted on that subject. He would
tell you very glibly that the Ninty-sixth's
was not worth much, but that the Fifty
fifth had an excellent one. Sometimes he
would watch the mobiles training, and
then there were the professions. With his
basket under his arm he would Join in the
long files that were formed in the dark,
cold winter mornings, when there was no
gas before the butchers and bakers shops.
There, with their feet in the wet, the peo-
pie would make acquaintance and talk
politics, and, as he was Mr.. Stenne's son,
everybody would ask him his opinion.
But the most amusing Of all were the al
ternoon games, especially the famous game
OF galoChe, which the Breton mobiles made
the fashion during the siege, When lit
tie Stenne was not at the ramparts, or ba-
ker's shop, you would be sure to,iind him
at the square OF the Chateau.d'Eau. He
did not play, however; it needed too much
money; he was satisfied in watching the
players with all his eyes.
One especially, great fellow in blue
workman's blouse, who only played with
fve.franc pieces, excited his admiration.
When he ran one could hear the coins
jingling under his blouse.
One day, as he was picking up piece
that had rolled under little Stepne's feet
the great fellow said to him in arlowtone
THAT makes you, wink, hey? Well, L
you like, I'll tell you where they're to be
found"
The game over, he took him to cor
ner Of tho square and proposed that he
should join him in selling newspapers X
the Prussians; that he would make THIRTY
francsfo every trip At first Stenne wa
very indignant and refused, and what wa
more, he remained away from the gamt
for three days--three terrible days. IL,
neither eat, nor slept any more. AT nigh
he would see great heaps ofgaloches pilet
on the foot Of his bed and fve.franc piece
moving over 1t, bright and shining. Th
temptation was too strong for him. Tn,
fourth day he returned TO the Chateau
d'Eau, saw the large fellow, and was over
come.
They set out one sunny morning, a linel
bag thrown over their shoulders, an
their newspapers hidden under thei
blouses. When they reached the Elan
lers gate it was yet hardly dawn. Th
large fellow took Stenne by the hand an
approached the sentinel-a good clvllia
with red nose and kind air. He said !
him, with plaintive tone:
"let us pass, my good monsieur. Gu
mother Is III and papa is dead. We ar
going TO see-my little brother and II
we can't find some potatoes TO pick up i
the fields"
He cried, and Stenne, who was ashamed
lowered his head. The sentinel looked {
VI them moment, and then, giving gIanC
over the white, deserted road, go quicl
ly," said he to them, moving aside, an
|. then they wereon the read to Aubervi
= liers, How the large fellow laughed.
Confusedly, as though in dream, it'll
Stenne saw the manufactures reforme
t INTO barracks, their courts deserted an
hung With wet rags, their tall chimney
which pierced thu fog and seemed 10 reaC
the sky, fireless and battered. Now an
: again they would see a sentinel and of
:. GERS who were looking far of throug
/. their field.glGsses, and their small tent
Is wet with snow, which was melting betol
g dying fires. The large fellow knew Il
"a way, and would take short cuts over Il
70 fields In order TO escape the outpost
IN But suddenly they came upon a large bod
.. OF sharpshooters too late to escape thet
~ They were in their little cabins, hidden
.. a ditch half full OF water, and encampl
70 along the Soissonls railway. This tim
III though the large fellow recommended !
S5 tearfdl story, they would not let him pa