The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-02-20

lpour II thine unhg Idnc cay,
THE CROSS OF THE LEGION.
II WAS holiday in one Of the loveliest
towns III all south of France, and the
townspeople were busy with their merry
making. A group of them had, however,
drawn off from the crowd i'll the market
place, and were listening 10 m old SER
Yeant who was relating the story Of one
Of the battles through which he had pass
ed 1t WAS time when brave deeds met
with ready a admiration, and a high
reward, and when no one WIS so greatly
honored as a soldier.
And YOU were with the first consul
at Lodi, sergeant?' said one of the group,
n PLAIN, honest old farmer.
All, that was" replied the soldier.
- WAS just behind him when he went
over the bridge. That was a sight worth
seeing. Twice We had failed To carry
the bridge. for the Austrian batteries
swept ii with m Internal hail. A third
time We advanced. Bonaparte's eye was
on lis, and We had promised him to
succeed We advanced steadily until We
reached the tete DE- pORt. Then POUNDS !!
how the grape whistled among us !.
Down went many n brave fellow. We
wavered, We were falling back, when We
saw two men rushing forward ON the
bridge right into the enemy. They were
the general in command and Bonaparte
himself. 'Forwardr shouted, Bona
parte is in danger We sprang forward
again, and the battery was ours. 1t was
brave deed, and We made our little
hero corporal for it."
II would like 70 have been there, :"
said young man, who had listened
quietly.
You, Ange, said the farmer, laugh
ing: What would you have done?"
81 would have done my duty" said
the young man, calmly.
Bah! you'd have been frightened
ont of your wits"
I'VE are keeping the sergeant from
relating the adventure" said one of the
group. $50 on, Sergeant"
That is all Of that adventure" said
the sergeant, who had been looking fix
edly at the Young man whom the farmer
had called Ange I'm tell You of an
adventure had with the Little Corporal
near about the same time. was then n
private, and was posted one night near
IN old tower, with orders to let no one
pass with or without the countersign.
About midnight some one came opposite
m, post. l halted him. He told me he
had the cOmtersign!
"Retire, comrade, said; my or
ders are not to receive any countersign.'
But / am An officer exclaimed the
stranger, sternly; a general officer, and
/ must pass.
"If you were the Little Corporal him
self you should not pass, l replied; 30
retire, friend, or l fire
With that leveled my piece, and the
stranger retired. The next morning the
Little Corporal sent for me.
$50 you threatened to fire on me last
night 2 he said sternly.
"Yes, General replied.
Did you know who it was?
"T did, General
If 1 had advanced would You have
6red?'
-" No, general, 1 should have dis
able1 you with my bayonet, and have
eaAed the guard.
"~--are you not afraid to talk so to
him 2" asked the farmer.
~ knew had done naught but my
duty" said the sergeant. but tell me,
young man." he added turning to Ange,
what do you think he said %
He praised you, and said you had
done your duty" replied Ange, with
heightened color.
Right" exclaimed the sergeant, ap-
provingly. "He laid his hand on my
shoulder, and said, looking me in the
face:
go Pierre Dubois, you have proved
yourself worthy Of being something bet
ter than private. l make you a ser
geant for threatening to shoot me last
night. With that he sent me back to
my company"
As the sergeant finished speaking, the
Young man called Ange left the group
in compliance with summons from
young girl across the street.
"Who is that young man ?" asked the
old soldier.
"He is Ange Pitois, " replied the farm
er. eve call him 'Ange the dreamer.
He is an artist, but does nothing but
paint the picture Of that girl with whom
you see him now. He seems incapable
of doing anything but thinking of her.
He was always quiet, sleepy sort of u
fellow, and but for the handsome property
left him by his father suppose he would
starye. Madeleine Tremonille, however.
does not seem TO care for him. She
leads him q daOce, aud rarely misses an
ODDOrtunity IN ridicule linn
"Where does he live ?" asked the ser
geant.
I'm yonder house. Maybe he'll paint
your portrait if you'll ask him, Sergeant,
but don I be surprised If he paints your
form and regimentals, and then puts in
Madeleine's face"
A laugh greeted this sally. The sol
der joined in il, but soon left the crowd.
Late in the afternoon Ange Pitois was
sitting in his doorway, smoking. The
young man was just twenty-five. His
parents, who had been wealthy, were
both dead, and had left him handsome
fortune. He was n natural artist, and, Us
the farmer said, dreamer, but was not
deserving Of the ridicule that was cast
upon him. The townspeople were inca
pable of approaching his genius, and his
odd ways were deemed worthy of nothing
but ridicule. Ange's naturally good
temper enabled him TO bear all this good-
humoredly, but sometimes he felt greatly
tempted to resent il. On the evening in
question he was sitting in his doorway,
smoking, and thinking of the farmers
words 10 him-that he would have been
frightened had he been at Lodi-when,
CHANGING to raise his eyes, he saw the
sergeant coming up the street toward
him. The old man stopped in front of
the door, and, giving the military salute,
said, as Ange rose TO receive him:
"Your pardon for this intrusion, Citi-
zen Pitois, but your words interested me
greatly to-day, and ] thought l would
pay you visit this afternoon.
''You are right welcome, Sergeant"
said the young man. 81 was just think
ing about Won"
The sergeant seated himself in the
chair which the young man offered him,
and then resting his cap on his knee. he
said, blnntly:
Do you know, Citizen Pitois. that /
think you have chosen the wrong profes.
sion in life ?"
"Ah?" asked Ange, with smile,
"what should be, Sergeant?'
"a soldier, replied the visitor. "You
may be a good painter for all know,
but you ought to be soldier. I could
see to-day, while l was telling of ou
battles that your heart was where my
thoughts were. You would make good
soldier, Citizen Pitois. You would enter