Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-02-25

an officer standing near, "take the sec
ton on the left and drive all the cattle
you can find in the village to this place"
The sergeant marched off and the re-
suit of his work was very soon apparent.
A great number of fine oxen, cows and
sheep rushed hither and yon through the.
streets. The curate. with shrug of the
shoulders, turned to the bailiff The
elders of the village spoke in low tones,
/ but their gesticulations were most vio-
/ lent. The action of the soldiers out on
duty evidently tried their endurance to
the utmost. !, AS they comprehended the
design in driving out their cattle their.
! indignation reached its height, and the
bailiff, with s1lbdued rage, turned to the
officer.
"You will take our cattle away from
us, monsieur"
The distress and indignation of the
peasants deeply touched the sympathies
of the apparently unmoved farmer in
uniform, but yesterdays assassination
and the endless bandit outrages called
for vengeance and suppression. Wendt
frowned darkly. aa n r5z sds
Certainly, monsieur" he replied,
shortly. in
!
the bailitf, resolutely, taking a new step,
"what is the lowest sum that you will
let us off with %
Monsieur" replied the lieutenant,
quietly and slowly 1utonating every word,
"this is the last I will say ON the sub
iect. Consult again with the elders and
| then tell me what this Incorporating
village is in position to raise. If it srf-
fees me will accept it, if not, Twill un-
relentlessly drive before me the collected
cattle of the town. Now consider this,
all, before you speak. But spare me
from further intercourse with the cllrate.
I will have nothing to do with him" and
he eontemptuously knocked the ashes
from his cigar.
But he started the next moment as q
shriu cry of distress from woman's
voice fell upon his ear He turned to-
ward the village street and saw young
girl of remarkable beauty rushing out
of house from whence soldier had
just driven cow She burst into tears
as she turned appealingly to the sergeant,
and then, as he answered with a shrug
of the shoulders, and an CT cannot I'M
derstand you" In bad French, came di-
rectly to the lieutenant
! CHOW what's to pay p thought
| Wendt in dismay, which rather deepened
as he saw the bailiff approach MIN at the
same moment.
"Monsieur," said the latter. "we will
endeavor to raise two thousand francs :"
81 suppose that will do" replied
Wendt, happy to have concluded SO disa-
greeable a duty, "but hasten about it,
pleased" He turned, very much relieved
at heart, toward the maiden, whose tear
full eyes were fixed wistfully on him.
"What can L do for you, madamoiselle?
he asked in a gentle tone, very much
touched by her grief and beauty.
ooh, monsieur" she cried, her lips
trembling and tears rising anew in her
great brown eyes, "they have taken
away the only COW my poor sick aunt
starvation now"
! Wendt cleared his throat. Hedespised
/ the commission this moment from the
bottom of his heart, and abhorred the
order that made him appear an unfeeling
monster to this poor girl, for the I'M
preston made upon him by these brown
! eyes was a strange mixture of pity and
pain. f
"Calm youself, mademoiselle," said
| he, kindly, "your aunt will soon have
possession of her COW again; only have
! a few moments patience and all will be
right"
She breathed long breath of relief
"Oh, thank you, sir! ;" she cried, with
sparkle in her eyes that Lit up her face
like flash of sunshine. z,tss
! As she tnrned and was about to enter
her house, one of the elders stopped her
and said something She drew back in
dismay and shook her head sorrowfully.
Only the word &c impossible!" could the
lieutenant understand.
"That's no matter" the peasant called
out after her, every one must do what
they cant"
In the meantime the scene around had
greatly changed. The quiet square was
filled with cattle, some jumping about
wildly, some lowing and looking around
upon the strange state of things. Quite
a number of men and women, old and
young, were before the court house.
The bailiff invited the lieutenant to
come into the building and take prom
inent place by table in long hall The
room was directly filed up by the vii
layers. One of the elders, bowling to
Wendt, took a seat opposite him, un-
folded a list and called out the names
there recorded:
NPelissard, the elder-a hundred
francs -
PeGssard stepped up to the table, an
old man with thin, white hair on the
temples of his small, bald head. He
trembhngly united a red cotton handker-
chief and counted in gold, silver and
copper hundred francs The old man
pushed the money toward the lieutenant,
who sat, both hands on his sword, while
he smoked long and curling wreaths from
his cigar. One name followed another.
Some with silent resignation, others with
signs and lamentations, counted out their
money, while the pile of gold, silver and
copper before the officer grew higher and
higher. 5l
Nineteen hundred and ninety francs
had been raised, when Madame
Vivier," the last on the list, was called.