The Mineral argus., 1884-10-02

it was a breezy day-and far away on the
horizon the blue outline of the Harris
hills.
"No," he said, in answer to a ques-
ton of mine, eve will not hamper
each other with a promise to CORES
pond. This world is full of sad
partings. We must bend to the in.
evitable. I'll think of you, though,
sometimes, and Syke, and this lovely
dog"
AZ have one of his puppies" I said,
"he shall be yours"
The Franco German wal was over,
eve the demon of civilized warfare had
been exercised at last by blood and taers.
and peace smiled sadly on the soil OF
France onc more.
l had b2en for a short time attached
to a corps of German dragons, in the
capacity of correspondent. But there
was little more for me to do now, only
l think the officers, with whom I had
got very friendly, wished me to see their
reception at home, and I could not re-
sist the temptation to march along with
them. / have often been "homeward
bound" but never saw before such genu-
inc happiness as I now did. How they
talked of the mothers, wives, sweet
hearts, and little ones they were soon
again to see, and often too with 3
sigh and a manly tear or two
about the comrades they left be-
hind them under the green sod
Our mess was a very jolly one.
Sometimes at night the wind rose and
reared, causing our tent-we had q
tent then-to flap like sails in q storm
at sea. Or the rain would beat against
it, until the canvas first sweated in
side. then dropped water, then ran
water, till we were drenched. But,
whether drenched or dry, we always
sang, oh such rafting choruses. The
villages we passed through had all we
wanted to buy. The villagers often
scowled, and / think they were usually
fawned on us like whipped hounds fol-
the sake of the money we spent. Yeti
must say in justice that the Germans
took no unfair advantage, and if any
allusion was made to them as conquer.
ors they laughed carelessly, muttered
something about the fortunes of war,
and changed the subject.
1 was riding along n morning early,
when / saw several of our fellows on the
brow of a hill looking back with some
degree of interest, but trotting on all
the same.
Ishould have followed their example.
but the mournful bowling of a dog at.
tracted my attention, and went straight
to my very heart. So / rode up and
over the hill.
/ was hardly prepared for what I saw
"a beautiful black Newfoundland.
whining pitifully beside what appeared
to be the dead body of a man.
I dismounted, and the dog came to
meet me. He jumped and fawned on
me, then rushed wildly back to the side
of that PROSTATE form. But / stood
as one transfixed. I could not mistake
those eyes,. It was Neptune, that I had
given-a seven-months- old puppy-to
Hans Hegel three years before.
And the poor fellow who lay before
me with sadly gashed face, upturned tc
the morning sun was Hegel himself.
He lay on his sword, lay as he had fall
len and the absence of the coat, the sash.
bound waist, and sleeve uprolled, told
to me the history of his trouble in way
there was no installing. BE had fallen
in a duel.
But was he dead? No; for. soon af-
ter / had raised him in my arms and
poured a little cordial down his throat,
he opened his eyes, gazed bewilderedly
at me for a moment, then his hand
frightened ON mine and he smiled. He
knew me.
I should have liked some of those
strange people who do not love dogs tc
to have been present just then, to wit
ness the looks of gratitude in poor Nep-
tunes eyes as he tenderly licked my
hand with his soft tongue.
My regiment went on; I stayed at
the nearest village hostelry with Hans
Hegel.
When he was well enough he told
me of the duel. So far the affair was
unromantic enough, for there was not a
lady in it. The quarrel had been
forced upon him by a f~ire-eating French
man, and swords were drawn on a point
of national honor.
81 owe my life to you," Hegel said.
"You owe your life," 1 replied, ITO
Heaven and that faithful dog."-Cas-
sells Magazine.