Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-01-10

sinister, suspicious-looking hole excited
almost as much horror as real wound.
'sAhr' said I to Father Vidal, who,
instantly dropping the garment, had
passed on with quickened step and
dropping head. ''that is an ugly mark
Expecting a story, and to induce my
friend to relate it, added:
Ordinarily it is not in the back that
a Captain of Zouaves is shot"
But apparently he did not hear me,
but biting his mustache he muttered to
himself:
Chow did it get there? 1t is Il long
distance from the battlefield of Mel
egnano to the Boulevard de Grenelle.
Yes, I remember well. Those crows
who follow an army-despoilers of dead
bodies. But why there, only few steps
from L Ecole Militaire, where his regi-
ment is in barracks. and the other? He
must have recognized it when passing
by here. Oh! it is like an apparition!'
Come, Father Vidal, said I, much
interested and taking his arm, you
shall not continue talking in enigmas,
so you must tell me plainly what memo
ries this old coat recall"
l verify believe that excepting for
those two glasses of absinthe he would
not have told me anything, for upon
this Father Vidal regarded me with sus-
pIcion, almost fear; but suddenly, as
with a firm resolution, he said: ''Ah,
| well! YES, I will tell YOU about it.
Moreover, you are an intelligent, honest
! young man, whom l can trust, and when
l have finished you must tell me frankly
| if you think me eXcusable for acting as
[ have. Let me see, how shall begin?
In the first place, cannot tell you his
name-the others name-fOr he is still
living, but l will mention him by his
nickname in the regiment, La Soft (Old
| Thirsty). Yes, we called him La Soft,
and well did he deserve his name, being
one of those who are not sparing of the
canteen, and could quaff twelve small
| glasses of brandy to the twelve strokes
of noon. He was Sergeant in the fourth
company of the Second Regiment,
marched by my side at the end of the
file. A very good soldier, although dis
| Sipated, treacherOus and quarrelSOme-
traits common to Africa; but brave as a
lion, with blue eyes, as cold as steel, set
in his tawny face, which was partly COW
cred by a reddish beard. One perceived
at first glance that he was not an easy
person with whom to deal. About the
time when [ arrived with provisions at
the post of war; La Soft was Just ending
his term of service. Re-enlisting, he re-
Ceived his pay, and consequently led
riotous life for three days, during which
time, accompanied by four or five revel-
ers like himself, he drove through the
low quarters of Algiers, waving tri-
cOlored banner on which were these
words: This will not last fOreyerr He
was carried to the barracks with sword
cut in his head, received in a quarrel
with one of the Moors. On recovering,
! La Soft was sentenced to prison for fiji
teen days, and for the second time lost
i his stripes. Indeed, excepting for his
n bad conduct, La Soft would have been
an officer long ago, for he was of a
burgher family and well educated AL
though after the affair with the Moor
his stripes were taken away, he recov-
cred them again eighteen months later,
thanks to the indulgence of the Captain,
an old African who had seen his fighting
in Kabyha.
''But behold! when this Captain was
promoted to the rank of Major, man
only twenty-eight years old was sent to
our command He was q COrSican
named Gentle, just out of school, and a
mere boy, cool, clever and ambitious, so
people said but a very eXacting COM
mander, unreasonable with the soldiers,
and one wdO would sentence man to a
week in the guard room for a spot of
rust on his gun or missing button on
his gaiter; besides, never having served
in Algeria, he would not tolerate the
slightest. act of INSTRUMENTATION or ca
price. From the very first, Capt. Gentle
disliked La Soft, and the feeling was nat
urally reciprOcated. The first time that
the Sergeant missed rOll-call, eight days
in the guard room on the first charge.
If drunkenness, fifteen days When
the Captain-a short, dark-cOmpleXiOned
man, with whiskers like those of a
frightened cat, and as stubborn as a
mule-prOnouncedh his sentence of pun
ishment and added, sharply: 1 know
what you are, and will master YOU, my
precious one!' La Soft would never
answer word, but pass quietly into the
guard room. The Captain might have
relented somewhat, had he seen the flush
of rage spreading over the Sergeant S
face, as soon as he turned his head, and
the angry flash of his terribl6Sblue eyes.
About that time the Emperor declared
war against Austria, and we embarked
for Italy. But as need not here speak
OF the campaign, Will come at once to
the point of my story. The night before
the battle of Melegnano-where l lost
my arm, you remember-our battalion
encamped in the midst of little village,
and before breaking ranks the Captain,
quite wisely, addressed us briefly,
reminding us we were in a friend S
country, and for our hOnor's
sake we should behave properly,
| and that WhOSOaVer ShOuld cauSn the
slightest annoyance to any inhabiuant of
the village would be punished in an ex-
emplary manner. While he was speak
ing, La Soft, who had nearly emptied
his canteen since morning, and was
consequently somewhat unsteady as
he leaned upon his gun besida him,
| Shlmoned his shoulders slimhtl1-. hut fn1.-