Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-11-13
Not goot! Not goot ,
Tears came into his eyes.

Not gOot! Not g00t =
Tears came into his eyes.
Once on the plain again the boys
began to run and returned rapidly.
Their sacks were full of potatoes
which the Pru>sians had given
them. With these they passed un-
questioned the trenches of the
francs tireurs. They were prepar-
ing for the night attack. Troops
were silently arriving and massing
themselves behind the walls. The
old sergeant was there, and was
placing his men with such a conf
dent air. When the boys passed
he recognized them and smiled
pleasantly. All, how that smile
hurt little Stenne. For a moment
he wished to call :
'Don't 90 out; we have betrayed
YOU
But the other said, If you speak
out we shall be shot;' and fear kept
him still.
At Courneuve they entered a de-
serted house to divide their money.
Truth Obliges me to say that the
division was honestly made, and
that when he heard the chink OF
the coin under his blouse and
thought of the games of galoche in
the future, little Stenne found that
his crime was somewhat less fright
full.
But when he was alone, the un-
happy boy : When, after they were
through the gates, the large boy
had left him, then his pockets be-
gan to grow heavy and the hand
upon his heart was more weighty
than before. People who passed
him seemed to look upon him Sc
verely, as if they knew from whence
he had come. He heard the word
spv in the noise OF the streets and
the beating of the drums which
we're marching by the side of the
canal. At last he reached home,
and, glad to find that his father was
not vet in. he hurried to his cham
Der to hide under his pillow the
coins that weighed him down.
Never had Pere Stenne seemed
so Joyous and so happy as when he
came in that night. News had Just
been received from the provinces
and affairs were going better. AS
he sat the old soldier looked at his
gun hanging on the wall, and said
to his boy;
My boy, how you wonld 90 for
the Prussians if you were larger ?
Towards eight o'clock they heard
cannon.
'Its at Aubervillers. They are
fighting at Bourget,' said the good
man, who knew all the forts. Lit
tie Stenne grew pale, and pretend
ing that he was tired lie went to
bed. but not to sleep. The cannon
thundered continually. lie imag-
ined the francs.tireurs arriving by
night to surprise the Prusslans and
falling themselves into ambuscade'
lie remembered the sergeant who
had smiled on him and saw him
living i'm the snOw--aDd how many
others were with him. The price
Of that blood was hidden under
his pillow, and it was he, the son Of
I VI. Stennc, the son Of a soldier.
Tears stifled him. From the bed
by his side he heard his father walk
to the window and open it. Below
| in the street the roll was sounding
and a battalion Of Mobiles were
gathered to depart. Decidedly il
was a battle. The wretched boy
could not keep back sob.
whats the matter? ? asked PerC
Stenne, coming back. The child
threw himself out of the bed and
at the feet Of his father. At the
movement the coins rolled upOT
the floor.
'What's that? You have beer
stealing Z" asked the old man
trembling.
Then all in a breath, little Stenn'
told that he had been among thu
Prussians and what he had done
there. While he spoke he ,elt his
heart grow freer. 1t had stopped
its accusations.
Pere Stennc listened with asterI
and terrible face. When ii wa'
finished he hid his face in his hands
and wept.
"Father fatherw said the child
The old man pushed him away
without replying and picked up th'
money.
"That is all 2" he asked
Little Stenne made a sign that i
was. The old man took down his
catridge.box and put the money il
his pocket.
otis WE'LL" lie said. 81 will Civ
it back to them"
And without adding a word
without even turning his head, h'
went down to join the Mobiles VIII,
were going out into the night.
They never saw him again.