Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1885-06-10
The LITTLE SPY.
BY ALPHoNsE DAUDET.


TRANSLATED from the French by H. H. Nc
His name was Stenne-little Stenne
He was q child of Paris, pale and
sickly. perhaps 10 years old, perhaps
15-oue can never tell those midgets.
His mother was dead; his father, an old
soldier of the marines, took care of an
open square in the quarter of the Tenn
pie. Babies, nurses, old ladies with
camp stools, and poor mothers knew
and adored Father Stenne. They all
knew that under that fierce mustache,
the terror of dogs and loafers, lurked
atender, good hearted, almost motherly
smile, and that to call it forth one had
only to ask the good man how was his
little boy. He loved his little boy so
dearly.
With the siege, Father Stenne's
square was closed and the poor man,
compelled to keep up constant surveili-
ance, passed his life among the deserted
shrubbery alone, without smoking, and
saw his boy only ct night, late at home.
And you should have seen his mus
tache when he spoke Of the PrussianA
A siege! 1t is SO amusing for the
boys! No more school! Vacation all
the time. and the street like q fair.
ground. IA f ~
The child was ont till night, running
the streets. He accompanied the bat
talions OF the quarter as they went to
the rampant, choosing by preference
those which had good music; and, in
that matter, young Stenne was
thoroughly at home. He could tell you
very we'll that the band of the Ninety.
sixth was not worth much, but that in
the Fifty-fifth they had an excellent
one. At other times he watch the mil
itary drill; and then there were the
parades.
When little Stenne was neither al
the rampant nor at the bake shops you
we're sure to find him at the game oi
galoche, famous game which the Bre
ton military had brought into vogue
during the siege of the Chateau d'Eau
He was not playing. OF course; it re-
quired too much money. He was con
tent with watching the players with all
his eyes.
One especially = blg boy ms blue
jacket who staked nothipg lsss thar
100 ,so6s. excited h& admiration. Wher
/ that one ran you could hsar ithe crown
!. pieces jingle in his pocket.
One day, Is he picked up coin thai
| hadsrolked 10 the feet of little Stenne
the big boy sAid 70 him in low voice
"'Thst makes you sqnht. hey? I car
tell you, il you like whore TO find
The game ended, his friaad led him
Sw1y into & corner and asked him to *
! nth him TO soil nsnGpApNra to ths
/ RxusuA08 ~ JU Jru1Tcs = A. 6sS
Stenne refused with great indignation
and allowed three whole dAys TO pas
without coming again to watch th,
game. Three terrible days. He neithe,
4 sto nor slept. At night he saw piles o
4 goIoshep heaped at ths foot OF hia bed
| and 100 sous pieces, cleaning brightly
spinning in the platter. Tho tempta
/ ton Was too great On the fourth do,
he returned TO the Chateau d'Eau. sas
! the big boy once mors, and sas be
They sst out ono snowy naorninl
With linen bags over their shoulders
ani nsvspapArs concealed under thei
jAcksts. Wksn they came 10 tha 's0at,
81 Flanders Il was hardly oaylighi
The big boy took 6tAnne by the hand
and going up - the sentinel - 3 seden
!. .taxy brave with red nose and good-na
Enrsd l0ok aid % him with the voic'
vof beggar:
Let us pass out, my good sir on
mother ID i'll; papA il dead. want I,
60 with my little brother 70 pick ul