Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-10-24
They gave them q little coffee to drink.

There was an explosion of braves ana
laughter. They danced, they Gang, they
flourished their saber-bayonets, and,
profting by this tumnlt, the boys dieap'
peared. Once past the trench, there
was nothing before them but the PLAIN,
and at the end of it q long white wall
pierced with loopholes. Toward the
wall they directed their way, stopping al
every step to pretend to pick up Pofa'
toes"
Don't let's 90. Let's 60 back" little
Stenne kent ying all the time.
The other shrugged his shoulders and
went on. Suddenly they heard the click
of the cooking ola gun.
Lie down." said the larger boy, throw
ing himselfon the ground.
Once down he whistled. Another
whistle answered bis across the snow.
They advanced crawling upon the
ground. Before the wall, out on the
smooth ground, appeared a pair OF vel
ow mustaches under dirty cap: The
large boy jumped into the ditch by the
side of the Prussian.
"This is my brother" he said, point
ing to his companion.
Stenns was 50 mall that the Prussia
laughed at seeing him, and was obliged
to take him in bis arms to lift him pto
the opening in the wall.
On the other side of the wall we're
great eI bankmentso of earth, fallen trees,
and black holes in the snow, and from
each hole looked out the same dirty cap
and the same yellow mustache that
laughed at the boys as they passed.
In one corner was gardeners house,
casemated with the trunks of trees. Be-
low were a crowd of soldiers playing
cards or making soup over great fire.
bacon! How different from the bivouac
of the t'ancs-tireurs. Beyond were the
officers. One could lear them playing
he piano or drinking champagne. When
he Parisians entered a hurrah of Joy
met them. They gave out their papers.
Then they gave them something to
drink and made them talk. All of the
officers had a proud and disdainful air,
but the large boy amused them with his
impudence and his slang. They laughed,
and repeating the words after him, roll
ed with delight in the dirt of Paris
which he had brought them.
Little Stenne wanted to say something
too, to prove that he was not stupid, but
something held him bach. Before him,
apart from the others, TODD Prussian,
who read him, or seemed to do so, for
his eyes never quilted him. He looked
at him with tenderness and reproach, as
if he had at home a little boy of the
same age as Stenne, and would say: IL
had rather die than see Lay boy doing
this"
At that moment Stenne felt as if a
hand had been laid upon his heart to
stop it's beating.
To escape from his torment he began
to drink. Presently everything wbirled
around him. He heard vaguely, in the
midst of loud laughter, his comrade
the National guard, their drills,
a passage at arms, night guard on the
ramparts. Then the large boy lowered
his voice, the officers approached him
and were grave. The wretched boy was
,elling them of the intended attack of
he francs-tireurs. Suddenly little Stenne
'prang up angry and sober.
"Not that won't have it."
But the other only laughed and kept
On. When he had finished all of the
officers were stirring about. One of them
opened the door to the boys.
'Out of the camp with you!' he said.
Then they began to talk among them
selves in German very fast. The large
BOY strutted out proud as a doge, and
'linking his money. Stenne followed
him with his head hanging down. When
hey passed the Prussian whose look had
70 troubled him, he heard a sad voice
which said: "Not goot! Not goot!"
Tears came to his eyes.
Once on the plain again the boys be-
AN to run and retreat rapidly: Their
acks We're full of potatoes which the
russian had given them. With those
hey passed unquestioned the trenches
# the francs tireurs. They were prepar.
ng for the night attack. Troops were
ilently arriving and massing themselves
,ehind the walls. The old sergeant was
here and was placing his men with such
confident air. When the boys passed
re recognized them, and smiled pleas
utly. All, how that smile hurt little
'tenne. For a moment he wished to
all:
Don't you go out, we have betrayed
ou."
But the other said: If you speak out
re shall be shot, and fear kept him
till.
At Courneuve they entered deserted
louse to divide their money. Truth
bliges me to say that when he heard
he chink of the coin under his blouse,
nd thought of the games of the galoche
n the future, little Stenne found that +
lis crime was somewhat less frightful
But when he was alone, the unhappy
10Y! When, after they were through ,
he gates, the large boy had left him,
hen his pockets began to grow heavy,
nd the hand upon his heart more
yeighty than before. People who passed
eemed to look at him more severely, as
they knew from whence he had come.
lie heard the word spy in the noise of
he streets and the beating of the drums
which were marching by the side of the
anal. At last he reached home, and,
lad to find that his father was not yet ,
q, he hurried to his chamber to hide
nder his pillow the coins that weighed
i'm down.
Never had Pere Stenue seemed so Joy
us and so happy as when he came back
q that night. News had just been re-
eived from the provinces, and affairs
we're going better. AS he sat the old
older looked at his gun hanging on the
rail- and said to his bow: ,