The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-22

.hose of thirst. When the first rage OF hun.
ger passes. one feels crushed and weary, but
thirst is a restless torment and weak and
worn as was. tossed uneasily at the bottom
n the car. Suddenly my foot struck some
thing. something which / had not felt be
fore. I seized 1t, and oh, mon Dieul what
,hsll I saw how can l put my Joy and grail
tude into words, when found that 1t was
bottle of water2
II drained 1t at single draught, and moth
ing 80 delicious ever passed Lay lips before
or since; and then my relief was so great
that. strong man as I an, j burst into tears.
and wept abundantly. That draught Of
water mad eased nv overwrought nerves
and poured a needed oil of healing over each
aching fibre. | dare say what | did next will
seem absurd and improbable. bot IL Is the
simple truth Once more looked about me,
and seeing that the clouds were as thick
and the night as dark as ever, feel,
ing too. unutterably shaken, worn, and
weary, deliberately lay down, covered my
self as well as l could and sank into sleep
or sgoon, never have known which. but In
a moment or two l became unconscious.
II came to myself just as the day was
breaking. The air was. cold and piercing,
and still had.great difficulty in breathing
The clouds had rolled away and far, far be-
low me 1 could see the earth-that dear.
dear earth which l now loved for the nrst
time. But had no time for sentiment or
regret: the balloon was drifting on rapidly,
and drifting straight upon the Stone OF Ter
ror. Shall ever forget its dread ghsstliness
in the pale gray light of dawn Never. Ii
|hsunts nv dreams now, and | fear 1t will
haunt nv last hour There are some grim,
cruel things in nature, but to me the Stone
OF Terror is the most awful sight on TOO
earth.
Those dreadful peaks, against whose
sharp and Jagged edges human belng'could
be dashed 10 pieces and cruelty lacerated
that dread eternal snow that awful lsola-
ton Other Alpine SUBMITS are solemn,
austere, re igious. The Stone OF Terror seems
to me to rise up among them like the emood-
led cry of lost soul.
s'As SO looked at il and feared il. with q
dread for which l can find no words, the
balloon drifted nearer and nearer It's awful
heights, and death aud oblivion stared ne
In the face. have faced death often before
and since. but never with such q stilled
aud pulseless heart. L believe
in God, but / could not pray. The
thoughts died in my brain, the words on my
lips. The horror of the Stone OF Terror was
upon me- aod closed my eyes as felt the
rising wind drifting me onward to certain
destruction. The balloon rocked and swayed,
but still foated, and after q second or two OF
sgonizsd expectation l once more looked
about me, and saw that it had drifted lit
tie southwark, and now no longer overhung
rocky, iDacce ssible peaks, but the mountain
slope or spur.
And now at last / sprang upon the
valves and, God be praised found that the
balloon ooeyed and sank rapidly. / held
myself together until Ii touched the earth,
aud stepped out of the accursed car, but
then tainted in earnest and finally recov.
cred to ii I'D ms self on ned in pleasant
chalet, with physician by my side aud
several kindly peasant faces looking ON. My
sxoou had not lasted as long As l supposed
I had not been undrstsed. and my dispatches
were safe. The physician objected to my
moving at flrst, but when | set before him
the importance of my mission and my anxi.
ETY. to fulfill 1t dead or alive, be assented,
aud In the course OF q few hours was again
en- route-on foot this time-and before day
break had placed my dispatches in General
Journay e's hands My interview with him
was very short, and at the end of 1t l lay
do Sn to rest in the tent of brother officer,
tired, indeed, but unutterably grateful
1t was night when 1 was awakened by q
ID lose not one moment IN coming
to headquarters, aud l was stupid enough to
De surprised by what heard when l pre-.
eented myself.
- have dispatches to send to Paris.
General Journays said, when bad saluted.
/ DO we'd.
"sAnd have sent for you. NJ. de Barre,
be continued. to ask " hen you will be ready
TO 20 back
MAY You never know, my dear friend.
how felt at that momenti That acoursed
bal DON felt convinced that i could never
again Keep my senses together If even saw
:" Back, mon generalP' ! faltered.
rCfa VI ApC
afraid said General Journsye, CURLY.
1T was to be, thenl knew we'll that |
could do nothing with the balloon but die In
lt, but pulled myself together, and said
that had no fear, that | would depart that
instant were Ii not that several days must
Fla pse beflre the balloon could be put In or
der.
.'Oh! that is OF no consequences / had
not tho1ght of the balloon. Indeed. We can
not wait for it, returned the General.
Mon DIeul / had nearly embraced him,
but held out my hand only, and said,
'Gi se me the dispatches then, mon general
Il will not trouble you with the history of
my Journey back to Paris again by devious
ways and in various DISCUSSES. Ii was in q
priests dress that | finally saw its towers
aud spires cleaning in the distance in the
light of the setting sun. There 1t was, the
goal of my hard journey, the goal of my
hard Journey, the garner OF nay treasures;
but how was to reach it2 Between rs lay
the Prussisn army. As 1 was plodding wear.
lily on passed little country church, and
entered it and knet down. 1t accorded
we'll with the character persenated to do so,
but am not afraid to tell you, monsieur,
that prayed with al my soul for the guild
ance of God.
And 1t did not fail me. While was still
there, stout Peasant woman came
in, carrying q heavy basket. She passed me,
went up to the altar, and knelt down, plac-
log her basket beside her. She had rot
looked at me, but had recognized her at
once. l knew that broad back, that spotless
white Golf those heavy gold earrings. How
often had play ed with them as a child
1T was my nourrice, nv good Jeanne,
who was kneeling there and | suddenly re-
membered that she had bake shop in a viii
age near Paris; indeed, bad visited her
there not q year before. l knew Jeanne's
10y atty aud fidelity. She was quick witted
TOO, and felt sure that she would help II
Still, | allo we'd her to leave the church
alone and it was not until later in the even
ing that presented myself ut her door. She
lid not recognize me, and alter few mo-
ments' conversation 1 asked her where her
nus band was.
"'Ah, mon D,ell mon pere he has lost q