Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-06-09

triumphant arrival ut Havre, so clearly
and wildly that he aroused Durand to
great enthusiasm. And all this time
poor Inundated Victor was suffering
from his still bleeding wound.
The next day Victor had a fever and
kept his bed, and for some weeks he
did not appear at the table. The Cap
tain, meanwhile, energctically estab-
lishcd his professions to the hand of
Gertrude. The evening that Victor
rcappeared among us, weak and paler
than ever, it seemed to me that Ger
trude's eyes were very red and that
some skirmish had taken place be-
tween her and her mother, who seemed
more taken up with NORM than ever
saw that il was time to interfere in
the interest Of these poor children. IL
was the last day of the year, and as
We were talking Of the new year we
decided to celebrate the anniversary
together.
"Egad. Nine. Durand," said the
Captain, II have surprise for your
New Years present"
| This put an idea in my head.
On New Years day Durand received
us, radiant and with open arms. The
stratcgical-cditor of lie Temps had just
struck terrible blow at Prince Charles
in the neighborhood of Evreu. Du-
rand offered us this good news for our
New Years present. Victor brought
hare which he had trapped beyond
| the Notifications. As TO the Captain,
he presented Nine. Durand with a bag
Of mdrrOns gldccs in Uhlan's helmet.
MADAM" said he, magnificently,
81 am sorry / did not bring in 1t the
head of its owner"
What" cried Nine. Durand, al
most spccchlcss with emotion; Ibid
you kill him?"
: AYE, to get this tonbon box,
madam performance which, | make
bold to say, would not have been at
tempted by many men,.
will pass over the recital of this
adventure. of which you may be sure
our Bombastcs did not spare MS the
smallest detail. Crouched down be-
hind cask. he had watched for, sur
pri'cd, and knocked down the wearcr
of tho cap, a solitary sentinel, and had
stranglcd him, i'm order not to arouse
the attention of the enemy by using
his revolver! What poor showing
the hare, stranglcd, too, made beside
this glorious triumph!
| "Wcll." said !, Il would not think
of rivaling such hero rs the Captain;
but also have my little surprise. But
| will dine without waiting for it.
We sat down to table, and very
pleasant dinner it was. We had just
reached the coffee, when servant in
formed us that an artillcryman had
just deposited my present in the draw
ing-room. Repairing thithcr. we found
the object on the table, wrapped In
bright paper and tied up with gay rib
bons.
"What i'm the world can it be-" asked
Mime. Durand.
Don't try to guess. my dear mad
anne; il is n bomb-shcll."
'Durand has often expressed to me
a desire to possess bomb-shcll, one
that has seen service, and at my re-
quest my friend Roland, commandment
of battery, has sent me this. 1t is
from the Akron plateau, where it fell
but failed to explode"
As spoke ] united the blue ribbon,
took off the paper, and the bomb-shcil
appeared, black, sinister and menac-
ing.
"My dear fellow" said Durand, II
am delighted. ! shall hang it up in my
atudy,"
'But," objected Nine, Durand, "if it
has not gone Off,
.'Oh have no fear: il was understood
that Roland would only send it to me
empty and harmless. However, there
is letter accompanying II"
Iopcncd the letter, and was about to
read il aloud, but at the first line my
face began to express surprise, then
anxiety, when every ono cried
whats the mattcrp"
Great Heavcns!-I have-listcn,"
and read:
DEAR FRIENDS. Hero Is tho bombshcll
you desired. But have been unable to find
an artillcryman who knows how TO unload H.
Send II to tho srmorer in the Passage do
rOpera, who wiz ns II for you perfectly.
not tho lenst shock. not the faintcst friction,
for II you strike II with even n sheet OF paper
"'RoLAND.'"
Twas interrupted by cries of fright.
"Oh. take it away" cried Mmo,
Durand. "Oh, this is terrible! A
bomb-shcll in my housc!'
For Heavens sake" said I, raising
my hand warningly. "Bc calm Do
not be frightened; the artilleryman
who brought it shall take it away"
"But. SIR" said the servant, who
stood trembling in the door," the artil-
lcryman is gone"
Then" said I, ait is I who
ausl"----,
II forbid you'll cried Durand. uYou
are not strong enough to carry it. You
would let it fall on tho way, perhaps on
the stairs. or even in this room"
Nine. purand threw herself on me,
crying:
mo, not you! 1t is too dangerous.
Not YOU"
This" said Durand, sis the work
for strong soldier. Happily the
Captain is here
ZIP" said the Captain, unoasily,
Eyes, you are as strong as h bull;
and besides, you are used TO these
dreadful implements of war. You
play with cannon-balls and bomb
shells as school-boy does with his
tops and marbles
"But-but pardon me. said tho
Captain, who grew slightly pale" q
bomb-shell, you scc-er-hum, Can we
not wait until tomorrow, and have it
taken away thcnP'
Tomorrow. cried Mime. Durand
why, ] couldn't close my eyes the
whole night. would rather go to
hotel"
Here Victor stepped forward;
"Do not put yourself TO so much |
trouble, l beg said he. Il will take
the bomb-shcll away" vre a
"You are mad, my boy" cried
Durand, stopping him, "Just off a |
sick-bcd. and with your wounded arm!
DO YOU want to bring INC house down
about our carss"
"Lct il be, Victor" said /, ''this is