Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-09-09


point end OF their bayonets rhar
moved up close to make room for m.
chi,dren, and gave them a little cogae
ana drop OF brandy. While thew
were urinking an officer called out to
lhe sergeant from the door, said a few
words to him and hurried of.
The sergeant returned in biob ,,aa
"Boys!' he said, ''gror ali ro,,nd ~
night; We have got the rsassword nf ~
russians, and This time / think Won
ti that did Bourget away from
Ihere was a burst OF applause. and
the men began to dance and to sino
whie some of them polished up their
oayoI cts. Taking advantage of this
confusion, the chlldrcn escaped.
beyond the TRENCH they struck the
pam, the end OF which locined mn a
long white wall. broken by loonholes
Ihey made straight for the wall
stopping. at every step to look as
though they were picking up potatoes
Let us go home-don't let us 90
on, young Stenne kept saving. The
other merely shrugged his shoulders
ana kept on advancing. suddenly
cooked. s'u oeiiie
Lie down." cried the elder, throw.
ing himself on the ground.
As he lay there he whistied-anl
another whistle answered over the
snow. They advanced, slowly cream.
ing on all tours. On level with tic
ground, and Just before the wall N
yellow moustache appeared under n
greasy cap. The big boy iumped info
the ditch by the side OF the Prussian.
That Is my brother" ne said.
pointing to his companion.
The boy Stenne was so small that
the Prussian began to laugh as he
looked at him, and seized him in his
arms to lift him up to the break in
the wall, on the other side of which
rose heavy earthen embankments
cut tree trunks, and black holes in
the snow, IN each of which Won inst
saw the same greasy cap and the
same yellow mustache that LAUGHED
as the boys passed.
In one corner stood the gardeners
house with tree trunks for casemates
The lower floor was full Of soldiers
playing cards, while some were cook
ing a stew over large fire. 1t smelt
SO good OF cabbage and lard; what a
difference between that and the sharp.
shooters campl Upstairs the officers
were playing the piano and uncorking
champagne, and gave joyful cheer
as the boys entered. They gave their
p2pers and the men began to give them
wine to make them talk. Most Of the
officers looked like proud, fierce men.
but the big fellows slang and his cad,
dish, monkeyish manners seeme,l to
amuse them vastly. They laughingly
repeated the words after him, taking
q curious delight in wallowing in the
mud which he brought them from
Paris.
Young Stenne would have liked to
say something, too, so to show them
that he was no fool either; but some
thing embarrassed him. A little to
one side, and facing him, sat Prus-
sian older than the rest, and more
serlous-looking. He was reading, or
pretending to read, for he never took
his eyes off the boy, and there was
something of reproach in his look, as
though he was thinking of his own son.
just about Stenne's age, and we're saw
ing to himself:
81 had rather die than have nv boy
do such thing"
And young Stenne felt as though a
hand was placed upon his heart and
kept il from beating. TO forget thisfeel-
ing he began to drink, until soon every
thing around him was turning round.
He could hear indistinctly how his
comrade was laughing at the nation
al guard and at their awkward drill,
much to the amusement of the listen
ers, or how he initiated false alarm,
the turning out at night and the rush
for the rampaIts. After awhile the
big fellow lowered his voice, and the
faces of the officers drew nearer. The
wretch was warning them against the
attack of the sharpshooters. This
time young Stenne could not stand it,
and suddenly sobered he cried out,
II won't have that, now; none of
that"
But the big fellow only laughed and
went on; before he was through all the
officers had drawn around him. One
OF them pointing to the door said to
the boys:
"Get out of here!"
And they began to talk among them
selves very quickly in German. The
bigger boy stalked out proud as
king, and rafting his money. Stenne
passed, hanging his head, and as be
passed the Prussian whose gaze had
embarrassed him se,-he heard him
say in sad tone of voice: "a pact
top; a pact tjcp, this, and 1t
brought the tears to his eyes
Once out in the plain the boys began
to run quickly towards home. Their
bag was full of potatoes, which the
RUSSIANS had given them, and so they
passed the sharpshooters' trench with
out hitch. Here they were getting rea.
dy for the night attack. Troops kept
coming in silently and forming behind
the walls. The old Sergeant was there
looking happy and busily placing
his men. He noticed the children as
they passed and smiled at them kindly.
How that smile hurt young Stenne!
lie was on the point OF calling out to
them:
Don't go there; we have betrayed
you"
But his companion had warned him:
eff YOU peach we shall be shot" and
so fear kept him from saying any
thing.
At Courneuve they entered an aban-
doned house to divide up the money,
and truth obliges me to own that the
division was fair one, and that when
Young Stenne heard the crowns jim
Cling into his pockets and thought OF
the many games of 'galoche" he
should be able to play, his crime no
longer seemed such horrible one.
AS soon as he was alone, however,
ne began to suffer misery; the big fellow
had left him as soon as they had
passed the gates, and then the crowns
BEGAN to grow heavier and heavier,
and the hand that was clutch
ING his heart frightened its grasp
Paris seemed changed; the peo-
ole in the street looked at HIM
disapprovingly, as II they knew
where he had been, and he kept near
ing the "spy" in thenoise OF the wheels
andin the rolling OF the drums the
bows we're practising on along the ca
nal embankment. He reached home
at last. and went to his room at once,
thankful that his father had not come
home vet; the crowns that seemed SO
heavy to him he hid under the pillow.
Father Stenne had never been so
good or so Jolly as that evening Wheh
he came home. The news from the
provinces was good, and prospects
t.,,I,o1 ,,ora cheerful. While he was