Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-11-27
- pegir che aaack. lie must know we

8E6 tuoEo.
.'All right Captain" replied the
courier; 'it will be DONE
And the silence of the two men, brok.
en- for moment, recommended; there
was no sound but the Gathering of the
horses feet as their iron-shod hoofs
struck the pebbly soil.
Thoughtfully the Captain observed
the young soldier, who had unconscious
" suffered his horse to gain pace in
advance OF that Of his chief. He noticed
the strong rnddy neck of the young
man, and tho thickly-set. fair hair
cropped short according to regulation
which curled about his nape. With his
broad sloping shoulders, his sinewy
back clearly and boldly outlined under
the uniform, his muscular limbs well
gripping the sides of the horse. he pre-
sented the purest type of that fine, Wig
orous, healthy French race whose de-
scendants are steadily degenerating un-
der the influence of the city debauch
and enervation which are gradually
creeping even into the country.
where are you from?" the officer
asked.
From Guerigny. on the Loire, close
to Nevers. Captain answered the
trooper.
The officer looked up.
II suppose you know the place. Cap
tain7" continued the trooper. "At least
/ suppose you have been stationed at
Neversl. There is a cavalry garrison
there"
"Yes.thsTe Is, " responded the Captain.
sThat Is sol And how old are youp'
II win be q next Saint Martins day. "
] 'sAny brothers or sistersP"
'.No., Captain; am an only son. =
'Ahl Then your mother must have
suffered great deal at your depart
Ure?n
81 have no. mother, Captain. She
died when | was quite q child. so that !
might almost say never knew her."
''Is your father old?"
II have no father either" replied the
young man, becoming suddenly more
| serious.
WHAT Is he dead too?"
81 don't know answered the soldier
in 3 low voice. He went away before
was born and do not bear his name +"
sAh!'' exclaimed the Captain sudden
". Then in q gentle voice he added,
Pardon me!'
There is nothing to excuse, Cap
tain, said the Young man sadly. ''You
could not have known! Until / was 10
| years, Of did not know myself. Then
one day At the village school one of my
playmates during quarrel called me
bastard l did not understand; but
knew from his tone that he intended
TO insult me; and. as was not cow
ard. jumped at him, although he was
stronger than me. In the evening /
asked my parents-at least those I call
ed papa and mamma-what that word
meant which l had not understood.
They looked at each other, and after
moments hesitation papa SAID, as was
10 years old and getting to be a big boy,
that must learn the truth"
"Well,' exclaimed the Captain, ''and
what was the truthP"
Just about what / have already told
you myself, Captain-that nv father
had abandoned my mother, and that
she had died of grief two years after
bringing me into the world, leaving me
to the care Of my grandparents"
Poor boy" said the officer, becoming
suddenly pensive. And ne repeated in
q whisper to himself, Poor boyr'
Then mechanically changing his
tone. and addressing the young man
with almost unconscious respect, he
added:
"And you must hate that man-your
fatherP"
mo. pity him. If have had no
father, he has had no child"
"How do you know?" questioned the
officer. "Do you know who he is?"
mot any more than ever did" the
soldier answered. "But my grandpar-
ents told me his history without ever
telling me his name; and ! know that
ne has not been happy. And still, he
was not bad man-it was all due to
his mothers influence.
His mother?" brusquely cried the
Captain, rising up in his saddle.
See anything, Captain" demanded
the courier, grasping his rifle and
searching the long road with his keen
glance. '.In the bushes-was it?"
mo, no." answered the chief. ''It
was only my horse that started at the
reflection of the moon in a pool of wa
ter. And you were saying it was all
his mothers faultg"
$50 it seems. He was of a noble
family and wealthy; and, nevertheless,
he wanted to marry the woman whose
affections he had gained and who was
on the point of becoming mother. IN
fortunately he gambIed; and one night
he lost sum SO large that he could not
pay it, and had to appeal to his mother
for assistance. Sh said: Il am will
ing to save you, but only on condition
that you leave the woman you are now
living with and marry the ono intend
for YOU 1t was no use for him to
make remonstrances; the old lady was
infexible. Not to pay the debt was to
be forever dishonored- knew the
fact and took advantage of it. Finally
he thought himself obliged to yield, and
went away without again seeing my
mother-to whom lawyer brought 20.-
900 francs and letter telling her every
thing, and begging her forgiveness. It
was fatal blow to her; she had placed
all her faith, all her hopes, all her trust
in that man. 1t had never for an in