The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-10-22

forearm. He narrated the whole al
fair to us, the retreat and the sad end
ing Of that heroic combat, with so
Jamentable an air of discouragement
that the captain began to treat him
as if he were deserter and coward.
With what noble Indignation he DEM
onstrated that if the "Zouaves OF
Death" had been there things would
have been very different. There
upon, warming to the subject, he
sketched out for us plan for @ sortie
by the passage OF the Disc, march to
Rouen and a final triumphant arrival
at Havre SO clearly and vividly that
he aroused Durand to great enthu
siasm. And all this time, poor humili-
ated Victor was suffering from his
still bleeding wound.
The next day Victor had fever
and kept his bed, and for some weeks
he did not appear at the table. The
Captain, meanwhile, energetically
established his pretensions to the
hand of Gertrude. The evening that
Victor reappeared among us, weak
and paler than ever, it seemed to me
that Gertrude's eyes were very red
and that some skirmish had taken
place between her and her mother,
who seemed morS taken up with
NORM than ever. saw that it was
time to interfere in the interest OF
these poor children. 1t was the last
day OF the year, and as we were talk
ing OF the new year we decided to cele-
brate the anniversary together.
"Egad, Nine. Durand, sad the Cap
tain, II have surprise for your New
Year s present. :"
This put an idea il my head.
| On New Years Day Durand received
us, radiant with open arms. The
strategical editor of LIE Temps had
Just struck terrible blow at Prince
Charles in the neighborhood of Ev-
reaux. Durand offered us this good
news for our New Years present. Vic
tor brought a hare which he had
trapped beyond the Notifications. As
to the Captain, he presented Nine.
Durand with n bag OF marrons glaces
in the uhlan's helmet.
"Madame," said he, magnifcently,
II am sorry did not bring it in the
head OF its owner"
"Whatw cried Nine. Durand, almost
speechless with emotion, did you kill
him?"
"Ay, to get this bonbon box, mad
ame-a performance which, make
bold to say, would not have been at
tempted by many men,"
l will pass over the recital OF this
adventure, OF which you may be sure
our Bombastes did not spare us the
smallest detail. Crouched down be
hind cask, he had watched for, sur
prised, and knocked down the wearel
of the cap, q solitary sentinel, an(
had strangled him, in order not tt
arouse the attention of the enemy by
using his revolver What apoorshow
ing the hare, strangled, too, made be
side this glorious triumph
"Well," said l, 81 would not thinl
of rivaling such a hero as the captain
but also have my little surprise
But it has not yet arrived, and HOP
you will dine without waiting fer it.
We sat down to table, and yer!
pleasant dinner it was. We had jus
reached the coffee, when n servant in
formed us that an artilleryman hat
Just deposited my presentin the draw
ingroom. Repairing thither, wefount
the object on the table, wrapped il
brisht-coored paper and tied up witt
gay ribbons.
"What in the world can it be?" ask
ed Nine. Durand.
"Don't try to guess, my dear mad
anne; it is q bombshell."
IA bombshell?"
"Duran6 has often expressed to m
n desire to possess q bombshell, on
that has seen service, and at my re
quest my friend Roland, commandan
OF q battery, has sent me this. 1t
from the Avron plateau, where it fel
but failed 90 explode" :"
AS / spoke, i united the blue ribbor
took off the paper, and the bombshe
appeared, bla Ok, sinister, and menat
ing
"My dear fellow" said Durand, q
am delighted. shall hang 1T up i
my study"
"But," objected Nine. Durand, "
it has not gone of"
[ "Oh, have no fear. 1t was under
: stood that Roland would only sen
1T to me enapty and harmless. How
ever, there is % letter accompanyin
! IT,.
opened nheaee,er, ana "as aooe
TO read IL CLOUD Dut at ohe hrso IN
: my iace oesah 10 express surprise the
3 an5iety' "slen'eVery one me, crleo'
Nv .,M hae ohe matter ,.
and read:
DEAR FRIEwD:LHere m. is the eombsh. ,',
: you desired; a., tbut i nave oeen Ihnaple ,
nioad; nh a ssnd ~ the rn"rer "I" in :,
8 Passare de TG,pera. who will fix it for yc
perfectly. Bvt warn you to take gre,
! precautions; sot the least shock. not Il
$ faintest frictian, for ii you strike it viii
: even sheet O. paper III VIII explode