Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1886-04-17

Il liLt HAltl liz A-'A -lA -" ~ r-@
the f~or,ifcations A. TO the Captain.
he presented Mime. Durand with a bag
Of m1rr5u> glaze, in q Uhlans helmet.
Madam. said he. m~agnifcentlv
Il an sorry | did not bring in it the
head Of IL owner
What" cried Nine. Durand, al.
mos, speeches. with emotion did
You kill him2'
Ave, to get this bon5on box.
madam 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 he sure
our Bombas.es did not spare Us the
smallest detail. Crouchoi down he.
hind a cssk, he had watched for. sur.
prised, and knocked down the wearel
Of the cap. a solitary sentinel, and had
strangled him. in order not to arouse
the attention Of the enemy by using
his revolver What a poor showing
the hare, strangled, too, made beside
this glorious triumph,
We'll" said I, IL would not think
Of riyaling such a hero as the Captain
hut | also have my little surprise, Bu'
it has not vet arrived, and | hope YOU
will dine without waitingfo it
We sat down to table, and a very
pleasant dinner it was. We had jus
reached the coffee, when a servant in.
formed u, that an artilloryman hat
just deposited my present in the draw.
ing-room. Repairing thither. we found
the object on the table, wrapped in
bright paper and tied up with gay rib,
bOnS.
What in the world can it be-" asked
Mime. Durand.
Don't try to guess. my dear mad
anne; it is a bomb-,hell,'
''Durand has often expressed 10 me
a desire TO possess a bomb-shell, one
that has seen service and at my re.
quest my friend Roland. c|ommandan'
of q battery, has sent me this. II /,
from the AKRON plateau, where it fell
but failed to explode
As | spoke | united the blue ribbon,
took off the paper, and the bomb-shell
appeared, black, sinister and menac.
inc.
My dear fellow" said Durand. 81
am delighted. | shall hang it up in my
study"
But" objected Nine. Durand, "if it
has not gone Off
''Oh have no fear; it was understood
that Roland would only send it to me
empty and harmless. However, there
is a letter accompanyingit
] opened the letter, and was about to
read it aloud, but at the first line my
face began to express surprise, then
anxiety, when every one cried:
whats the matter?'
Great Heavens,-I have-listen,"
and | read.
"'DEAR FRtESD: Here is the bomb.shell
you desired. But | have been unable to find
an artiIleryman who knows how to unload il.
Send it to the armorer IN the Passage de
! 'HElut Wv VIII IN 4h lkl NbA perfectly
But ! warn you 20 take great precautions:
not the least shock, not the fantest frict on,
for it you strike 1t with even a sheet OF paper
it will explode. Yours, as ever,
| was interrupted by cries Of fright.
"Oh, take it away cried Nine.
Durand, "Oh, this is terrible, A
bomb-shell in my house,
FOR Heavens sake said |, raising
my hand warningly BE calm, Do
not be frightened; the artilleryman
who brought it shall take il away.
But, sir said the servant, who
stood trembling in the door" the artil-
leryman is gone
Then" said 1, at is I who
must
Il forbid you cried Durand. you
not strong enough to carry it. You
would let it fall on the way, perhaps on
the stairs, or even in this room.
Nine, Durand threw herself on me-,
NO, not you It is too dangerous.
you"
This said DurInd, sis the work
a strong soldier. Happily the
Captain is here
up said the Captain, uneasily.
yes, you are a, strong a. q bull:
and besides, you are used to these
dreadful implements Of war. You
play with cannon-balls and bomb
shells as a school.boy does with his
and marbles
''But-but pardon me- said the
Captain, who grew slightly pale" a
bomb-shell, YOU see-er-hum. Can We
not wait until tomorrow, and have il
taken away them
Tomorrow cried Nine. Durand.
why, | couldn't close my ewes the
whole night. would rather 20 to a
hotel"
Here Victor stepped forward:
do not put yourself to 30 much
trouble, | beg said he. II will tax.
the bomb-shell away
"You are mad, nv boy" cried
Durand, stopping him, Just of A
slck-bed, and with your wounded arm,
DO you want TO bring the house down
about our earsPn
Let it be, Victor" said /. 'this is
no work for a sick man"
but it is just the task for the Can.
TAM continued Durand. II viii
confide it to no one but him. Come
Captain, be quick. Pick up the mon.
ster and deliver us from this nioht.
mare" "shF
The Captain did not like the situa.
ton, that was evident. But he was
not the man to be disconnected at such
a trifle. ''n
You are right" said he, smiling
uneasily; "this sort of thing il in nv
line. l was about to say, however
when you interrupted me lust now
that it would be dangerous for a ma,
on foot to carry 1t. The sidewalks ar,
slippery, and a single false step in tn,
street would be enough to blow !,
pieces ten men. To take It away in :,
carriage is the only reasonable way
General Lefevre, who brought me 4
your door in his carriage, is dining >
Brebant's, and his carriage is in from
Of the restsursnti ! will ask him /