The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-09-17

| INC clouds. Here and there sentinel;
hooded officers scanning the ho-
rlzon through their glass; little
tents soaked with tbawing snow
before which the camp fires were dying.
The big fellow knew the roads we'll,
and where to cut across the fields to
avoid The pickets; still, notwithstand-
ing these precautions, they fell upon
an outpost ofsharpshooters. wrapped
in their short cloaks and huddled up
in ditch half full of water, that runs
along the railroad track OF SCISSORS.
Here the big fellow repeated his tale
in vain; they would not allow him to
pass. While he stood there complains
ing, an old sergeant stepped out of
the crossing-keeper's house; his hair
was white, and with his wrinkles look
ed somewhat like Father Stenne.
Come, come, boys, don't stand
there crying" he said to the children;
"they'll let you pass through after
your potatoes; but just come in here
and get warm. That youngster looks
| frozen"
Alas! Young Stenne was trembling
all over, not with cold, but with
shame and fear. Inside they found q
few soldiers crouched around a dying
tire-a real widows fire, as they were
trying to thaw some biscuits on the
point end OF their bayonets. They
moved up close to make room for the
| children, and gave them a little coffee
and a drop OF brandy. While they
were drinking an officer called out to
the sergeant from the door, said few
words to him and hurried of.
The sergeant returned in high glee
"Boys" he said, "grog all round to-
night; we have got the password ofthe
Prussians, and this time think we'll
take that id Bourget away from
them"
There was burst OF applause, and
the men began to dance and to sing,
while some OF them polished up their
bayonets. Taking advantage OF this
confusion, the children escaped.
Beyond the trench they struck the
plain, the end OF which loomed up q
long white wall, broken by loopholes.
They 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 go
on, young stenne kept saying. The
other merely shrugged his shoulders
and kept on advancing. Suddenly
they heard the clicking OF q gun being
cooked
'Lie down." cried the elder, throw.
ing himself on the ground.
AS he lay there he whistled-and
another whistle answered over the
snow. They advanced, slowly creep
Ing on all tours. On level with the
ground, and just before the wall, a
yellow moustache appeared under a
greasy cap. The big boy jumped into
the ditch by the side OF the Prussian.
''That is my brother" he 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 you Just
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 stew over a large fire. 1t smelt
so good OF cabbage and lard; what a
difference between that and the sharp
shooters camp! Upstairs the officers
were playing the piano and uncorking
as the boys entered. They gave their
r,o, !, ~
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 seemed to
amuse them vastly. They laughingly
repeated the words after him, taking
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
serious-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 ofhis own son,
just about Stenne's age, and were say
ing to himself:
~ had rather die than have my boy
do such a thing"
And young Stenne felt as though q
hand was placed upon his heart and
kept it from beating. Toiorget this feel
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 ramparts. 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,
81 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 a
king, and rattling his money. Stenne
passed, hanging his head, and as he
passed the Prussan whose gaze had
embarrassed him so. he heard him
say in sad tone Of voice: "a pact
top; a pact tjcp, this" and it
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
Pussians had given them, and so they