The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1888-07-07
A PEACEABLE WARRIOR.

AAtiis ne Nsta ltt anu NOT lNuu NI walk
ing, and ie suffered dreadfully with his
feet, which were fiat and heavy. He
was a peaccable, kindly soul. with
nothing valiant or warlike about him.
He MISSED the four little ones at home
that he dotted on. and lie longed desper-
ately for bis fair young wife. with her
tender, circssins ways and her kisses.
He likcd 10 get up late and 20 to bed
early; to eat and drink well, without b.
ing hurried; and now death might carry
him Oft at any moment from all the good
things OF this world. How he hated all
the cannons. and rifles. and revOlvers.
and swords with a deadly, unreasonable,
and, at the same time, well-founded
hatred. The bayonefs in particular were
his special aversion, for lac felt that he
should never he agile enough 70 protect
his fat body from those weapons
At the beginning OF every battle hiz
legs used to weaken under him. and he
would certainly have fallen il he had
not remembered that the whole army
would have 70 pass over his loiy His
very hair stood On end at the Thistling
Of the balls. For months he had been
living ia fear and anguish.
His regiment was marching toward
Normandy. One day he was sent out
accommodating with small detachment
with orders to explore part Of the coun-'
try aud then fall back. The country
seemed quiet; there were no signs Of any
defensive preparations. The Prussians
wers marching quietly down into val
ley cat up into deep ravines. when they
were suddenly brought 10 a standstill By
brisk fire Of muskctry. Twenty Of
their men fell, and squad Of francs
tireurs rushed out Of a little wood and
charged with their bayonets.
For moment Walter SchnafTs stood
mOti0nless. too surprised and terrified 10
think Of flight. The next moment he was
wild 10 turn and run; but, unfortunately,
le suld only run like a snail compared
H. iiiOse lean Frenchmen, who came
bounding along like herd Of goats.
About six feet in front Of him there was
u wide ditch filled with brush-wood and
dead leaves. He jumped straight into it,
without thinking Of its depth, as you
might jump off bridge into a river. He
shot like an arrow through a thick
.iedge of thorns and briars that tore his
face and hands, and fell heavily. sitting
on a bed Of stones.
Looking up, he could see the sky
through the hole he had made. That
treacherOus hole might betray him, so he
began 10 crawl cautiously ON his hands
and knees along the bottom Of the ditch,
under the entwined branches, scrambled
~ fauf Al.
Of combat. Then he stopped and sat
down again, crouching like hare in the
long, dry grass. For some time he could
still hear shots, and groans. and shouts.
But the struggle gradually died away
and ceased. All became calm and quiet
again.
The night fell, filling the ravine with
darkness. The soldier grew thoughtful
What was he to do? What would become
of himi Should he reioin the army But
how and where? And he would have TO
20 back to a life Of fear, and anguish,
and fatigue and suffering, that he had
been leading ever since the beginning Of
the war. No hc really had not the cour-
age to do III lie should never be able to
bear the long marches and brave the per-
petual dangers.
All at once he thought: Surprising
was to be taken prisonerr And wild
longing came into his heart to be- taken
prisoner by the French Prisoner. 1t
would be the saving Of him: lac would be
fed and housed, sheltered from all dan
ger of swords and bullets safe in good,
well-guarded prison. \ prisoner. Oh.
what a dream of bliss. And he made
up his mind at once: Il shall deliver
myself up as prisoner"
He stood up. determined to put his
plan into execution without losing
moment. But as soon as he was on his
feet whole crowd of unpleasant reflec-
tians and new terrOrs assailed him.
Where and how was he to give himself
up az prisoner: All sorts Of awful
pictures-pictures Of death-passed be-
fore his mind. He would certainly run
the most fearful risks if he ventured out
into the open country with his pointed
helmet. lie might meet band of labor
ers. Lab0rers who as soon as they spied
d lost Prussian-a defenseless Prllssian-
would certainly kill him like mad dog;
massacre him with their pitchforks, and
spades, and scythes and shOvcs They
would mash him to jelly, they would
make mince-meat Of him, with all the
brutality Of AN exaspcrated, vanquished
seople.
Or surprising he came upon the
Irancs-tireurs: Oh those francs-tireurs,
set Of madmcn without law or dis
cipline who would be- ready to shoot him
down for fun, to while away an hour.
and laugh at the figure hc would cut.
And lac pictured himself standing with
ms back against Il wall. with the muzzlcs
Of IA dozen guns pointed at hm--hc could
really almost see the little round black
holes watching him.
Or lac might even meet the whole Of
the French army itself. The advance
guard would certainly take linn for u
spy-for cunning and intrepid scout
who had come out by himself to recon-
nOitre-and they would fire at him. He
fancied himself standing in the middle
Of a field, hc could hear the irregular
shots Of the soldiers crouching in the
hrushwOOd and felt the bullets entering
his flesh. as he fell nddlcl like a sieve
with shot. lie sat down again in despair.
lie could see no way out Of his difficult
ties.
1t was quite dark by this time. Tho
night had fallen dumb and black lie
sat quite still, trembling at every slight
unknown sound that reached is ear ia
the darkness. A rabbit, squtting down
ON the edge Of his burrow, almost pat
Walter SchnaiTs to flight. The owls
screeching tore his very soul with sudden
frights that were rs painful rs wounds.
lie opened his google eyes to their widest
cxtomt. and peered into the darkness
and every moment he fancIcd lac heard
footsteps near him.
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