The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-12-06

talk, which savored of the faubourgs and his
gamin's vocabulary. They laughed, repeating
his words after him, and seemed to wall0w with
delight in this mire of Paris, which he had
brought before them.
Little Stenne wished to speak also, so as to
show that he was not stupid but something
restrained him. Near him was an old Prus-
sian, more serious than the others, who was
reading, or rather pretending to read, for his
eyes had not quit the words before them.
His look was full of tenderness and reproach,
as if he had in his own country son of little
Stenne's age, and as if he were saying to HIM
self:
II would rather die than see my boy engaged
in such a business as this"
From that moment little Stenne seemed to
feel on his heart heavy hand, which almost
stopped its beating.
To escape from his anguish he began to drink.
Soon everything began to whirl about him.
However, in the midst Of the laughter of the
Prussians he vaguely heard his companion,
who was ridiculing the National Guard, max
ing fun of their manuvers and giving bur-
lesque of their actions in the capture OF
scouting party and during an alarm at night
on the ramparts. Then the speaker lowered
his voice, the officers approached him, and their
faces became grave. The wretch was about to
warn them of the intended attack of the sharp
shooters.
Little stenne, becoming suddenly sober, rose
in anger.
Not that!" he said "You must not tell
that"
But the other only laughed and continued.
Before he had finished the officers were all
stirring, and were talking excitedly in Ger
man.
One of the Prussians showed the boys to the
door The elder, as he departed, seemed to be
proud of what he had done, and shook the sill
| l. f-llc
downcast conntenance, and as he passed the old
Prussian, whose looks had restrained him, he
! could hear him say, in low, sad voice:
All, this is a bad business a bad bust
ness!"
Tears came to the eyes Of the little boy.
When they reached the plain the boys began
to run and soon retraced their steps. Their
sack was full of potatoes which the Prussians
| had given them. With this they passed with
out trouble the trench of the French sharp
! shooters. There they saw preparations going
! forward for the attack that was 30 be made at
night Troops were arriving and massing them
! selves behind the walls The old Sergeant was
there arranging his men, and he seemed happy.
| When the boys passed he recognized them and
| greeted them with smile.
! Alb, that smile 1t did not make little
Stenne happy. At one time he was on the point
! of crying aloud:
Do not make the attack; we have betrayed
you"
But the other said to him If you tell what
we have done we will be shot" and fear re-
| strained him.
| When they reached Cournenoe they entered
| an old deserted house for the purpose of divd-
| ing their money. Truth obiges me to say that
| the division was honestly made, and that the
| sound of the coins in his pocket and the thought
of the games of galoche in which he expected
to participate, made little Stenne's crime seem
| to him not so terrible after all.
But when he was alone the little boy again
became unhappy. When, after passing the
gates, his companion left him, his pockets began
| to seem very heavy, and the hand which he
had felt upon his heart seemed to press closer
than ever. The people whom he passed looked
| at him severely, as if they knew whence he
came. The word spy" rang in his ears; he
could hear it in the roll of the wheels and in
the beating of the drums.
AT last he reached his home, and was happy
to see that his father had not returned. He at
once went to his chamber and concealed under
his pillow the coins that had been weighing
him down.
The elder Stenne had never been so pleasant
and so happy as when he returned that even
ing He had been to learn the news from the
provinces, and it was encouraging During
supper the old soldier looked almost cOntinu-
ally at his gun hanging on the wall, and he said
to his son with smile:
All, my boy, you would be after the Prus-
SLAMS now, if you were a little older! f"
About o'clock the report of cannon was
heard.
"That is at Aubertvilliers they are firing
on Bourget," said the old man, who was well
posted in regard to all the forts. Little Stenne
turned pale, and, pretending that he was very
tired went to bed, but he did not Sleep The
cannon Numbered continually. He seemed to
see the sharpshooters going at night to surprise
ii
ambuscade. He thought of the old Sergeant
who had smiled upon him, and seemed to see
him, with many others, lying dead upon the
snow. The price of all this blood lay con-
cealed under his pillow, and it was he the son
of NJ. Stenne, soldier, that had caused this
slaughter. His tears choked him.
In the adjoining apartment he could hear
his father moving as he Went to open the win
dow. From the square below came the sound
of drums beating to arms as battalion OF
militia assembled There was to be battle
The wretched little boy could no longer re
strain his sObs
What's the matter?" said his father as he
entered the room.
The child could hold out no longer he
sprang from his bed and threw hmselfat his
fathers feet As he did so the coins rolled
from under his pillow and felton, the floor.
What are these? have you stolen them ,
asked the old man, trembling.
Little Stenne told his father how he had
gone to the camp of the Prussians. and what
had occurred there. As he spoke, by degree:
the weight seemed to be lifted from his heart
But the father, as heslistened to his SON;
confession, presented terrible figure. Wher
the child had finished speaking the old man
bowed his head in his hands and wept.
Father father 7" exclaimed the boy
The old man repulsed him without replying
and began to collect the coins.
Is this all?" he asked.
Little Stenne nodded The old man TOOK
down his gun and got his cartridge-box Then
putting the coins in his pocket, he said:
Z" am going to return these to the Prus
SLAMS"
Then, without uttering a word, without
even turning his head he left the room aD(
descended to the square and mingled with tn,
soldiers. He never returned.
-Pdris Tlcstye