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

He took off his pointed helmet. which
might have betrayed him, and cautiously
put his head out Of the ditch. Not
solitary creature was TO be seen on the
horizon. Here on the right a little village
sent the smoke up from its roofs into the
sky-the kitchen smoke. There on the
left he could see a grand castle, thanked
with towers, at the end Of an avenue Of
trees. He waited there tall the evening.
Il was a painful time. lie saw nothing
but flights Of CROWS.
Night came upon him. He lay down
at the bottom Of the sheltering ditch.
and slept a feveFish sleep haunted BY
niEhtmare--the sleep q a famished man.
The dawn rOse again over his head He
returned 70 his post and watched. But
the country lay deserted and empty as il
had done the day before; and a new fear
entered into the heart Of Walter Sehnaffs.
the fear Of dying Of hunger. He could
see himself lying al the bottom q the
ditch. on his hack. with his eyes shut.
and beasts-an kinds II small ANIMAL
would come Mound his dead body. and
devour il, attacking every part al tine
same time creeping insiie his CLOTHES %
bite his cold skin: and a great crow
would come and pick out his eyes with
it, sharp beak.
Then he lost his head altogether. fancy
ing he was going TO faint away from
weakness, and never be able 10 get out
Of the ditch. And he was Just preparing
to start for the village, come what might,
and dare everything, when he saw three
laborers going toward the fields. with
their pitchfOrks on their shoulders. and
he plunged back into his hiding place.
As soon as the shadows Of evening
darkencd over him, he dragged himself
slowly out Of the ditch, and bent and
fearful, with beating heart, set out for
the distant castle, choosing it in prefer
ence 10 the village. which seemed to him
like den Of tigers. The windows Of the
lower story were lighted up. One Of
them even was open. and there came out
a strong smell Of roast meat--a smell
that penetrated into the nostrils and
down into the stomach of Walter
Schnaffs. That smell electrified him. it
took away his breath, and, drawing him
irresistibly toward it, put desperate
courage into his heart. And suddenly.
without stopping to think, lie presented
himself, in his helmet, at the opening of
the window Eight servants were sitting
at dinner. round large table. But, all
at once, one Of the maid-servants dropped
her glass. and sat staring, open-mouthed.
They all turned round to see what she
was looking at They caught sight of
the enemy. God help us, the Prussians
have attacked the castlc!r
There was a scream, a single scream.
made up Of eight screams in eight differ
ent tones-a cry of deadly terror. Then
there was a tuniultuous uprising, a push
ing, and scrambling and a wild flight
toward the door at the end of the room.
Chairs fell, men knocked down women
and trampled them under foot. In two
seconds the room was empty and de-
serted and right in front of Walter
Schnaifs, standing stupefed before the
window, was the table laden with food.
After few moments hesitation he
stepped over the window-sll and went
up to the table. lie shook with famine
as he had with fever; but he was still
held back and paralyzed by his fears.
III hot'ii'h' ll' W llplt iibuht seemed To !
shake; doors banged, and footsteps hur-
ried across the floor above. The Prus-
sian strained his ears to catch the con-
fused sounds; then hc heard duh thuds
as Of bodies falling on the soft ground at
the foot Of the walls-human bodies
jumping out of the iirst-hoor windows.
Then every movement, every sound
ceased, and the great castle was AS silent
ms the grave.
Walter SchnaiIs sat down before one
Of the untouched plates and began 10 eat.
He devoured great mouthfuls. as if he
he was afraid of being interrupted before
hc had had time to swallow enough. lie
threw the morscls into his mouth with
both hands, AS if lac WAS throwing thcm
into pit; he ate 50 fast that great lumps
Of food stuck in his throat and lad to he
washed down with copious duughts Of
water. lie emptied all the plates. and
all the dishes, and all the bottles, till he
was drunk with food and liquor. Red.
and stupid, and hiccoughing. with duh
head and greasy lips, unbuttoning his
uniform TO breathe, he was utterly i'll
capable Of stirring a step. lie shut his
eyes-his brain was heavy; hccrossed his
arms upon the table and laid his head
down upon them, and went of gently 70
the land of dreams.
The crescent moon shonc dimly above