Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-06-30

taxable. with what noble Indignation he
declared that the affair would have termi-
mated very differently had his brave COM
pany of " Lost Children" been present!
Thereupon, growing enthusiastic, he de-
scribed to us the plan of proposed sortie
by the Heights of Montmorency. includ-
ing the passage of the Disc, a march upon
Rouen, and then triumphal entry into
Havre
The delirious imagination of the writer
in the Times paled before the strategetic
skill of this chimerical campaign. Du-
tally was in ecstacies of admiration.
Meanwhile, poor, Inundated Brichaud
suffered sadly from his yet bleeding wound,
no one but Gertrude and myself taking
any notice of him. The following dav he
had fever, which confined him to his
bed, and for several weeks he was absent
from our repasts. The Captain quickly
began to make pretensions to the hand of
Mile. Gertrude, which the attitude of her
parents did not seem to discourage.
The day that Brichaud returned conya-
iescent, and thinner than ever, it appeared
quite evident to me that Mile. Gertrude's
eyes were very red and swollen, and that
there had been some skirmish during the
day between herself and her mother, who
was more infatuated than ever with her
Robillard. | came to the conclusion that
1t was time to interfere in the interest of
those poor children. That very day was
the last Sunday of the year, and as our
conversation naturally drifted to New
Years day, which we were to celebrate to-
gether, the Captain suddenly exclaimed
"Parbleul dear Madame Dutaillv, /
must give you surprise for your New
Years present"
That suggested to me an idea as to what
mine should be. On New Years dav Du-
tally received Us with open arms and
radiant vlsage, for the strategist of the
Tunes had just defeated Prince Charles in
the envlrons of Evreux, after having drawn
him thither by feigned retreat, thus &C
| complishing one of the most marvellous
feat-of-arms of modern times.
This piece of good news was Dutailly's
New Years offering. Anatole, for his
part, brought rabbit which he had
| trapped on the devastated island of Saint
Denis. 1t was only garden rabbit,
which had returned TO the savage state. As
for the Captain-with profound obeis-
ance, he presented Nine. Dutailly with a
German helmet containing a large bag of
sugared chestnuts.
Dear Madame" said he, smiling, al
could easily have offered to you the head
which belonged in that helmet"
What.' exclaimed Nine. DutaiIlv,
almost speechless with admiration, "you
killed him?o
| For the express purpose of securing for
| you, belle dame, this 6onboaniere, feat which
could not have been performed, dare say,
by every one" at the same time casting a
glance of plying contempt upon poor An
atole
spare the reader the recital of the
wonderful adventure, of which, rest as
sured, the rascal omitted not the slightest
detail. Hidden in a cask, he had waited
| for the wearer of the helmet-a belated
sentinel-had attacked him suddenly, and,
IN the hand-to-hand conflict which en-
sued, had felled him to the earth and
strangled him in order not to attract the
attention of the enemy by the report of his
revolver Oh how poor and mean the
rabbit-alt although it had also met Its death
by acknowledgements in comparison
with the Captains glorious trophy
" For my part" said |, 81 have not the
presumption to rival such warrior as the
Captain. / have, nevertheless, little sur
prise, but, as it has not yet arrived, we
need not delay our dinner"
We then sat down to a most JOYOUS re-
past. A young pig had been sacrificed for
the occasion, and the black-pudding was
an immense success. We had Just finished
slipping our coffee and cognac, and were
about to light our cigars, when servant
announced that an artilleryman had Just
left my present in the parlor We at once
repaired thither, where the object was in
deed lying on the table, and looking quite
handsome in its covering of glazed paper
tied with blue ribbons.
"What can it be? said Nine. Dutailly
with truly feminine curiosity.
Do not puzzle your brain with guess
ing, madame" said |, "it is a she'll"
"a shellw chorused the entire COM
pany.
ayes, shell. Dutailly has often ex-
pressed desire to have real shell, one
that had seen service, and, at my request
my old friend Roland, commander of bat
terry, sends me this one, which comes from
the Plateau of Avren, where it fell with
out bursting"
While speaking, l united the blue lib
bon, tore off the paper, and disclosed the
dark, sinister, and threatening object.
ParbIeu," said Dutaiily, q am de-
lighted l will make pendulum out OF
it for my cabinet"
But" objected Nine. DutailIy, uneasi-
| ly, suppose it has not burst ?"
"Ohl have no fears" said |. at was
perfectly agreed that Roland would not
send it unless it was quite empty and
harmless. However, here is the letter
which accompanies it."
Iopened letter which was fastened to
the shell, and made ready to read it aloud,
but at the very first line my face must
have expressed the utmost surprise and I'M
easiness, for everyone cried out: "What
is the matter ?"
=" Non dieu" l stammered, az AMI
that is-listen," and | read:
DEAR FRIEND: Here is the shell you desired
only it was impossible for me TO find man who
| knew how to remove the charge. Send it to the
gunner in the Opera Arcade-he is very skillful
in such things. Above all, be extremely care
full. Do not expose it to the slightest shock or
friction, for the weight of leaf would be enough
to make it explode.
l was interrupted with shrieks of alarm
Take it ayw cried Nine Dutailly.
at is terrible! A shell in nv parlor !''
"lloa dieu" said |, reaching for it.
Don't touch it. shrieked she.
l =" Be calm-there is no cause for alarm
the gunner who brought it here will take
it away"
"But, sir" said the servant, who stood
trembling in the doorway, "he has gone"
Then" said |, e it must be myself who
will"
Stop" shouted Dutailly," forbid you
to touch it! You are not strong enough
to carry that to the Opera Arcade. Sup
pose you were to droo it on the way-on
the stairs, or in the vestibule p
Nine. Dutailly grasped me frantically
"No, no! not you" she said, "it is toe
dangerous! Not youw
"No, indeed y added Dutailly "this is a
duty which calls for a soldier-a strong,
robust soldier. Fortunately, here is the
Captain"
"I?" whined the Captain, deprecatingly
Certainly, my friend. You are as
strong as Turk, and accustomed to such
things, You play with cannon balls and
shells like schoolboy with his marbles"
pardon, pardon" murmured the Cap,
tain, his rubicund visage growing slightly
pale. " A she'll is something which
Didble! Can We not wait until tomorrow
and then have it taken away?'