Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-06-10

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 Hero and his friend" he muttored, as ,.il brow burned with hot flush of shame ..t |, thought of his outraged honor, his rui ,c manhood. "Her guilt is greater even th:, thought. It were better had slain hor w:.i my own hand that night when she lay at ,n, feetl
 Ho moved like man in dream, he per formed those offices and services demande,: of him with strlct punctiliousness and un. deviatinS exactitude, but all the same. 1t was as the work of a machine. perfect but soul. less, correct but unconscious.
 In tho activity of campaigning, and the ex. citement cf warfare, he had been able to get somo respite from the thoughts of his own wronss-trom the memory of her perf1dy- but now he had only tho dull routine of bar rack-lifo. :he servile employment. the scanty coarse fare the inert and brain -sIckening cx- istence of a despised prisoner of War. AS days passed on, ho saw more and more cleurily that something beyond the common insults
 
 share. His work was tho first to begin, the last to ccase, his food the scantiest. his treat ment tho most insolent of all. Morning afte, morning he rose to the same weary round oi ignoble tasks, to the same recurring petty irritations, to physical privation, to ceaseess tyranny, to all that could make his life most wretched and try his powers of endurance most severely. And be bore all with never murmur-with never a complaint.
 Gan l caro that my enemies have no mercy on my body" he would ask hlmsel; bitterly. "when she whom loved and wor- shipped have none upon my soul."
 stifl weak from long illness, he often felt his strength scarce able to the demands upon 1t, but yet ho taxed it's utmost powers-he spared himself no single task-he asked for no remittance of his labors. Ono day, long fasting and severe labor told upon him at last. Those watching him saw him sway suddenly forward, then fall heavily to the ground. His eyes wero closed-his face gray -on his beard was foam he lay like log whero he had fallen, and the men iwho gathered about tho prostrate form whispered but one word under their breath-"Dead."
 "Is he drunk?" asked the ferocious task master. who had been paid to do his work, and who was ruthless and fierce enough to call 1t patriotism
 Drunk? mo-" muttered the soldier Bohmer who alone of all the garrison pitied and felt for this unfortunate prisoner. "It Is a fit I think"
 Even as he spoke the mans eyes unclosed and looked upward to the cold and callous faces around.
 "Come. get up; no shamming," shouted his tormentor savagely. "We can't put up with this sort ofthing here. You needn't pre- tend you are going to die just yet"
 Bohmer held a draught of water to his lips and raised him gently to recumbent po- sition.
 Pierre looked gratefully up at him with his patient eyes, and staggered to his feet with one vigorous effort.
 Il cannot die, "he said, with an agony in his voice that thrilled to the heart of tho sympathizing soldier beside him, who alone heard tho words
 ''so you're oil right again. It's my belief you've been drinking" said his superior. "I report you for disorderliness and neglect. There's your work not half done. Haste and sec it's completed before the midday rations are served out. or"
 meaning glance completed the sentence as he turned on his heel and left the spot.
 'Tausend Teufel P nauttered Bohmer. with fierce wrath in his voice and glance "To think such heartlsss brute should have it In his power to bully usr Pierre looked gratefully down at him as If thanking hi m for that classification of sympathy.
 You are very good to me-" he said gently, land cannot give you aught save thanks"
 "Nothing is needed" muttered the soldier gruft1y. "I am only sorry you have Such bad time of 1t among us here. Devil take me If can understand why. It seems as if tho Herr Commandant had some special gruige against vou."
 Pierre turned suddenly away. "Doubtless he has," he thought to himself. He but obeys orders."
 "You will'not work now, you are not fit for It," pleaded Bonner, following him eagerly.
 Pierre smiled sadly at his sntreating voice
 "It's soldiers first duty to obey," he said gently. The mans face flushed beneath ali It's sun-tanned darkness.
 "A fit rsbuke. Achl mein Gottl that you were but g Germanw
 ! lIt was tho honest fellows constant regret He could not bear to think that discipline so exact ct-eadurance so great-patience so ex- smplary. should belong to the ranks of his despised and beaten foe, yet his reluctant ad grew deeper every day. He could not but see what heroism lay beneath that calm exterior-a heroism far nobler than any called forth by the tumult. danger and ex- citement of war-a heroism that bore hunger. thirst. toll. insult. contumely. and yet gave no sign of insubordination, uttered no con- plaint of unmerited wrongs, and let the calm light of its influence shine alike on friend and foe till. If none loved, ct least all revsred him for 1t.
 He braced his weary frame now as best he could. He turned to his duties and worked on steadily. unoomplainingly-to receive out from lash. taunt from u mocking tone. 8 volley of oaths and threats that made his blood boil and his eyes flame with the indignation they sought to arouse, But the coarsest upbraiding and reviling could not mako him forget in the presence of his compatriots the lesson he had SO well learnt. He listened in silence, or with sim nlo dirAct ranljec hrt hafo <hos> ~l..-.--