Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1890-02-22

this respect for a cannon ball. They
considered, they consulted in under
tones together, but could hit upon moth
ing. Then they were occupied preparing
the repast of the General; my father
begged the soldier to go and get some
water at the fountain, and as soon as he
was outside he ran to the clock:
"Stir not, madam said he to the
Marchioness, 'or we are all lost. You
have heard the officer. We have to lodge
the General. When he has supped we
will make a bed upon the floor and give
him ours; then l will open the clock
softly and you will reposo at our side.
We will see this evening what we will
do tomorrow, In regard to food, | will
pass it to you through the window OF the
case, and to make it easier | will break
the glass A blow of the fist shattered
the glass: my mother gave the March,
oncss a little stool upon which she
could more comfortably rest and closed
the case.
Five minutes after the General en-
tered, followed by his escort Good
evening, citizen" said he, advancing
toward my father, "since you know not
Wcstcrmann l present him to thee
''Westcrmann, the terrible M~ayencais.
the terror of the Chouans, What honor
for me, my General, to receive you in
my house,"
at is well, my brave; not Sc many
compliments; give me quickly to eat, for
| am dying of hunger"
Still talking, he walked about the
chamber, excused himself to my mother
for the trouble that he was giving her,
took me by the arm and raised me to the
ceiling, seated himself before the fire;
got up, paced the floor with long steps,
stopped before the window, and seeing
in the street in front of the house a heap
ofdead Nendcans:
Thunder of Cod" said he to his or
derby, II did not know that We had
made such a slaughter of these brigands
there. My hussars have done rough
work to-day. What a pity that did not
arrive two hours sooner. Not a single
one of them would have escaped. La
Rochciacquelein can boast of having es-
capped cleyerly. Bah! it shall be for to-
morrow
Then he returned to the hearth, took
off his boots and stretched his naked
feet upon the andirons and amused him.
self poking the fire. I lost not a single
one of his movements, | have also KEEP
his portrait in my eye. He was a robus'
man of medium height, stout-neckeC
and s~trapping. He had the hard look
the brief uttcrance, the imperious gest
ure: his figure and his gait breathed al
uncommon energy. l have never seen {
finer soldier! During his supper, he wa
full of extravagant gayety, although
very fatigued. The soup appeared t.
him good, the wine excellent; he haC
all sorts of batteries for my mother, anC
complimented her upon her cooking AM
upon her boy. carried my head high
you may believe.
From time to time he consulted hi
watch and regarded the clock. "You
clock does not go, them he asked of m,
father.
SIT was afraid of the Chouans, m
General; since morning it has stopped.
Hold, look you then, by Jove, either
thou hadst better set it a-going, for tn
breakfast drum beats at my appearance
in the morning, and it is necessary tina
| shall be up at six o'clock to-morro'
morning"
Ny mother became pale as death. M
father arose not to appear troubled, thel
reassuringly:
Listen, my General" he replied, {
would not counsel you to trust to m
clock. | would like better to borrow
watch from my neighbor, the watcl
maker-and then, you know, l get L
: every morning at five o'clock; you ha,
nothing to fear; trust me to wake you
My father had no sooner finished tina
e the Warehouses gave n or two lit
dry coughs which seemed to come fro
s the bottom of a grave. The poor lad
froze in her box, and the fear and Il
1 tOlu dllttltu ntI lilIohN. W. W uoi
for" thought my father; and to dead'
the cough of the Marchioness he set
h coughing himself; my mother did Il
G same and |, too, so that for a minu
nothing could be heard in the house.
"Ah, come now!' said Westermann
r. my mother, "have you put . cat in t
" soup that you all %strangle? Drink
Observation-Disclosures of God!"
"Pay no attention, General" respor
n ed my father: Every time that We c
le of bacon soup we afterward have a {
sire to cough"
n "Let it 60, let it 60! keep thy carr'
for another, they are too white. TIL
lie hadst better say that thou vast thirst,
IN Westermann took a bottle and fill
the glasses
ds "To your health. my friends"
m 'To yours! General"
as "To yours! the little mother"
mt The Warehouses began coughi
TT %again-and my father also.
"My word" said Westermann, rega
ing the side of the clock, there is sol
he thing below there. Thou hidest sol
DIS thing, citizen"
ell "You are joking, my General!'
as 81 Joke? Not at all. Open to me I
of clock."
err. NV father defended himself,
to tested, stammered, said foolish thi
he and was going to reveal all, when
in, mother, with an astonishing presenc
cir mind for a woman, cried to him, ris
nat from her chair:
ies "But open them, imbecile, since
nat General asks 1t of thee!"
ial- bravo! citizeness, bravow said V
termann: ''she has well spoken"
Ielt My father grew red and angry,
ped .menaced my mother with his fist.
ice. General took the part of my mot
his who set to weeping. In short, TIL
the were getting into a pretty mess "
he some one knocked at the door.
h a "0pen!"
oft. An officer entered with q frighte
air.
Ger, General" said he to Western
tout General Marceau prays you to h
away. he fears "A new attack OF