Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-03-14
BY THE LANTERN.

[From tho French of Eugene Marano. In
1914 At Mesnil-sous-B Bots, in Champagne.1
In the little living room of the presbytery,
where the closing day-a gloomy and cold
one of April-gave only a doubtful light
Mile Lys, the niece of the able, was ar
ranging in the bottom of the armure sur
plice and other clerical garments.
From the street there came up vague sounds
of calling voices, and through the mist, like
shifting fires, passed the unsteady CLEANS of
moving lanterns.
All at once in front of the house the pave
ment resounded to the tramp of many horses;
the door knocker, rudely sounded, made
glasses shake, and the voice of Jean Bigorne,
the sacristan, was heard by the young girl,
mingled with the clinking of spurs and con-
fusion of sabers dragging over the pavement
of the corridor.
She raised herself, frightened, when the
door was suddenly opened by the sacristan.
Two men crowded past him, and he cried
out, choking with anger:
"Ah, the beggarsl the scoundrelsi'
'sJean, what is it?'' she asked.
sWhat is its 1t is the Cossacks, mademoi-
selle!" and pushing forward he stopped,
HRfZ6u Ouo VI LILO uCdSy oIFCA OAhOASocASho
from table and stood straight again.
ut is also true that they call me Jean
Bigorne, ex-sergeant of the Twelfth dra-
goons, wounded by bayonet at Arcola, by
a saber stroke at Lutzen, almost killed at
Marengo and nearly buried at Jena, and do
not advise you to advance, you Others"
s'Let them be, Jean, let them be-" said
Mile. Lys, very pale.
If boy ha2 Rnf madamniSalln the a1h6
would never forgive me. 1t is not alone that
this is Gods house-lot of brigands that you
are-it is the church of M. Chanteloup, and
because he is cure now it does not hinder that
he was always my commander and got no
hurt from you under the emperor"
One of the men advanced to repulse Jean.
ssA thousand thunders!" roared the sa-
cristan; eff you touch mel
One hand was raised to strike when the
grave voice of the Able Chanteloup asked:
"Well, what are you doing, sergeants"
an. Alchemy commander
81 have cautioned you not to swear such
oaths 1t is habit of the regiment which
YOU must lose in the service of God. What
do these men want?" asked the able.
1.-THE officer has billet of lodgment here
for the night. A lodging-misery!
SIT is well; give him chamber"
AAnd which one, then?"
"Mine, said the abbe
Jean bowed his head and growled some
thing between his teeth. The officer started
to follow him to a room, when a gesture Of
the able detained him.
sDo YOU understand Frenchs Yes? Then
a word, pray. The man who receives you
has been a soldier, as you are He was five
years commander in the guard, and would
be still if a ball had not shattered two fingers
at Wagram."
And the able showed his right hand, which
had lost its middle fingers
eNot being able longer to aid the country
with my sword I have thought might still
aid it with the cross. was educated in pro-
found Christian sentiments, and have become
a priest And my ministry commands me to
be today, between you and the country to
which you come all enemy, an intermediary
of aeace and Cancellation. Enter, monsieur.
You are in home of a man without defense
NV poor Jean is an old man, and my niece
come forward, Lys-fs only child. Before
God. who pardons and Furnishes, | put my
home under the protection of your honor as a
soldier. Welcome, monsieur"
In the evening, near 10 o'clock, Mile. Lys
retired to her chamber The Cossack officer
had not yet returned to the house from the
village through which his men were billeted,
although the most Of them looked in at the
tavern, when Bigorne came to tell the able
that man, dripping with rain and covered
with mud, had just arrived from two leagues
away through the woods to ask that the able
should go to his house, where bis mother lay
AT the point of death and needed the last con-
ISOLATION of the church.
81 will co." said the able.
Jean Bigorne looked at him.
ABut. NJ Able" said he, ''you cannot think
of going at such an hour The roads are bad,
it rains like a benediction and is so black there
that the devil goes with his tail down, my
commander"
.sGive me my hat" replied the able.
I.But it is not Gods will You will meet
those brigands at all corners of the woods,
not counting that evil officer that you leave
here Surely it is not prudent. M. Able; it is
not prudent"
care YOU not here?" replied the able. Sand
he has not returned this evening, and may be
on duty all night For the rest, will be back
in two hours Prepare the holy oil, and tell
Janniot at the tavern to saddle horse for
me. 1t is the good God who calls me to that
friend who is going to him. Co."
at is enough, my commander" said Jean,
resignedIy.
It was on the stroke of midnight when the
Able Chanteloup returned his horse to the
tavern and regained, across the sleeping
village, the lane that led up to his house. AS
he walked along by the wall of the church he
heard call:
Here, this way, M. Abbot"
"You, Jeanl how are you there?" asked he,
astonished.
SIT is the officer, my commander. He re-
turned and pushed me out when l went to
fasten the door. He is intoxicated, the scoun.
drell'
AT that moment a window of the presby.
tery was opened and Mile. Lys, all in her
night garments disordered, with shoulders
bare, leaned out; but a hand pressed upon
her mouth pushed her back before she could
utter cry, and the smothered sound OF q
struggle could be heard in the street.
The able threw himself like madmah
upon the door that Jean shook also with n
terrible push; the fastenings gave way and
struck noiselessly against the wall; and tho
two men flew up the stairs, near which Mile.
Lys had fallen senseless.
"Jean,'' said the able promptly, "carry
her to her chamber and restore her to sense!
on GuCoT UueT0, IuOuScuTt ftHu uO PoSAiOA
toward another room, the door of which was
wide open, the officer whom that scene had
sObssed.
Thes,, facing the culprit, and looking him
straight in the eyes, the Able Chanteloup
said:
''Listen to mel At Bergame, during the
campaign in Italy, I was made lieutenant
The place was surrendered and one OF my
men, who had bravely done his duty in That
campaign, tl1t evening stole watch. had
the robber shot IL Egypt my orderly,
dragon who had helped save my life at 'a'e
Pyramids, struck dervish who was coming
out of mosque. had that man dismissed
from the army. At Wagram, finally, sur
prised the oldest officer of my squadron, OF
which had been commander for five years,
trying to ruin woman. myself killed tho
villain"
The Cossack Lowed, but said nothing. The
abbe continued:
@1You are to your soldiers the example of
discipline and honor You have stained it,
monsieur If had not arrived in time you
would haEe committed here in nay home an
infamy-t ullied home which left under
the safeguard of your loyalty. It is neces-