The morning call., 1891-11-29
THE MAN OF
NO FAMILY.
Go8jOy's Characteristic Story Of French
Military Lite.
How Sergeant Forth Was Induced to Re-
Enlist-Kremel and His Letter From
Germany-Tears and Despair.
special TO THE SUNDAY CALL..


timid air.
"A letter for you," said the Sergeant, |
handing him the envelope.
And approaching the man. he added. in |
hooking tone:
AHA, that's the second you have re- |
ceived from Germany in eight days. Are |
you corresponding with Bismarck? No |
joke. eh?"
And tapping the soldier Familiarity upon |
the shoulder. he turned on his heel.
Say, now, Fortin." cried tall gay fell |
low. built like Hercules, sit seems that
we're to be let off for good this time, |
doesn't it?"
The Sergeant was about to quit the mess |
room. He paused and looked at the man
who had spoken to him. He recognized
Baiigand, Partisan like himself. They |
had joined the regiment together, and each
time Forth came into the mess-ro0m Bali |
gand found preteXt for conversation, proht-
ing by the past intimacy TO be familiar with
the sub-otficer.
mo mistake" responded the latter. :" the
order reached the Major this morning. We
leave in fifteen days"
That's not too SOON" exclaimed the other.
AHA I've been told that you'd like to re-
enlist"
Fortin's only answer was heavy slap
administered to the Partisan by way of pro-
test.
TP-enllSI. An. never III MY lie. W
had enough of this business"
All the men of the mess grouped around
the Sergeant, twisted with laughter at Bali
| gand's ridiculous hypothesis.
THE SILENT SOLDIER.
Alone, at the other end of the room,
| krenel was silent. Seated on the foot of
his bed, he was reading, for the tenth time
| perhaps, the letter which the Sergeant had
| handed him a little while before, and big
! tears were rolling down upon the paper.
| He was q brave fellow and a good soldier,
| that kremel.
On joining The CORPS he had been some
| what the butt for the jokes of his comrades,
| who were amused by his AlSatian accent;
| but he had rapidly gained the friendship of
| all by his obliglng disposition.
Kremel, however. was not gay all the
time. Being very poor he had never been
able. since his entry into the service, to af-
ford the luxury of trip home. He came
from small village right on the German
frontier; at the period of the division he had
had the luck to inhabit the part which re-
NAMED French. He often thought of his
village for more than one motive; that was
what made him tacilurn.
Now. lie rad only two weeks more to
serve-ffteen days-for he also was of the
number whose term was about expiring
Release the very word in the past had
made his heart beat quicker; he had impa-
tiently awaited it. Sometimes it had
seemed to him that the day of his freedom
would bring him joy and hope-and yet he
was weeping in despair.
Plunged in his grief he had not seen what
had taken place in the mess-room, and
when, long while aftarward, ne raised his
head he was alone. In the courtyard the
bugle was sounding, summoning tho men to
drill, but he paid no attention to it; having
for some time past been employed in the
uniform supply department, he no longer
did military service. He went down TO the
cantine to buy some letter. paper. As he
passed tie sub-officers' room he saw come
FrONa Poll a
other soldiers. all OF whom belonged 10 the
set to be released; they had evidently been
joyously celebrating the news of their ap-
preaching departure. and Forth especially
seemed considerably elevated"
FoRTIN's DREAM
In fact, when Kremel returned to the
meSs-room to write his letter, the Sergeant
was stretched out on Baligand's bed and
snoring loudly.
A type was this Foriin. A good type said
the men, good sub-offirer thought the
chiefs He had the friendship Of the first
and the esteem of the others
Performing his duties With intelligence
and 6rmness, but without excess Of zeal, he
rarely punished and knew how to make
himself obeyed. His squad was the best
drilled and best dressed of the company, and
his Captain looked forward TO his departure
with regret Several times he had striven
to retain him, brilliantly setting forth the
advantages of re-enlistment, for he knew he
had neither family nor fortune. But Forth
had constantly evaded the temptation. 1t
was not his vocation. he said, laughing.
The truth was that Partisan to the mar
row of his bones he loved independence
and liberty above everything. He was in
haste to Quit garrison life, which imprisoned
him for whole weeks in the barracks, and
that gloomy, monotonous country town,
without amusements. where he was bored
almost to death. He longed for Paris, with
its balls, its concerts and its theaters.
Parish He was dreaming of it at that mo-
ment, there upon that soldiers bed. He
saw himself in the hurry burly of disem-
barkation at the Lyons depot, his head on
one side. People were calling, searching.
waiting for each other. Then the farewell
treat at the wine merchants-did they know
II they should ever see each other again,
now? 1t was sad, all the same, to quit each
other! They had suffered together for four
years. Bah. they were none the worse
for that. And before separating they ex-
changed addresses, promising to see each
Each one went off with relative. friend or
sweetheart who had come to meet them.
and he, Forth, remained alone-all alonel
THE SURPRISE.
Thunder" cried Forth. "What are
you doing there?"
He had awakened with a start-sulky,
uneasy, sobered-and at the first glance had
surprised krenel taking cartridge from
his cartridge-6o box and cOncealing it in his
pocket. With bound he was upon the sol
der, and, grasping his wrists in his strong
| hands, he shouted in his face:
You have just taken cartridge from
your cartrdge-box! 1 saw you! Come,
what have you to say?
The other stammered, overwhelmed:
Sergeant--l-'
Then Forth twisted his arms, sneerng:
ALL the letters from Germany Eli,
canaille!"
With a push he half upset him on the
table, and, holding his wrists with one
hand. with the other searched his pockets.
AT last he pulled out the cartridge,
wrapped in letter written in a small hand
He let go the soldier. who fell upon bench.
The poor fellow was trembling all over; he
shed scalding tears, like whipped child.
Forth read the letter, watching him out
| of the corner of his eye.
This is what he read:
My dear FRANC As told you In my last let
ter, NJ. Muller would listen to nothing III my
father cannot pay the 500 francs lie owes him he
Will sell the house. Yesterday he sent the balff,
aud have r. allied that must sacrifice myself
If want TO save the poor old folks from want.
DO not repToach me- my dear Franz, You are
the only man have ever loved.
My resolution is taken. / shall marry Nj. Null
) Ter. since that Is the condition he imposes Al
. satidn at heart, had always hoped TO become
c,dsn ori,erwise. in Ii;res weeWs' S,Ii h a a
, German once more, and shall call myself Mime.
c Muller. But, oil, not for long. / have procured
s a drink which kills without causing suffering.
e Do you understand?
/ Don't weep too much for your little Marie, my
dear Franz; try to forget her. Above all, don't
return home-we should be too near each other
4 and feel that II l saw you again could nOt-I
would not-haye M. Muller. need all my cour.
Y age To save the old folks. l am sure they would
die II they were driven from the roof under which
{ they have always lived.
= Remain good Frenchman; perhaps some day
! you will have chance 10 ayenge her who loves
. you more than life and Will soon prove il TO YOU
MARIE HERMANN.
Fcrtin read the letter twice; greatly af-
= fected, he had Apr cached kremel.
nd hat 40 rtrin uac I'm G m orr