The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-05-21

purSuerS grew fainter. ] had proceeded
some distance, and now, through the
thinning trees, l saw that had come
within shooting distance of the red
trowsered sentinel lying upon the wall
summing himself.
There were, in fact, two sentries
there; one lolling upon the wall and the
other leaning against it with but his
head and shoulders visible. observed
them very distinctly: l heard their
yawning of the one that lay in the sun
light.
| saw their chassepots cleaning in
the sun, and in such close proximity
they wore an ugly look.
| was safe, however, as long as their
attention was not attracted toward me,
and so turned my thoughts to my two
pursuers again. had heard them hunt
ing and cursing for awhile far in my
rear, but now all noise of them had
died away.
Happening to turn my glance up to
the stone coping, to which l longed to
return, saw, to my surprise, that the
two grape -pickers had given up my pur-
suit and were engaged in their former
occupation again. But now they were
much nearer to the coping than they
had been before, and under the cover of
their pretended employment they were
still slowly but surely advancing. |
well perceived their object.
Here was predicament truly. The
sentinel, not possessed of an abundance
of wit, would let the two approach un-
challenged, until they were near enough
to turn suddenly and shoot him with
their hidden weapons; and yet were
to attempt to warn him. swift and sure
retlibution would be upon my own
head, both from before and behind me.
But this was not all. At the place
where l stood in hiding the foliage that
sheltered the stream grew scarce and
ended. Before me was wide plot of
unprotected turf
On the other side of this open space
the thicBet there began to stealthily be
stirred. / saw the tops of the bushes
nod. What other foe lay crouching
there? Was there one who could see
me and was aiming at me even now
perhaps? Was the thicket full of sol
dicrs who would rush forth when the
death-shot of the sentry above should
ring out?
This train of nervous fancies, how
ever, was now interrupted. Rising
carefully from the midst of the bushes |
saw well-known pointed helmet. A
head rose, too, and hand that waved Il
greeting.
1t was Moritz, who, grown uneasy at
my non-appearance, had stolen down to
ferret out the cause.
Immense as was the figure of the
Pomeranian, yet he concealed himself
very ably. | noticed from his actions
that he guarded himself cnly from the
view of the two sentries by the wall,
seeming to think that screened from
them he would be safe.
AS he crawled carefully out into the
open, therefore, l attracted his atteu-
tion to the two masculine females who
had gradually stolen close to the cop
| ing.
The Pomeranian knelt in the grass
and looked up. AS he noted the two
figures and the intentions which their
movements betrayed, his face became
transtiXed with rage. So terrible was
the wrath depicted upon it that ] was
| glad to see it turned towards others
than myself.
One of those figures up there, in mis-
gaudy costume, had already reached the
coping and, with his chassepot to his
shoulder ready for firing, peered
stealthily over the stone wall to locate
the sentry.
At this act and those costumes OF
duplicity, the large Pomeranian, re-
gardless of all consequences, leaped
from the earth and fairly beloved with
rage. IL seemed to infuriate him beyond
reason that those two rogues above
should have thus deceived him. A sud
den flash from his gun thoroughly an
initiated the disguised soldier at this
coping,
Swinging his gun like a club and
roaring with fury, he ran up the hill
side toward the other Somehow his
actions aroused me to like fury, ant
we both tore madly up the hill towarf
the skirted soldier who, turning, SCENE,
struck as if by thunderbolt at oul
sudden approach.
The shot of Moritz had sent the echoe.
revcrberating among the hills. The
French outposts leaped up, as if electri
fed, from their SUNNY wall; innumer
able others started up from the sur
rounding thickets. A rain of bullets
fairly peppered the grassy slope.
But our sudden onrush had carried III
in advance of the hail. The quick, un
certain aiming of the enemy also led t.
the fortunate fact that we remained
uninjured.
So quickly was the Pomcranian upol
his foe, that the latter had no time t;
recover from his surprise, not even t,
raise his gun. The onslaught of th'
huge fellow bore the little Frenchmal
to the earth, and the Pomeranial
picked him up, neck and crop, ant
dragged HIM over the wall.
The red-trousered grape-piclier wa
then led, ieered and hooted at, through
the village a most detected sllirmisher
The chassepots across the way yelpe,
angrily at us throughout the rest of tn
day; but two days afterward, that hill
side over there was swarming witt
Prussians, and the iron ring had close,
more closely about Metz Charles A
Colmann, in Detroit Free Press.
The Other War,