Middletown transcript., 1892-03-03
FOR THE HONOR OF FRANCE,

It is that my husband would smoke.
He is an old soldier. He smokes all
the time. Ciel! They are like Chin
neys, these old soldiers. This man of
mine regrets that he cannot smoke
when he is asleep u
While Madame delivered this ad-
dress she continued to mount the steps,
and as she finished it she seated her
sell in the corner of the carriage op-
posite to me. She was short and
round aud sixty years old, and smil-
ing like the sun On fine day. Her
dress was the charming dress Of
Aries, but over her kerchief she wore
a silk mantle that glittered with an
embroidery of jet beads. This man
tie was precious to her. Her first act
upon seating herself was to lake it off,
fold it carefully in large handker-
chief, and lay it safely in the netting
above her head. She replaced it with
a red knitted shawl, partly as shield
against the dust and partly as a pro-
lection against the fresh wind that
was blowing briskly down the valley
of the RhOne.
In a moment her husband followed
her, bowiDg to me as he entered the
carriage. Seating himself beside her,
and giving her plump hand a little
affectionate pat, he said: 1T is all
right, little one. Marie will receive
her jelly in good condition. 1 myself
saw that the BASKET was placed right
side up in the carriage. The jelly
will not SPILL" Then, turning to me,
he added: "My wife makes wonder
ful jelly of apricots, Monsieur. We
are taking some of to our married
daughter, who lives in Avignon.
He was well set up old boy, with
face most pleasantly frank, close-cut
gray hair, short gray whiskers, and .
bristling white mustache. Across his
forehead, cutting through his right
eyebrow, was desperate scar, that l
at once associated in my own minu
with the red ribbon of the Legion
that he wore in the buttun-hole of his
black frock coat. He looked the
officer in retreat, and the very gentle
ness and sweetness of his manner made
me sure that he had done some gal
liant fighting 10 his time.
AS the train pulled out from the
station-it was at Tarascon that they
had Joined me-he drew forth from
his pocket black little wooden pipe
and tobacco bag. This was my op-
portunity. l also drew forth a pipe
and tobacco bag. Would Monsieur
accept some Of my tobacco2 asked
| had brought it from America, |
added; it was tobacco of the Havana.
Monsieur then is an American
That is interesting. And his tobacco
is from the Havana, that is more in
teresting still. My cousins son has
been for many years in America. Hi'
name is Marius Guiraud; he lives il
San Francisco, possibly Monsieur and
he have met ?"
Monsieur regretted that he had no'
had this pleasure, and explained thai
his home was in New York - three
times as far from San Francisco al
Marseilles was from Paris.
Name of a name! Is it possible
How vast this America must te
And they tell me" Here he struck
a wax match and paused to light hi
pipe. He drew a 1ozens whifs il
silence, while on his face was the
thoughtful look Of one whose taste il
tobacco was critical and whose low
for it was strong.
Thunder of guns, but it is good 7
be exclaimed, as he took the pipe from
his mouth aud passed it lightly bacl
and forth beneath his nose "Hat
we smoked tobacco like this in th'
Crimea we should have whipped thos
rascal Russians in single week
All, that we were without tobacco
was the hardest part of all. l hav
smoked coffee grounds and hay, Mon
sieur, and have been thankful to ge
them-I myself, who well know wha
is good and what is not good IN
pipe! This tobacco-it is divine !!
"Monsieur served in the Crimea !?
"This is the proof of it" he said,
little grimly, touching the scar on hi
forehead.
"And this" his wife added, touch
ing the bit of red ribbon in his button
hole. "He was the brayest man il
all that war, Monsieur, this old hus
band of mine. His cross was give
him by"
eTchut, little one! What doe
Monsieur care how | got my cross
1t was not much that | did. An
man would have done the same"
But the others did not do the same
They ran away and left thee to do
alone. Did not his Majesty tell thee
"Ah, Monsieur hears what a bGba
larde it is. Ii size were given her ow
way she would swear that command
ed the allied armies, and that | BILE
up the Redan and stormed the Mal'