Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-05-08

one morning was studying the horizon
with my glass when perceived ia vine
yard q moving object. The harvest of the
vintage was at hand. The grapes were
nearly ready, but this made little impress
sion on me- | fancied | had seen a spy APP
proaching us through the vines, and l inn
mediately organized an expedition to sur
round and seize the intruder l took
command myself, after receiving the sane
ton of the general. | ordered out three
small companies, by three different routes,
who were to march near the suspected |
vineyard and surround it. In order to cut |
off the retreat Of the spy one company |
would be obliged to march an hour or
more One man left on the wall, to make |
observations, indicated by signs to me that
the spy was still there. We marched in
silence, bending double. We nearly
crouched in the dust.
FINALLY, we reached the spot. l adj
vanced my soldiers, who sprang suddenly
into the vineyard, to find only Timbuctoo,
who was crawling on all tours, devouring
the grapes, or rather tapping them as adog
would a bowl of milk, with open mouth
swapping the grapes with his teeth. l or
dered him to get up. 1t was quite impos-
sible, and | soon understood why he
dragged himself on his hands and knees.
As often as he was planted on his feet he
would fall fiat on his nose This poor,
simple creature was really drunk. He was
carried away on two props, laughing and
gestculating with hands and feet This
solved the mystery; my soldiers drank the
grapes, and when too stupefied to move,
they slept where they fell. AS for Timbuc-
too, his love for grapes passed all bounds.
He simply lived in the vines like the
thrush, which he hated like a jealous rival,
constantly repeating, The birds eat all the
grapes, the thieves!
: Zone evening they came to tell me that
! a strange something was advancing to-
ward us. | had not my glass and my sight
was bad. Some one said it appeared to be
8 a huge serpent, which uncoiled itself;
others that it was a funeral train under
guard.
t 81 sent several men out to meet this
e queer caravan. could not guess what it
3 might be- 1t was thisl Timbuctoo and
4 eight of his companions bore in triumph a
sort of an altar, upon which were ranged
y eight bleeding, grinning heads. The tenth
: negro led a horse, to the tail of which was
e tied another, and six beasts followed Sc
cured in this same fashion. They told their
/ story: Having gone into their beloved
b vineyard, these Africans had seen a detach
II ment of Prussians approaching from the
IS village Instead Of flying they had con
y cealed themselves, and when the officer
&c had dismounted from their horses for re
IL frshments at an inn, the eleven negroes
e had rushed upon the Uhlans, putting then
It to flight, and had shot the sentinels ant
y five of the officers.
r THAT day embraced Timbuctoo, but
If ! 4 Al. l., ly.I
is asked if he was wounded, Me, no; my pre-
K visions he replied; and then discovers
re that he fought for gain-not for glory. II
collected everything of the smallest value
~ especially things which sparkled, an
IN plunged them into pocket which bun
from hip to thigh. He called it his pro
es fonde,' and profound it was. Every da
S, he added to his collection, stripping gol
from uniforms, leather from caps buttons
N, pieces of tin-anything shining, until b.
profonde' was full to overlooking. II
sh hoped TO convey his collection TO his Ian
of the ostrich, and had there been no pr
h, fonde,' verify believe hewould have trie'
=" like the ostrich, to swallow the thing
N. piece by piece.
his when the general heard of the work
* Timbuctoo he ordered the dead soldiers
be buried in haste, in order that it mig
uu not be discovered I0dI luOg hi'l be'h u
ice headed. Next day the Prussians return,
and shot the mayor of the village wl'
lc- seven of his best citizens, presuming tb
they had been betrayed to our men. Wi
i'd, ter came and we were desperate, harasse
m starving The negroes alone remained
,he and vigorous and always ready to fight
, it "Timbuctoo was growing visibly stoutt
bic He said to me one day: 'Toi, very hungr
sed have good meat and he brought me
Let excellent filet. We had no beef or shee
ca. mutton OF goats, nor were there pigs
e." asses. 1t was now impossible to procu
lite even horse meat. | thought OF all u
mp after devouring the ilet Then horril
moi thought oppressed me. These Negro
- were born near the land of the maneate
wis Soldiers were constantly falling in the '
lage. / questioned Timbuctoo, who did !
God care to reply, nor did 1 insist, but refu'
him his presents of filet thereafter.
Au "He adored me. One night the sn
surprised us at the outer posts We W.
self on the ground, and / looked with p
md, upon the poor shivering negroes, cover
ing under this freezing, white dust. l a
suffered from cold and commenced
con- cough. Suddenly l felt something la
the and warm cover my shoulders. 1t was
lack cloak of Tirlbuctoo.
II arose and handed it to him say
am Keep it, poor fellow You need it m
ing. than L. lie answered, No, mott is p
, in tot and declared that he was warm,
'ezi. sisting that / should keep it, until
ded. forced to command him to take it.
p TO stood up, seized the cloak, and taking
did sword would have cut it in pieces but
by my accepting it.
gar Eight days later we had surrende
lany A few escaped. but the majority weni
'arly the village, giving ourselves up to the
sorts uueror | was directed to the p
d'Armes, where we were to unite, VIII
we'd found myself face to face with nj
they giant dressed in white cotton and weal
the a straw hat. | was overwhelmed '
The amazement and surprise. It was the I
soon ant Timbuctoo who promenaded befol