Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-05-05

with tay glass; when perceived in q vine
yard u moving object. The harvest Of the
vintage was az hand. The grapes were
nearly ready, but this made littlo impress
sion on me. fauoied had seen spy mp
proachin5 us through tho vines, and i'm
inediately organized an expedition to sur
round aud 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
OF the retreat Of the spy one company
would be Obliged to march an hour or
more. One man left Cd the wall, to mako |
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. j ad |
vanced my soldiers, who sprang suddenly |
into the vineyard, TO find only Timbuctoo, |
who was crawling on all fours, devourin9
the grapes, o. rather tapping them as a dog |
would bowl Of milk, with open mouth |
swapping the grapes with his teeth. | or
dered him to get up. 1t was quite impos'
slble, and ] soon understood why l.
dragged himself on bis hands and kneea.
As often as he was planted on his feet he
would fail fat on his nose. This poor,
simple creature was really drunk. He wac
carried away on two props, laughing and
gesticulating with hands and feet. This
solved the mystery; my soldiers drank the
grapes, and when too stupeiled TO move,
they slept who're 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 ttievesp
Zone evening they came to tell me that
strange something was eivauoing to-
ward us. l had not my glass and my sight
was bad Sore one saiU it appeared to bt
huge serpent which uncuilcd itself,
others that il was a func. III train under
guard.
Il sent several men ont to meet this
1ueer caravan could not rliesS what il
might be It was this! 1InIbuctoO and
Eight Of bis companions bore in triumph a
sort Of All altar, upon which were ranged
.iFht bleeding, gr.nninB heads. The tenth
negro led horse to the tail Of which waa
.icd another, and six beasts followed
-urrl in jhir same fashion. They told tuoir
e'ory: Having gone into their beloved
vineyard, these Africans mad seen a dctacA.
nrnt Ok Pgu~.ians approaching from the
village. Instead Of flying they had con.
cepled thcuaeNes, and when the officers
had disuouNted from their horses for r..
freshmrLts ~ an inn, the eleven negroes
had rushed upon the ULlans, putting them
to iiaht, os9 had shot the seutileis and
i've OF N" officers.
hat day ! embraced Timbuctoo, brt |
observe" That he walked with difficulty. !
asked II Me was wounded, Ne, no my pro.
VISIONS. n" rcrlcd; and then | discovered
That he fought t"r rain-nol for p,'1'. t.e
collected every tiin~ OF the smaIite, value.
especially things which spark)ed. .'nd
plunged them INTO Il pocket which hung
from nip 70 thigh II" called 1t his pro
loucc az" rroiou"d IT was. If"1E n"}
ne aGdcd to his coi!ccfion, stripping Eold
from uniforms, !aatArr from caps, buttons
pieces OF tlii-auit "iuS shining, until biz
prWunde' was 1ut TO overt!Owius. He
holHl to convey his collection to ms la!G
OF HE c'.ri"L. and had there been 10 pro-
l9njr, verify ncNeve heWuuld have tried,
like the o-trich, to swallow the tAiu-~
piece" ny ,rcr.
"N hen llc Geiicral heard Of the work n
IUEuuctoo he ordered the dead soldie to-
hr i.ui~d in haste, IN order that it nigh;
Lpl hr discovered that they had been be-
h"aG"'D Nett d - he PruSsians returned
and >nyt the mayor of the village with
seven of ms best citizens, presumiug 'hat
they bad i"nn betrayed to our men. WIN.
ter came aN4 WrN1tre Desperate haras- d.
starving. .H"n '""rs aioIa remained lat
and Vigorous rilu always ready to tGht.
"Ilmburlou was growing ViSibly stOuter.
lie said To Dec one day; "Toi, very hungry.
! have GOOD meat, and he brought me 40
excellent ui't. y had no beet or sheep,
mutton or goats, nor were there pigs or
asses. /; "ao uaw impossible to procure
even horse HcHi | thought of all this
after devour,lN the filct. Then a horrible
Thought oppressed me- These negroes
were born near the land Of the mar"atcrs.
Soldiers were constantly falling in the vii
lage. questioned Timbuctoo, WHO did not
care to reply, nor did insist, but | refused
his presents Of filet thereafter
"lIe adorcd me. One night the snow
surprised us at the outer posts. We were
on the ground, and | looked with pity
upon the poor shivering negroes, covering
under this freezing, white dust l also
suffered from cold and commenced to