The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-04-20

with laughter.
To laugh till one cries is no unusual thing,
particularly when one returns at such an hour;
it is an excellent way too, of soliciting four
days of solitary confinement aud diet Of
bread and water a sentence that Briquet did
not have long 10 wait Tor.
Absent without leave and undue hilarity-
four days sale de police for Trumpeter Bril-
Quet" the Sergeant cried.
Such merriment had positively scandaiized
the Sergeant, no less the Corporal; all the more,
perhaps, as 10 all their questions Brlquet re-
sponded with haw-haw" so loud aud long
that they saw clear down his throat.
Why did he laugh like that? Enraged at
not knowing. and not being ablo to fud out, the
Sergeant deemed it his duty to report the pecu-
liar fact He did report il. and Col Ramoliot,
severe but just, believed it his duty to give four
days more to the too joyous Trumpeter.
And this was not all. Lieut.. Bernard hear
ing of the business. and scenting under it some
ridiculous story, decided it TO be his affair TO
visit Briquet aud get at the bottom of so much
gsyety.
with it, man what have you got to laugh at so,
like an imbecile? The Colonel is furious and
has doubled the punishment given you by the
Sergeant"
"But, my Lieutenant" began Briquet, he
bel ha-hs ho-bo! ha-ba-ha!"
"Come, come, l say! Are You afraid of no.
body?"
"No, my Lieutenant not at all, hut-he-he!
he-he he-he-he-he!"
It was simply impossible to get anything else
out of him. and the madden the Lieutenant got
the more Briquet was convulsed with laughter.
Really IL was very trying; something extraor-
binary must be under il all. And Lieut.. Ber-
nard that day at mess detailed his useless
efforts.
Hitherto the Trumpeter had been regarded
H. lr,s,
well, his case was very queer, and Capt. Lorgne-
grut assigned himself to inquire into the
cause of this wild and inexplicable mirth.
Behold, however, at the very first word that
he addressed to the TrumPeter, Briquet roared
IS furously as he had done at Bernard's ques-
tioning.
To be a senior Captain and learn no more
than Lieutenant and COrpOral-it was amaz-
ing. Captain Lorgnegrut, though as rule
very good TO his men, felt himself compelled to
recommend four days moro as cure for unre-
strained levity. Four days more. to which
four more still were added by the Colonel on
reception of Lorgnegrut's report, delivered in
person, and at which Briquet, when informed
Of them by the Sergeant, laughed anew in the
SeFgeants face.
Queer was no name for IL, and, the details
being given that night at mess, Commandant
Vermoulu sWore that 20 on like this it should
not He would 90 himself 10 the stubborn
brute. and be would know what it meant.
But a quarter of an hour later the Command
ant red as an over-ripe tomato. his eyes pop
ping with rage, rejoined them ST coffee, as ILL
successful as the others. Briquet would say
nothing and the Commandant, in his wrath,
hoped that he would never be able TO. Why,
the rascal, not content with laughing, had posi-
lively choked
Il came away" said the Commandant, "lest
] should run my sword into the fellow. But
Al T. I'll H.
has got to speak. ! shall put it to the Colonel
in such q way-well, il that fool laughs in his
face We will see what will happen!"
The Commsndsut kept his word. and the
next day the hilarious Trumpeter was called on
70 face his Colonel.
"No nonsense, now, Briquet," said he.
"What does 1t mean, this craze Of yours for
laughing in the faces Of your superior
eficersP"
my Colonel. allow me. he-he-he! Allow
me-
Nothing; nothing at all, sir; know that!
Explain yourself instanter, or you will learn
what am made of"
Poor Briquet, trying so hard TO be serious,
and SO shaken by internal and uncomfortable
eontortions-he must speak now, since the
Colonel had said it. He held his aching sides
and did bis best to obey orders.
Let me laugh bit first, my Colonel," said
be, lust little bit, he-he-he- he-he! and l
will tell you everything"
Is it so very funny, then, Briquet2" de-
Dauded the Colonel, laughing, in his turn, in
spite Of himself "Al right, then, 20 on and
laugh; only speak,"
permission of which Briquet freely availed
himself after which, between spasmOdic out
bursts, be began his story:
"Itwas this way, you see, my Colonel but
it is not for the Captain or the Lieutenant to
know"
90 r-.l.,,s a. (,z..-.z-. -. a.. @ >,
The COmmandant? But-but it's about
the Commandment, my Colonel, and it's not for
him, either"
'About the Command. Look you, Bri-
snet. what the deuce do you mean?"
That is TO say, it concerns the Commanda1t
30 much, my Colonel, that IL Just couldn't
tell him when he wanted to know. This. nv
Colonel, is how it was: Madame la Command
ante has-has maid, you know, very much
taken with me. ] went there TO see her the
other night thinking the Commandant and
madame his wife, gone for the evening Sud-
denly the bell rung. l didn't know what TO
do. We were n the salon, and ! didn't know
where 10 hide Justine pushed me behind the
window-eurtains, ran 10 answer the bell; aud
II was Madame la Commandante, who had re-
turned -
WE'LL"
- cannot tell any more, my Colonel, indeed,
indeed, cannot!"
NO mOreg Go on at once I say"
Z" cannot my Colonel; and-if did, 1t
would be necessary for you-for you to swear
my Colonel, never 70 tell the Commandment"
"All right; 60 on; it is none of his bust
ness"
"Ahi that is it, my Colonel; he would make
ID his business"
go on go on; tell the rest"
would rather 20 away. my Colonel -
Try 1t If you dare, and 1 will arrest you
o. 'eseTter."
would like that better -
Brquet," thundered the Colonel, " what are
you driving at z Is it my word that you are
Gfter?"
Just So my Colonel-if you will know
So be it; you have it,"
know, my Colonel, but you haven't spit
en- the ground yet"
What! / must spit on the ground. too.
must j, you rascal? Well, here goes-I spit /:
bat if your story, Briqlet, does not paw for ali
this trouble, mark nay words, man-b4ck 10
the gnaTd-house you go, sir, and there you
stayl"
And the Colonel having spat, the Trumpeter
continued:
I" But the Commandments wife, my Colonel,
was not alone"
"Ah-h Not alonel"
"The-the Chaplain, my Colonel, was with
her"
Eli TIE Oh: plain2 What nonsense /,
this?"
a. But he was, my Colonel; it waF the Chap
lain; ] saw him plainly though he didn't see
n AG1a In 4. =. al