The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-05
"A MODERN SAMSON"
A TALE OF REVENGE.
Copyrighted. 1898. bv Robert Barr.

little more and Jean Rssteaux would have
been a giant. Brittany men are small as a
rule. but Jean was an exception. He was a
powerful young fellow who. up to the time he
was compelled to enter the army, had spent his
life In dragging heavy nets over tho side Of q
boat. He knew the Brittany coast. rugged and
indented as IL Is. as we'll as no knew tho road
from the little cafe on the square to the
dwelling OF his father on the hillside over.
looking tho sea. Never before had he been
out Of sound OF waves. Ho was a man who.
like Herve Riel. might have saved tho fleet
but France. with the usual good sense OF OFF,
eialism. sent this man OF the coast into the
mountains. and Jean Tasteaux became a sol
der In the Alpine corps. II he stood on the
highest mountain peak Jean might look over
illimitnble wastes Of snow. but he could catch
neither sound nor sight OF the sea.
Men who mix with mountains become as
rough and rugged as the rocks. and the Alpine
corps was q wild body. harsh and brutal.
Punishment in the ranks was swifta and terri
bic. for the corps was situated far from any of
the civilizing things OF modern life. and deeds
were done which the world knew not Of; deeds
which would not have been approved II re-
ported at headquarters.
The regiment OF which Jean became q unit
was stationed in a high valley that had but
one outlet. q wild pass down which q noun
tain river roared and foamed and tossed. The
narrow path by the side OF this stream was
the only way out OF or into the valley. for all
around the little plateau was walled in by
immense peaks Of everlasting snow. dazzling
in the sunlight, and luminous even in the still.
dark nights. From the peaks to tho south
Italy might have been seen. but no man had
over dared to climb any Of them. The angry
little river was fed from q glacier whose blue
breast lay sparkling in tho sunshine to tho
south. and the stream circumnavigated the
little plateau. as IL trying to find an outlet for
its tossing waters.
Jean was terribly lonely in these dreary and
unnccustomed solitudes. The white mountains
awed him. and the mad roar OF the river
seemed but poor compensation for the digni-
fled and measured thunder of the waves on
tho broad sands Of the Brittany coast.
But Jean was O good-natured giant. and he
strove to do whatever was required of him.
He was not quick at repartee. and the men
Knocked his Breton dialect. lie became the
butt for all their small and often mean Jokes.
and from the first he was very miserable. for.
added to his yearning for the sea. whose
steady roar no heard in his dreams at night
he felt the utter lack OF all human sympathy.
At first he endeavored By uniailing good ma
ture and PROMPT obedience to win the regard
OF his fellows. and he became in a measure the
slave of the regiment: but the more he tried to
please the more his burden increased. and the
greater were the insults he was compelled to
bear from both officers and men. 1t was SO
easy to bully this giant. whom they nicknamed
Samson. that even the smallest men in the
regiment felt at liberty to swear at him or
cuff him II necessary.
But at last Samson's good nature seemed to
no II n rim ant He cfn1l- puaS IannppinD ~.
hausted. and his comrades forgot that the
Bretons for hundreds Of years have been sue
ccssful fighters. and that the blood Of conten-
ton flows in their veins.
Although the Alpine corps. as a general
thing. contains the largest ard strongest men
in the French army. yet the average French
soldier may be termed undersized when COM
pared with the military Of eithor England or
Germany. There were several physically
small men in the regiment. and one OF these.
like a diminutive gnat. was Samsonis worst
prosecutor. AS there was no other man in
tho regiment whom the gnat could bully.
Samson received more than even he could he
expected to bear. One day the gnat ordered
Samson to bring him a pail of water from
the stream. and the big man unhesitat.
ingly obeyed. He spilled some Of it com-
ing III the bank. and when he deliv-
cred it to the little man. the latter abused him
for not bringing the pail full. and as several OF
the larger soldiers who had all in their turn
made Samson miserable, were standing about,
the little man picked up the pail Of water and
dashed 1t into Samson's face. 1t was such q
good opportunity for showing of before the
big men. who removed their pipes from their
mouths and laughed loudly as Samson with
his knuckles tried to take the wator out Of his
eyes. Then Samson did an astonishing thing.
You miserable. little. insignificant rat. he
cried. Il could crush you. but you are not
worth it. But TO show you that | am not
afraid OF any of you. there. and there"
AS he said these two words with emphasis.
he struck out from the shoulder. not Mt the
little man. but at the two biggest men in the
regiment. and fellcd them like logs.
A cry of rage went up from their comrades.
but DULLES arc towards at heart, and while
glared at them no one made n move.
The matter was reported TO the officer and
was placed under arrest. When the
inquiry was held. the officer expressed his as
Constituent at the fact that Samson mad nit
men who had nothing to do with tho in
suit he had received. while the real culprit
had been allowed to go UNPUBLISHED.
They deserved it." said Samson. sullenly.
Is for what they had done before. could not
strike tho little man. l should have killed
silence" cried the officer. You must not
answer me like that"
81 shall answer you as l like" said Samson
doggedly.
The officer sprang to his feet with a little
cane Ia his hand. and struck the insult
ordinate soldier twice across the face. each
time raising al angry red mark.
Before the guards had time to interfere.
sprang upon the officer. lifted SGm
n child above his head. and dashed I'm
with n sickening crash to the ground. where !
he lay motionless.
A cry Of horror went up from every one.
Il have had enough cried Samson. turning
to go, but he was met by q bristling hedge Of
steel. lle was like a rat in n tran. lie stood
l~cllantly there. n man maddeneu by oppres.
sion. and glared around him helplessly.
Whatever might have been his punishment
Tor striking his comrades. there was no doubt
now about his fate. The guard house was IL
rude hut Of logs situated on the banks of tho
ronring stream. Into this room Samson was
lung. bound hand and foot, to await the "our-
- - l. 4 ~.-t Las, pa