The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-02-22

ties We're empty; the drinkers were
rapidly becoming intoxicated. A
silent, solemn INVESTIGATION, no turbu-
lence of gesture, no pell NELL of words,
only dull torpor that ruminated and
benumbed.
Suddenly one of the drinkers. who
was running wandering eye over a
morning journal spread out before
him, uttered a great shout of laughter.
His companions turned their heads
slowly, with gesture of automatons
moved by single spring.
See! see!" cried the Laughter, point
ing with his finger to the top Of Il
column. And bending forward they
read the following sufficiently singu-
lar advertisements, as you may see for
yourselves:
The Prussian or Bavariau soldier
who has reason to believe himself the
father of d child born Wednesday,
August 3. IS, at the chateau of NJ.
r. H. (France), is requested to return
to this chateau without delay.
Such a shaking of stomachs and
such a gust of tempestuous hilarity as
went up then from those maudlin
tirplers But the youngest Of the
officers, fresh and rosy under his pale
blonde curls, and though we'll into his
thirties seeming scarcely five and
twenty, had uttered d cry and no
longer laughed with the others He
seized the paper and read the adver-
tisement again, read it eagerly, with
something like fright in his eyes: then
he hastily sprung up and was gone
without word or even a nod.
One month later, the comte de
arms, his head on his hands, regarded
dancing and leaping in the wide
chimney the Pickering flame Of the
vine twigs, The autumn was cold and
fire was already needed. But the
clear sunlight, through the wide
opened windows projected itself into
the austere hall, frightened the SOM
Der tapestries and furniture, and
illuminated the pauoplies of arms
upon the walls like great steel roses,
whilst the winds brought in from the
grounds without the moist perfume of
the last flowers and the soft gurgle Of
the height boring river.
Presently there was q rap on the
door and a servant entered to an
nounce that q stranger with German
accent demanded to be received.
The comte sprung up hastily. He
was very pale in the full light, and a
sort of restrained shudder seemed to
culver through the muscles Of his face
and his close-shut lips He did not
speak, either-fearing, perhaps, to be-
tray his emotion by the trembling of
his voice. He merely nodded his head,
but the servant understood was to
admit the visitor.
When he entered, his manner un-
easy, his step uncertain, his whole ap-
pearance that of a man who knows
that he is taking a terrible risk, the
comte. smiling bcnevolently, adj
vanced to meet him.
''Monsieur." said he courteously
Ito what do 1 owe the honor of your
visit?'
II read in a pa per, monsieur" be
. gan the stranger stammeringly
The conte still smiled.
''Ah, | see, know!' said he "Ant
you think that it is you whom the ad
vertisement concerns? You have, then
/ presume, some reason for believing
SOP
"Before answering monsieur. may
ask to whom l speak??" returned the
other.
THE Comte CASTOR de Montrozav
the master of this house, and the onl,
relative and brother Of the youn4
girl"
The stranger extended his hands t,
the comte, as if beseechiug him t.
spare him.
II am a wretch, monsieur" he cried
"a scoundrel, and if you kill me yo
would be right But believe me, l be
my heart for ten long months a re
morse that has torn and rent me Xix
wild beast. OF that night, that es
ccrablc, accused night, monsieur,
shall drag the memory to the tomb
But you must know, monsieur, 70
must know everything, and to avo,
such 4 crime, to recount it, is of itsel
u sufficient punishment. We had bee
fighting all day long in bands, frol
wood to wood and village, t
village, firing into thickets an
open doors at random, will
out seeing or knowing whom "
had killed till we heard the groans {
saw the blood running at our feet
Zone long continual battle, in
thick night of binding smoke, til
stencil OF powder and fresh blood an
raging, consuming thirst that wou1
make one drink blood itself if naugl
else were at hand. i!y evening I W;
drunk, drunk with carnage and ais
with wine, caked with red mud {
face, hands and uniform, and rab
and brutal as u maddcned beast.
st was then that l came upon 70,
house. I recognized it instantly, til
hall which I travcrsed then in
mConlighted shadow, and hear still
my ears the cries of fri ghtcn,
women fleeing before me white
phantoms. One Of the them fell.