Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-08-16

and the soldier mounted the hill.
They had left the high road and were
making their way across an uncultiyated
piece OF ground guided by the sound.
Look out" said the corporal. The
DEVILS work is beginning"
And indeed down among the olive trees
strange things were going on.
Among the tree trunks stepped into the
vague light of the stars four mon-or rath-
or four phantoms-and moved along In
single file. Suddenly, as II obeying word
Of command, the procession stopped.
The first phantom, the bearer of a bulls
eye lantern, threw beam Of light from
the right to the left slowly and In IA circle.
At tho same time the second beat his
drum. The third, balancing a utensil
which seemed 10 be watering can, lot q
shower Of liquid diamonds fall on the
ground, while the fourth, who was armed
with basket fell on his knees.
After completing this incantation every
thing sank back into silence and darkness
till another roll Of the drum and another
beam Of the light told that the four strange
things had moved farther on In the plain.
what do you think of 1t, oorporalr
"We must lie down on our faces like
sportsmen and wait and see."
Had the phantoms heard the voices of the
soldier and the policeman Had they seen
tho shadows on the groundf In less time
than it takes to ask these questions the
drum had been silenoed, the light vanish
ed, and when the two men arrived on the
spot they found nothing but number of
footmarks about round damp place.
The corporal slept no moro that night,
and his wife was terrified. Were they
phantomsf No Soldiers do not believe
In phantoms
Treasure seekers, perchance But the
drum and the watering can were discon-
certing
Were they sorcerers, theni Supposing
they were. II they were everything could
be explained.
Then he reflected that, after all, the
mystery might be solved by tho aid OF a
little diplomacy. The footpath, bordered
by crumbling stone walls, by means OF
which the rovers must have fed since
there was no other escape, led straight TO
the Mas do pAgasse. This Mas de lAgasse
belonged TO NJ. Baculas, jolly fellow.
who was fond Of playing joke on the po-
lice, and on whom the police kept their
eye.
Next day-it was q fine Sunday-the
corporal, newly shaven and very smart
in his best uniform, turned toward the
Mas do iAgasse. The chimney was smok-
ing.
- One rapid glance into the interior of tho
hut through the open door told him every
thing, for there no saw, hung up against
the wall like trophy, large basket, q
watering can, a bullseye lantern, TO say
nothing Of the drum covered with towel
The criminals, however, showed no CON
sternation at all. On the contrary, they
shouted;
"Helloi Is that the oorporalP How aTo
you, corporalf Come in, corporal, unless
you are afraid of bottle of new wine"
The corporal entered, determined to OBJ
serve men and matters.
Three saucepans wero bubbling under
the supervision of three men, who care
fully watched tho red embers. The fourth,
Baculas himself, with bare arms and the
perspiration standing In beads on his fore
head, was crushing the sacred aioli ikthe
corner.
Suddenly and with a herculean gesture,
no put down tho mortar, planted the wood
en- pestlo In the midst on the odorous,
wabblinR mass, and cried outs Every
man TO the table. The aioli is readyl"
what Is the matter, corporalS You
seom presccupiod. You eat with one eye
on your plate and the other on tho lantern
and the drum, and only last night you
and that brigand Pioardan tracked our
steps on tho Font-Seche hill And when
we have revealed all things TO you, cor
poral, swear TO US that you will not be-
tray u.s."
The corporal was alone, without his
sword. He swore.
Now, lot me tell you, corporal" Baou
las began in a voice of thunder, "that tho
sons of the Provence, like their forefathers
the Romans-have always roasted snails
Especially Is this the case at Roquevaire,
for nowhere else Is the snail held in such
high estimation. Unfortunately the snail
Is capricious beast choosing It's own
hours 1t never shows its horns except
after the rain. Now, think of our misery
when there is no rainl
"Meanwhile," Baculas went on, there
is a way by means of which the snail can
be induced to leave its underground for
tress and take wolk on the surface of the
soil. But IL required all the native inge-
nuity of tho Provencal In general, and the
Roquovairois In particular, TO find out this
way. 1t would be no use II you tried, cor
poral, for you are not Provencal Tho
following is the way in which the Proven
cal organizes his nocturnal snail cxpcdi-
tiuns:
-Four men 40 together, walking behind
each other with n uniform step, ms you
saw US walk last night The first carries
a bullscyo lantern, the second drum, the
third watering can and the fourth q
wicker basket. Thus We lose ourselves
among the olive trees.
"Whcn we come 90 propitious spot
Me man with the lantern throws the light
about the drummer beats n muffled march,
and he with the watering can begins TO
water the ground. The foolish snail,
thinking that the lantern Is flash Of
lightning and the sound Of the drum a
peal Of thunder, crawls out Of his strong
bold and is then delicately delivered into
The basket by the fourth member Of tho
party"
Is this story truoi Why noti At any
rate, throughout Provence during n thun-
derstorm the good folks, after crossing
themselves, never fail TO say, with look
ht the clouds, Here Is the drummer OF
Rnuuayaira callinn tho enafla 20 arTna -