The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-11-26
AN OFFICERS DEBTS.

amount of 81 600.
Considering had only been two years
at tho military college that was pretty stiff
--e1. 900 of dcbtsl But there, / had found
all kinds Of ways to spend money ut Sau-
mur Why, when we are young and al
ways in good spirits, nothing in the world
is easier. How many times have we
amused ourselves, my comrades and /,
with smashing a few things efter supper
at the Budan hotel Why, we used to drop
the plates through the window for the
simple pleasure of hearing the music they
made as they landed ON the pavement be-
low
Then, too there was a pretty little mil
liner in shop in the Rue d Orleans Her
name was Radegondc, and the trihes
gave to her cost money. l wonder by
tho way, what she looks like nowS She is
q good age, If sho is still within the land
of tho living.
l had an uncle who was supposed to be
something like n millionaire, and 1 con-
sidcrcd myself his heir, but this said uncle
was as sound as the bridge over the Gard,
and in the meantime my creditors were
clamorous, and my relatives showed no
signs of intending to quiet them. All
these things taken into consideration 1
had thought it more prudent in order to
keep these shameless creditors at q proper
distance, to exchange regiments and to
join tho African light cavalry.
If l had remained in the Eighth hus-
sars--in which regiment certainly our
white and gold uniform was very fetch
ing-I should probably have finished my
days by being pensioned off as an old cap
tain.
Fate is very strange, for who would ever
have thought that l should owe my mill
tary advancement to Radegonde-and
through her to my debts.
We had a very good time Of 1t in AL
| giers, what with the balls which the gov
ernor gave and the cafes, where we all
used to meet in the evenings And then
| we had not to go far out of our way in Or
| der to talk to the Arabsl
| We only had to go out of the town by
| the Bah Ayoum gate, and ct the Maison
| Carree, just two leagues away from the
| Cafe de la Perle 1.-THE powder began to
talk" as they say over there, and this
| kind of conversation continued without
| interruption until tho evening at the
bivouac of Bouffarick. Today there is a
railway there, which is perfectly disgust
ing.
lived in the neighborhood Of Mustapha,
and was as happy as bird in the air or
| as fowl out in the meadows For six
! weeks 1 enjoyed perfect peace, but ut the
end Of that time bailiff living in Algiers
wrote to me, saying that "hc wished to
see me on business matters. F"
| guessed what that meant, for I had
heard that phrase before, and felt sure
there was trap being laid for me, but
went all the same to the address given.
He lived in the Rue des Sotophages, this
bniliff, and his name was Marcassee.
don't know why, but all the time called
him M. Marcassin, "a young wild boar,
and it seemed to me that he was not very
we'll pleased. should like to know,
though, what the vile old quill driver could
| expect after tracking me out in this way.
Why, the wretch had got the bills had
signed at Saumur and had orders to pro-
coed against me and what was still worse
| to arrest me-
| Our conversation waved warm, but /,
seeing the necessity for prudence and
moderation, merely told him that the first
opportunity had would give him such
horsewhipping as he would long remem-
Der, and thereupon left him. He follow
ed me to the stairs and called out that the
next morning he should go and see my
| colonel, which threat he carried into ex-
ecution.
Fortunately for me the colonel was .
man of the right sort, for he merely said,
ARREST him by all means If you CAM
And then he sent me off Immediately
with detachment to join the third squad
ron, which was camping in the Hietidia,
on tho shores Of l. Ouedel- Ouloq lin Arabic
| that means the Bloodsuckor river, but our
men always pronounce it lOucd Laleg,
and the latter is quite O cheerful tra-la-la
| kind of name).
At rOued- Laleg, then, 1 didn't care a
brass farthing for the precious bits of
stamped papers. the arrests and writs
and all the whole kit of humbug and trick
cry belonging to the pettifogging lawyers
and money lenders.
Tho Hadjoutes held the plain, and If the
bailiffs wanted to get at me they would
have had to do their business through
these Bedouins, who are, to say tho least
| Of it, not exactly gentle in their dealings
The kind of life we led was charming, and
month passed by very pleasantly. Nero
| Champoreau's canteen was very fairly
stocked with provisions, and every time
we went foraging we had exciting skir-
mishes.
thought no more about sfarcassiI than
did about the first suit had ever worn,
and l certainly would not have changed
lots with peer of France (for French
peers existed in those days..
Ono morning, just as we had finished
breakfasting under u tree which served US
for a dining room, colonist arrived
among us, just like bomb, exclaiming
that the Hadjoutes had just captured an
officer, who was moving toward our camp.
''An officer! shouted my captain.
"Licutcnant give the order To horse
The whole squadron must be ready III FIVE
minutes"
Tho order was already nearly executed
for tho colonist had told the nren on his
way to u.s. and they, of their own accord,
had rushed to saddle their horses.
While tho captain was buckling his belt
he questioned the colonist moro closely.
s'What officer can it be whom they have
captnreds"
ssOh, it is some ministerial officer
Ministerial? don't know that rcgi-
ment. What do you meanY'
well, captain, he has some office under
the government, or something of that
kind. 1t is bailiff from Algiers.'
"Confound you, man, coming here with
your false alarms! Do you suppose am
going to risk the lives of my men to save
the skin of bum bailiff? Disnount, my
lads' shouted the captain turning toward
the soldiers For bailiff we don't stir. u
AS they were unsaddling their horses
the men laughed heartily, holding then
sides and rolling about with mirth.